Termination in Connection with a Change in Control a. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” means any of the following events:
Involuntary Termination in Connection with a Change in Control Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in the event of an Involuntary Termination prior to a Change in Control, if the Involuntary Termination (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect such Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of such Change in Control, then the Executive shall, in lieu of the payments described in Section 4 hereof, be entitled to the Post-Change in Control Severance Payment and the additional benefits described in this Section 5 as if such Involuntary Termination had occurred within two (2) years following the Change in Control. The amounts specified in Section 5 that are to be paid under this Section 5(h) shall be reduced by any amount previously paid under Section 4. The amounts to be paid under this Section 5(h) shall be paid within sixty (60) days after the Change in Control Date of such Change in Control.
Termination in Connection with a Change of Control If during the two (2) year period that begins on the date that is one (1) year prior to a Change of Control and ends on that date which is one (1) year following a Change of Control, Conn’s (or its successor) terminates Executive’s employment other than for Cause or as a result of Executive’s death or Disability, or Executive voluntarily terminates his employment for Good Reason, Conn’s will pay the following amounts and provide the following benefits:
(i) A lump-sum cash payment in an amount equal to three (3) times the Executive’s Base Salary, payable not later than ten (10) days following (A) Executive’s termination (if Executive’s employment terminates on or after the date of the Change of Control), or (B) the date of the Change of Control (if Executive’s employment terminates during the one-year period prior to the date of the Change of Control). Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3(c)(i)(B), the amount payable to Executive under this Section 3(c)(i) shall be reduced by the payments, if any, received by Executive pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).
(ii) During the eighteen (18) month period following such termination (the “Change of Control Severance Period”), Executive shall receive continued coverage under the Conn’s medical, dental, life, disability, and other employee welfare benefit plans in which senior executives of Conn’s are eligible to participate, to the extent Executive is eligible under the terms of such plans immediately prior to Executive’s termination. For purposes of clarity, during the term of this Agreement Conn’s shall provide Executive coverage under a major medical plan. Conn’s obligation to provide the foregoing benefits shall terminate upon Executive’s becoming eligible for comparable employee welfare benefits under a plan or arrangement provided by a new employer. Executive agrees to promptly notify Conn’s of any such employment and the material terms of any employee welfare benefits offered to Executive in connection with such employment.
(iii) All awards held by Executive under the Conn’s Amended and Restated 2003 Incentive Stock Option Plan and/or the Conn’s 2011 Omnibus Incentive Plan shall immediately vest and, if applicable, continue to be exercisable during the Change of Control Severance Period as if Executive had remained an employee of Conn’s. The terms of this Section 3(c) are continuing in nature and shall survive until the one (1) year anniversary of the earlier of Executive’s termination of employment or termination of this Agreement.
Termination Upon Change in Control (1) For the purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall mean any of the following events that occurs following the Effective Date:
(a) An acquisition (other than directly from the Company) of any voting securities of the Company (the “Voting Securities”) other than in a “Non-Control Acquisition” (as defined below) by any “Person” (as the term “person” is used for purposes of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “1934 Act”)) which results in such Person first attaining “Beneficial Ownership” (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the 0000 Xxx) of fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities. For purposes of the foregoing, a “Non-Control Acquisition” shall mean an acquisition by (i) an employee benefit plan (or a trust forming a part thereof) maintained by (x) the Company or (y) any corporation or other Person of which a majority of its voting power or its equity securities or equity interest is owned directly or indirectly by the Company (a “Subsidiary”), or (ii) the Company or any Subsidiary.
Termination Upon a Change in Control If Executive’s employment with the Employer is subject to a Termination within a Covered Period, then, in addition to Minimum Benefits, the Employer shall provide Executive the following benefits:
(i) On the sixtieth (60th) day following the Termination Date, the Employer shall pay Executive a lump sum payment in an amount equal to the Severance Amount.
(ii) Executive (and Executive’s dependents, as may be applicable) shall be entitled to the benefits provided in Section 4(e).
Compensation Upon Termination Upon termination of the Executive’s employment within twenty-four (24) months following a Change in Control of the Corporation, unless such termination is because of the Executive’s death, or by the Corporation for Cause or Disability or by the Executive other than for Good Reason, the Corporation shall pay to the Executive the following:
(i) The Corporation shall pay the Executive his full salary (whether such salary has been paid by the Corporation or by any of its subsidiaries) through the Date of Termination at the rate in effect at the time Notice of Termination is given and all other unpaid amounts, if any, to which the Executive is entitled as of the Date of Termination under any plan or other arrangement of the Company, at the time such payments are due (and in any event within 90 days after the Separation from Service);
(A) The Corporation shall pay to the Executive an amount equal to 1.5 multiplied by the Executive’s annualized includable compensation for the base period, within the meaning of Section 280G(d)(1) of the Code, provided, however, that if any of such payment is or will be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code or any similar tax that may hereafter be imposed (“Excise Tax”), such payment shall be reduced to a smaller amount, even to zero, which smaller amount shall be the largest amount payable under this paragraph that would not be subject in whole or in part to the Excise Tax after considering all other payments to the Executive required to be considered under Sections 4999 or 280G of the Code. Such payment shall be referred to as the “Severance Payment.” The Severance Payment shall be made in a lump sum within 90 days after the Separation from Service.
(B) In the event that the Severance Payment is subsequently determined to be less than the amount actually paid hereunder, the Executive shall repay the excess to the Corporation at the time that the proper amount is finally determined, plus interest on the amount of such repayment at the Applicable Federal Rate. In the event that the Severance Payment is determined to exceed the amount actually paid hereunder, the Corporation shall pay the Executive such difference plus interest on the amount of such additional payment at the Applicable Federal Rate at the time that the amount of such difference is finally determined.
(C) In the event that the amount of the Severance Payment exceeds or is less than the amount initially paid, such difference shall constitute a loan by the Corporation to the Executive, or by the Executive to the Corporation, as the case may be, payable on the fifth (5th) day after demand (together with interest at the Applicable Federal Rate).
(D) The amount of any payment provided for in this subparagraph shall not be reduced, offset or subject to recovery by the Company or the Company’s Successor by reason of any compensation earned by the Executive as the result of employment by another Corporation after the Date of Termination, or otherwise.
(ii) The Corporation shall also pay to the Executive all legal fees and related expenses incurred by the Executive in connection with this Agreement, whether or not the Executive prevails (including, without limitation, all such fees and expenses, if any, incurred in contesting or disputing any such termination or in seeking to obtain or enforce any right or benefit provided by this Agreement).
(iii) The Corporation shall maintain in full force and effect, for the Executive’s continued benefit until the earlier of (A) the death of the Executive; (B) the Executive’s commencement of full-time employment with a new Corporation; or (C) twenty-four (24) months following the Operative Date, all life insurance, medical, health and accident, and disability plans, programs or arrangements in which the Executive was entitled to participate immediately prior to the Operative Date, provided that the Executive’s continued participation is possible under the general terms and provisions of such plans and programs. In the event that the Executive’s participation in any such plan or program is barred, the Company shall arrange to provide the Executive with benefits substantially similar to those which the Executive is entitled to receive under such plans and programs. In the case of any insurance provided the Executive pursuant to this subparagraph (iii), each premium therefor shall be paid after, but no later than 30 days after, the Corporation’s receipt of the invoice for such premium. No coverage shall be provided to the Executive under a self-insured medical plan of the Corporation after the Separation from Service; provided that such coverage may be provided during the period of time during which the Executive would be entitled to continuation coverage under such plan pursuant to Section 4980A of the Code if the Executive elected such continuation coverage and paid the applicable premiums. Except for coverage permitted by the preceding sentence, no benefits shall be provided pursuant to this subparagraph (iii) other than through the purchase of insurance by the Corporation.
(iv) The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided under the Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise. It is specifically understood that any compensation the Executive receives from the Corporation or any other person for services rendered prior to or after termination of employment, such as a payment under any deferred compensation plan maintained by the Corporation, will not reduce or offset the benefits to which he is entitled hereunder.
Termination without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason in Connection with a Change of Control If during the period commencing three (3) months before and ending twelve (12) months after a Change of Control, (1) Executive terminates his employment with the Company (or any Affiliate) for Good Reason or (2) the Company (or any Affiliate) terminates Executive’s employment for other than Cause, Executive becoming Disabled or Executive’s death, then, subject to Section 4, Executive will receive the following severance from the Company:
Termination in Connection with Change of Control If Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive for Good Reason within sixty (60) days prior to or twelve (12) months following a Change of Control, Executive shall be entitled to receive, in lieu of any severance benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any severance plan or program of the Company, the benefits provided below:
(A) the Company shall pay to Executive his or her fully earned but unpaid base salary, when due, through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts to which Executive is entitled under any compensation plan or practice of the Company at the time of termination;
(B) on the first scheduled payment date pursuant to the usual payroll practices of the Company (or successor entity, as applicable) immediately after the 60th day following the date of termination or Change of Control, in the event the date of termination precedes a Change of Control, with respect to those payments the amount of which is not administratively practicable by the foregoing date because it is not yet known whether a Change of Control will occur within sixty (60) days following the date of termination, as applicable, Executive shall be entitled to receive a lump sum severance payment equal to the sum of:
(1) twelve (12) months of Executive’s monthly base salary as in effect immediately prior to the date of termination, plus
(2) an amount equal to Executive’s Bonus;
(C) The vesting and/or exercisability of all of Executive’s outstanding unvested Stock Awards shall be automatically accelerated on the date of termination;
(D) for the period beginning on the date of termination and ending on the date which is twelve (12) full months following the date of termination (or, if earlier, the date on which Executive accepts employment with another employer that provides comparable benefits in terms of cost and scope of coverage), the Company shall pay for and provide Executive and his or her dependents with healthcare and life insurance benefits which are substantially the same as the benefits provided to Executive immediately prior to the date of termination, including, if necessary, paying the costs associated with continuation coverage pursuant to COBRA;
(E) Executive shall be entitled to executive-level outplacement services at the Company’s expense, not to exceed $15,000. Such services shall be provided by a firm selected by Executive from a list compiled by the Company; and
(F) The payments and benefits provided for in this Section 4(d)(ii) shall only be payable in the event Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive for Good Reason within sixty (60) days prior to or twelve (12) months following a Change of Control. If Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive for Good Reason prior to a Change of Control and such Change of Control is not consummated within sixty (60) days following such termination, then Executive shall receive the payments and benefits described in Section 4(d)(i) and shall not be eligible to receive any of the payments and benefits described in this Section 4(d)(ii).
Compensation Upon Termination or During Disability (i) During any period in which the Executive fails to perform his duties as a result of incapacity due to physical or mental illness, he shall continue to receive his full base salary at the rate then in effect until his employment is terminated pursuant to paragraph 3(i) hereof. Thereafter, his benefits, if any, shall be determined in accordance with whatever disability income insurance plan or plans the Corporation may then have in effect; provided, however, that, if at the time Disability of the Executive is established the disability benefits then available are less advantageous to the Executive than the disability benefits which were available on the date the Change in Control became effective, then his termination of employment by the Corporation shall be deemed to have occurred as a voluntary termination for Good Reason under paragraph 3(iii) hereof and not by reason of Disability, and the provisions of paragraph 4(iii) hereof shall apply in lieu of the provisions of this paragraph 4(i).
(ii) If the Executive’s employment shall be terminated for Cause or if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Executive without Good Reason, the Corporation shall pay to him his full base salary through the Date of Termination at the rate in effect at the time Notice of Termination is given and the Corporation shall have no further obligations to the Executive under this Agreement.
(iii) If the Corporation shall terminate the Executive’s employment other than pursuant to paragraph 3(i) or 3(ii) hereof within 24 months after a Change in Control of the Corporation, or if the Executive shall terminate his employment for Good Reason pursuant to paragraph 3(iii) hereof within 24 months after a Change in Control, then:
(A) The Corporation shall pay to the Executive, not later than thirty (30) days following the Date of Termination, the Executive’s accrued but unpaid base salary through the Date of Termination, plus compensation for current and carried-over unused vacation and compensation days in accordance with the Corporation’s personnel policy, and reimbursement for all reasonable business expenses in accordance with the Corporation’s business expense policy.
(B) In lieu of any further payments of salary to the Executive after the Date of Termination the Corporation shall pay to the Executive, not later than thirty (30) days following the Date of Termination and notwithstanding any dispute between the Executive and the Corporation as to the payment to the Executive of any other amounts under this Agreement or otherwise, a lump sum severance payment (the “Severance Payment”) equal to 2.99 times an amount equal to the sum of (1) the greater of the Executive’s highest annual base salary in effect at any time within the twelve-month period preceding a Change in Control or the Date of Termination, and (2) the greater of (I) the Target Incentive Award or Target Amount to which the Executive would have been entitled under the Corporation’s Executive Incentive Compensation Plan (the “EICP”) or Annual Discretionary Management Incentive Compensation Plan (the “ADMICP”), as applicable, and the base or target amount to which the Executive would have been entitled under any other annual cash bonus program of the Corporation, had he been employed by the Corporation at the end of the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs, or (II) the highest amount awarded to the Executive under the EICP or ADMICP and under any other annual cash bonus program of the Corporation during the last three fiscal years prior to the Date of Termination.
(C) In addition to the foregoing amounts payable under paragraph 4(iii)(A) and (B) above, the Executive will be entitled to the following:
(i) a pro rata bonus for the year of termination equal to the Target Incentive Award or Target Amount under the EICP or ADMICP, as applicable, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of calendar days that have elapsed from the beginning of the fiscal year in which such termination occurs through the Date of Termination, and the denominator of which is the number of calendar days in the fiscal year, payable not later than thirty (30) days following the Date of Termination;
(ii) any stock option rights held by the Executive which were not fully exercisable on the Date of Termination shall immediately become fully exercisable by the Executive and any restricted stock rights held by the Executive which were not fully vested on the Date of Termination shall immediately become fully vested;
(iii) the Corporation shall maintain in full force and effect, for the Executive’s continued benefit, until the earlier of (I) 36 months after the Date of Termination or (II) the Executive’s 65th birthday, all life, medical and dental insurance programs in which the Executive was entitled to participate immediately prior to the Date of Termination; provided that his continued participation is possible under the general terms and provisions of such programs; provided, further, that, in the event the Executive’s participation in any such program is barred, the Corporation shall arrange to provide the Executive with benefits substantially similar to those which he was entitled to receive under such programs;
(iv) in addition to the benefits to which the Executive is entitled under the Corporation’s retirement plans in which he participates or any successor plans or programs in effect on the Date of Termination, the Corporation shall pay to the Executive in one lump sum in cash, an amount equal to the actuarial equivalent of the retirement pension to which the Executive would have been entitled under the terms of such retirement plan or programs had he accumulated 36 additional months of continuous service after the Date of Termination (or, if less, the number of months between the Date of Termination and the date on which the Executive attains normal retirement age under the plan) at his base salary rate in effect on the Date of Termination reduced by the single sum actuarial equivalent of any amounts to which the Executive is entitled pursuant to the provisions of said retirement plans and programs, discounted to reflect its then present value, paid at the same time as the Severance Payment; provided that, for purposes of this subparagraph (3), the actuarial equivalents shall be determined, and all other calculations shall be made, using the same methods and assumptions utilized under the Corporation’s retirement plan or programs; provided, however, that such methods and assumptions shall be no less favorable to the Executive than those in effect on the date of the Change in Control; and
(v) If a Change of Control occurs and Executive becomes entitled to compensation under this Paragraph that would be subject to the excise tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Code, the Company shall reduce its payment of Separation Benefits to the Participant to $1.00 less than that amount which would trigger the excise tax if such reduction would result in the Participant receiving an equal or greater after-tax benefit than the Participant would receive if the full Separation Benefits were paid.
(vi) The Executive’s right to receive payments under this Agreement shall not decrease the amount of, or otherwise adversely affect, any other benefits payable to the Executive under any plan, agreement or arrangement relating to employee benefits provided by the Corporation.
(vii) The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in this paragraph 4 by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of any payment or benefit provided for in this paragraph 4 be reduced by any compensation earned by the Executive as the result of employment by another employer or by reason of the Executive’s receipt of or right to receive any retirement or other benefits after the date of termination of employment or otherwise.
(viii) The Corporation may, but shall not be obligated to, provide security for payment of the amounts set forth in this Agreement in a form that will cause such amounts to be includible in the Executive’s gross income only for the taxable year or years in which such amounts are paid to the Executive under the terms of this Agreement. The form of security may include a funded irrevocable grantor trust established so as to satisfy any published Internal Revenue Service guidelines.
(ix) The Corporation may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such federal, state and local taxes as may be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.
Compensation Upon Termination of Employment If the Executive’s employment hereunder is terminated, in accordance with the provisions of Article III hereof, and except for any other rights or benefits specifically provided for herein to be effective following the Executive’s period of employment, the Company will provide compensation and benefits to the Executive only as follows:
