Employee Benefit Plans and Related Matters; ERISA (a) Section 3.20(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth as of the date of this Agreement a true and complete list of the Company Benefit Plans, including all Company Benefit Plans subject to ERISA or similar provisions of non-U.S. Law. With respect to each such Company Benefit Plan, the Company has made available to Parent a true and complete copy of such Company Benefit Plan, if written, or a description of the material terms of such Company Benefit Plan if not written, and to the extent applicable, (i) all trust agreements, insurance contracts or other funding arrangements, (ii) the most recent actuarial and trust reports for both ERISA funding and financial statement purposes, (iii) the most recent Form 5500 with all attachments required to have been filed with the IRS or the Department of Labor or any similar reports filed with any comparable Governmental Entity in any non-U.S. jurisdiction having jurisdiction over any Company Benefit Plan and all schedules thereto, (iv) the most recent IRS determination or opinion letter, and (v) all current summary plan descriptions.
(b) Each Company Benefit Plan intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, and the trust (if any) forming a part thereof, has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS that the Company Benefit Plan is so qualified, or an advisory or opinion letter that the form of such plan document satisfies the requirements to be so qualified, and, to the knowledge of the Company, there are no existing circumstances or any events that would reasonably be expected to adversely affect the qualified status of any such plan. Each Company Benefit Plan has been administered and operated in all material respects in accordance with its terms and with applicable Law.
(c) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any of their ERISA Affiliates contributes to, sponsors or maintains or has in the past sponsored, maintained, contributed to or had any liability in respect of any pension plan subject to Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 or Title IV of ERISA.
(d) There are no claims pending or threatened in writing with respect to any of the Company Benefit Plans by any employee or otherwise involving any such plan or the assets of any such plan (other than routine claims for benefits), except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be material.
(e) No Company Benefit Plan is a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA or is a “multiple employer plan” within the meaning of Section 4063 or 4064 of ERISA. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has at any time during the last six (6) years contributed to or been obligated to contribute to any such type of plan.
(f) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any material liability in respect of post-retirement health, medical or life insurance benefits for retired, former or current employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries except as required by Law.
(g) Except as set forth in Section 3.20(g) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the consummation of the transactions to which the Company is a party contemplated hereby, will not, either alone or in combination with another event, (i) entitle any current or former director, officer or employee of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries to severance pay, unemployment compensation or any other payment, (ii) result in any payment becoming due, accelerate the time of payment or vesting, or increase the amount of compensation due to any such director, officer or employee, (iii) result in any forgiveness of indebtedness, trigger any funding obligation under any Company Benefit Plan or impose any restrictions or limitations on the Company’s rights to administer, amend or terminate any Company Benefit Plan or (iv) result in any payment (whether in cash or property or the vesting of property) to any “disqualified individual” (as such term is defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1) that would reasonably be construed, individually or in combination with any other such payment, to constitute an “excess parachute payment” (as defined in Section 280G(b)(1) of the Code).
Employee Benefit Matters (a) A Person who is an active Company Employee immediately prior to the Closing and who remains an active Company Employee immediately following the Closing shall be a “Continuing Employee.” From and after the Closing Date until the twelve (12)-month anniversary thereof (or such later period as may be required by applicable law), Acquiror shall, and shall cause the Company to, provide each Continuing Employee with (i) an annual base salary, cash-based bonus opportunity, and cash sales commission opportunity that are no less favorable in the aggregate than such compensation items that each Continuing Employee was eligible to receive from the Company as of immediately prior to the Closing (other than any retention, sale bonus, change in control or other similar special or non-recurring compensation) and (ii) employee benefits (other than any severance benefits, retiree or post-termination health or welfare benefits, defined benefit pension benefits, incentive equity, equity-based, retention, sale bonus, change in control or other similar special or non-recurring compensation) that are substantially comparable in the aggregate than the employee benefits that such Continuing Employee was entitled or eligible to receive immediately prior to the Closing. With respect to any Accrued Bonus that remains unpaid as of the Closing, Acquiror shall, or shall cause the Company to, make payment of such Accrued Bonus within thirty (30) days following the Closing.
(b) Effective as of, and following, the Closing, Acquiror shall, and shall cause the Company to, cause each Continuing Employee’s length of service with the Company prior to the Closing Date (including any length of service with the Seller Guarantors) to be taken into account for all purposes (including eligibility, vesting and benefit accrual) under each employee benefit plan, program, policy and arrangement of Acquiror (each, an “Acquiror Plan”), except that such prior service credit will not be required (i) to the extent that such credit results in a duplication of benefits, (ii) with respect to the vesting of awards under Acquiror’s equity compensation plans, if any or (iii) for benefit accrual purposes under any defined benefit pension plan.
(c) Effective as of, and following, the Closing, to the extent permitted or required by applicable Law, Acquiror shall, and shall cause the Company to, use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any Acquiror Plan in which any Continuing Employee participates that is a health or welfare benefit plan (collectively, “Acquiror Welfare Plans”) to (i) waive all limitations as to preexisting conditions, requirements for insurability, exclusions and service conditions with respect to participation and coverage requirements applicable to Continuing Employees (and their eligible dependents), (ii) honor any payments, charges and expenses of such Continuing Employees (and their eligible dependents) that were applied toward the deductible and out-of-pocket maximums under the corresponding Company Benefit Arrangement in satisfying any applicable deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums or co-payments under a corresponding Acquiror Welfare Plan during the same plan year in which such payments, charges and expenses were made, and (iii) with respect to any medical plan, waive any waiting period limitation or evidence of insurability requirement that would otherwise be applicable to a Continuing Employee following the Closing.
(d) If requested by Xxxxxxxx in a writing delivered to the Company following the date hereof and at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall take all necessary action (including the adoption of resolutions and plan amendments and the delivery of any required notices) to vest all account balances and terminate, effective as of no later than the day before the Closing Date, any Company 401(k) Plan. In the event Acquiror makes a written request as set forth in the prior sentence, the Company shall provide Acquiror with a copy of any resolutions, plan amendments, notices or other documents prepared to effectuate the termination of the Company 401(k) Plan in advance and give Acquiror a reasonable opportunity to comment on such documents (which comments shall be considered in good faith), and prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall provide Acquiror with the final documentation evidencing that any Company 401(k) Plans have been terminated.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 7.3 to the contrary, nothing contained herein, whether express or implied, shall be treated as an establishment, amendment or other modification of any Company Benefit Arrangement or any Acquiror Welfare Plan, or shall limit the right of Acquiror or any of its Affiliates to amend, terminate or otherwise modify any Company Benefit Arrangement or other employee benefit plan following the Closing Date. The Seller Guarantors and Acquiror acknowledge and agree that all provisions contained in this Section 7.3 are included for their sole benefit, and that nothing in this Section 7.3, whether express or implied, shall create any third party beneficiary or other rights: (i) in any other Person, including any Continuing Employee, any participant in any Company Benefit Arrangement or any Acquiror Welfare Plan, or any dependent or beneficiary thereof, or (ii) to continued employment with Acquiror or any of its Affiliates or to any particular term or condition of employment.
Employee Benefit Plans; Labor Matters (a) With respect to each employee benefit plan, program, policy, arrangement and contract (including, without limitation, any "employee benefit plan," as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA), maintained or contributed to at any time by KFI or any entity required to be aggregated with KFI pursuant to Section 414 of the Code (each, a "KFI Employee Plan"), no event has occurred and, to the knowledge of KFI, no condition or set of circumstances exists in connection with which KFI or any of its subsidiaries could reasonably be expected to be subject to any liability which would have a Material Adverse Effect on KFI.
(b) (i) No KFI Employee Plan is or has been subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code; and (ii) each KFI Employee Plan intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code and each trust intended to qualify under Section 501(a) of the Code is the subject of a favorable Internal Revenue Service determination letter, and nothing has occurred which could reasonably be expected to adversely affect such determination.
(c) Schedule 3.10(c) of the KFI Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list, as of the date of this Agreement, of each person who holds any KFI Stock Options, together with the number of KFI Shares which are subject to such option, the date of grant of such option, the extent to which such option is vested (or will become vested as a result of the Merger), the option price of such option (to the extent determined as of the date hereof), whether such option is a nonqualified stock option or is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422(b) of the Code, and the expiration date of such option. Schedule 3.10(c) of the KFI Disclosure Schedule also sets forth the total number of such incentive stock options and such nonqualified options. KFI has furnished CALIPSO with complete copies of the plans pursuant to which the KFI Stock Options were issued. Other than the automatic vesting of KFI Stock Options that may occur without any action on the part of KFI or its officers or directors, KFI has not taken any action that would result in any KFI Stock Options that are unvested becoming vested in connection with or as a result of the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(d) KFI has made available to CALIPSO: (i) a description of the terms of employment and compensation arrangements of all officers of KFI and a copy of each such agreement currently in effect; (ii) copies of all agreements with consultants who are individuals obligating KFI to make annual cash payments in an amount exceeding $60,000; (iii) a schedule listing all officers of KFI who have executed a non-competition agreement with KFI and a copy of each such agreement currently in effect; (iv) copies (or descriptions) of all severance agreements, programs and policies of KFI with or relating to its employees, except programs and policies required to be maintained by law; and (v) copies of all plans, programs, agreements and other arrangements of the KFI with or relating to its employees which contain change in control provisions.
(e) Except as disclosed by KFI on Schedule 3.10(e) of the KFI Disclosure Schedule, there shall be no payment, accrual of additional benefits, acceleration of payments, or vesting in any benefit under any KFI Employee Plan or any agreement or arrangement disclosed under this Section 3.10 solely by reason of entering into or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(f) Except as disclosed by KFI on Schedule 3.10(f) of the KFI Disclosure Schedule, there are no controversies pending or, to the knowledge of KFI threatened, between KFI and any of its employees, which controversies have or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on KFI. KFI is not a party to any collective bargaining agreement or other labor union contract applicable to persons employed by KFI (and KFI does not have any outstanding material liability with respect to any terminated collective bargaining agreement or labor union contract), nor does KFI know of any activities or proceedings of any labor union to organize any of its employees. KFI has no knowledge of any strike, slowdown, work stoppage, lockout or threat thereof by or with respect to any of its employees.
No Effect on Employee Benefit Plans or Programs The termination of the Executive's employment during the term of this Agreement or thereafter, whether by the Company or by the Executive, shall have no effect on the rights and obligations of the parties hereto under the Company's qualified or non-qualified retirement, pension, savings, thrift, profit-sharing or stock bonus plans, group life, health (including hospitalization, medical and major medical), dental, accident and long term disability insurance plans or such other employee benefit plans or programs, or compensation plans or programs, as may be maintained by, or cover employees of, the Company from time to time.
Effect on Other Employee Benefit Plans The value of the Award subject to this Agreement shall not be included as compensation, earnings, salaries, or other similar terms used when calculating benefits under any employee benefit plan (other than the Plan) sponsored by the Company or any Affiliate except as such plan otherwise expressly provides. The Company expressly reserves its rights to amend, modify, or terminate any or all of the employee benefit plans of the Company or any Affiliate.
ERISA and Employee Benefits Matters (A) To the knowledge of the Company, no “prohibited transaction” as defined under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code and not exempt under ERISA Section 408 and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder has occurred with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan. At no time has the Company or any ERISA Affiliate maintained, sponsored, participated in, contributed to or has or had any liability or obligation in respect of any Employee Benefit Plan subject to Part 3 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA, Title IV of ERISA, or Section 412 of the Code or any “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA or any multiple employer plan for which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate has incurred or could incur liability under Section 4063 or 4064 of ERISA. No Employee Benefit Plan provides or promises, or at any time provided or promised, retiree health, life insurance, or other retiree welfare benefits except as may be required by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended, or similar state law. Each Employee Benefit Plan is and has been operated in material compliance with its terms and all applicable laws, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred (including a “reportable event” as such term is defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) and no condition exists that would subject the Company or any ERISA Affiliate to any material tax, fine, lien, penalty or liability imposed by ERISA, the Code or other applicable law. Each Employee Benefit Plan intended to be qualified under Code Section 401(a) is so qualified and has a favorable determination or opinion letter from the IRS upon which it can rely, and any such determination or opinion letter remains in effect and has not been revoked; to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred since the date of any such determination or opinion letter that is reasonably likely to adversely affect such qualification; (B) with respect to each Foreign Benefit Plan, such Foreign Benefit Plan (1) if intended to qualify for special tax treatment, meets, in all material respects, the requirements for such treatment, and (2) if required to be funded, is funded to the extent required by applicable law, and with respect to all other Foreign Benefit Plans, adequate reserves therefor have been established on the accounting statements of the applicable Company or subsidiary; (C) the Company does not have any obligations under any collective bargaining agreement with any union and no organization efforts are underway with respect to Company employees. As used in this Agreement, “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; “Employee Benefit Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, including, without limitation, all stock purchase, stock option, stock-based severance, employment, change-in-control, medical, disability, fringe benefit, bonus, incentive, deferred compensation, employee loan and all other employee benefit plans, agreements, programs, policies or other arrangements, whether or not subject to ERISA, under which (x) any current or former employee, director or independent contractor of the Company or its subsidiaries has any present or future right to benefits and which are contributed to, sponsored by or maintained by the Company or any of its respective subsidiaries or (y) the Company or any of its subsidiaries has had or has any present or future obligation or liability; “ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended; “ERISA Affiliate” means any member of the company’s controlled group as defined in Code Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o); and “Foreign Benefit Plan” means any Employee Benefit Plan established, maintained or contributed to outside of the United States of America or which covers any employee working or residing outside of the United States.
Employee Benefits; ERISA (a) Schedule 3.10(a) of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of each material, written profit-sharing, stock option, restricted stock option, deferred compensation, pension, severance, thrift, savings, incentive, change of control, employment, retirement, bonus, or equity-based, group life and health insurance or other employee benefit plan, agreement, arrangement or commitment, which is maintained, contributed to or required to be contributed to by any Company or any Company Subsidiary on behalf of any current or former employee, director or consultant of any Company or any Company Subsidiary, or by Seller on behalf of any Transferred Employee, or pursuant to which any current or former employee, director or consultant of any Company or Company Subsidiary or any Transferred Employee is eligible to receive benefits on account of service with Seller, its Subsidiaries, any Company or any Company Subsidiary (all of which are hereinafter referred to as the "Benefit Plans"). Schedule 3.10(a) of the Disclosure Schedule identifies each of the Benefit Plans which constitutes an "employee benefit plan" as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA") and identifies each of the Benefit Plans that are sponsored by or are otherwise obligations of the Company or any Company Subsidiary. None of the Companies or Company Subsidiaries has any formal commitment or intention communicated to employees, to create any additional Benefit Plan or materially modify or change any existing Benefit Plan.
(b) With respect to each of the Benefit Plans, Seller has made available to Buyer true and complete copies of each of the following documents, if applicable: (i) the plan document (including all amendments thereto); (ii) trust documents and insurance contracts; (iii) the annual report filed on Form 5500 for the last two years, if any; (iv) the actuarial report for the last two years, if any; (v) the most recent summary plan description, together with each summary of material modifications; (vi) the most recent determination letter received from the Internal Revenue Service; and (vii) any Form 5310 or Form 5330 filed with the Internal Revenue Service.
(c) Each Benefit Plan has been operated and administered substantially in accordance with its terms and with applicable law including, but not limited to, ERISA and the Code, and all notices, filings and disclosures required by ERISA or the Code (including notices under Section 4980B of the Code) have been timely made. Each Benefit Plan which is an "employee pension benefit plan" within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA (a "Pension Plan") and which is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service for "TRA" (as defined in Rev. Proc. 93-39), and, to the knowledge of Seller or the Companies, there are no circumstances that are likely to result in revocation of any such favorable determination letter. There is no pending or, to the knowledge of Seller or the Companies, threatened litigation relating to any of the Benefit Plans. None of Seller, any affiliate of Seller, the Companies or the Company Subsidiaries has engaged in a transaction with respect to any Benefit Plan that, assuming the taxable period of such transaction expired as of the date hereof, could subject any Company or any Company Subsidiary or any Benefit Plan to a Tax or penalty imposed by either Section 4975 of the Code or Section 502(i) of ERISA in an amount which could be material. No action has been taken with respect to any of the Benefit Plans to either terminate any of such Benefit Plans or to cause distributions, other than in the Ordinary Course of Business to participants under such Benefit Plans.
(d) No Benefit Plan is, and no benefit plan of any entity which is considered one employer with any Company or any Company Subsidiary under Section 4001 of ERISA or Section 414 of the Code is, or has been for the past six years, subject to Title IV of ERISA. No notice of a "reportable event", within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA for which the 30-day reporting requirement has not been waived, has been required to be filed for any Benefit Plan or by any ERISA Affiliate within the 12-month period ending on the date hereof.
(e) All contributions required to be made under the terms of any Benefit Plan have been timely made when due or have been reflected on the Final Year End Statements.
(f) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.10(f) of the Disclosure Schedule, none of the Companies nor any Company Subsidiary has any obligations for retiree health or life benefits other than coverage mandated by applicable law. The amounts accrued as of the date hereof by each Company and each Company Subsidiary in respect of such obligations as of the date hereof are adequate to satisfy such obligations, and the amounts accrued as of the Closing Date by each Company and each Company Subsidiary in respect of such obligations as of the Closing Date will be adequate to satisfy such obligations as of the Closing Date. There are no restrictions on the rights of any Company or any Company Subsidiary to amend or terminate any Benefit Plan without incurring Liability thereunder.
(g) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.10(g) of the Disclosure Schedule, neither the execution of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will (or will upon termination of employment prior to or after the date hereof) (i) entitle any employee, director or consultant of any Company or any Company Subsidiary to severance pay or increase in severance pay, unemployment compensation or any other payment; (ii) accelerate the time of payment or vesting or funding (through a grantor trust or otherwise) or increase the amount of payment with respect to any compensation due to any employee, director or consultant; or (iii) meet the definition of a "Change in Control Event" or otherwise accelerate vesting of any award granted under the Seller's Performance Incentive Compensation Program.
Employee Benefit Arrangements (i) All liabilities under the Employee Benefit Arrangements are (A) funded to at least the minimum level required by Law or, if higher, to the level required by the terms governing the Employee Benefit Arrangements, (B) insured with a reputable insurance company, (C) provided for or recognized in the financial statements most recently delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.01 hereof or (D) estimated in the formal notes to the financial statements most recently delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.01 hereof, where such failure to fund, insure, provide for, recognize or estimate the liabilities arising under such arrangements could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) There are no circumstances which may give rise to a liability in relation to the Employee Benefit Arrangements which are not funded, insured, provided for, recognized or estimated in the manner described in clause (i) above and which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(iii) Each of Parent and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries is in compliance with all applicable Laws, trust documentation and contracts relating to the Employee Benefit Arrangements (including pursuant to any applicable procedures under applicable Law, as appropriate), except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Employee Benefit Plans; ERISA (a) Except as previously disclosed to Parent and the Purchaser, (i) each "employee benefit plan" (as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA")), and all other employee benefit, bonus, incentive, stock option (or other equity-based), severance, change in control, welfare (including post-retirement medical and life insurance) and fringe benefit plans (whether or not subject to ERISA) maintained or sponsored by the Company or its subsidiaries or any trade or business, whether or not incorporated, that would be deemed a "single employer" within the meaning of Section 4001 of ERISA (an "ERISA Affiliate"), for the benefit of any employee or former employee of the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates (the "Plans") is, and has been operated in accordance with its terms and in compliance (including the making of governmental filings) with all applicable Laws, including ERISA and the applicable provisions of the Code, except for failures that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (ii) each of the Plans intended to be "qualified" within the meaning of Section 401(a) of the Code has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be so qualified, (iii) no "reportable event," as such term is defined in Section 4043(c) of ERISA (for which the 30-day notice requirement to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation ("PBGC") has not been waived), has occurred with respect to any Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA which presents a risk of liability to any governmental entity or other person which, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Company Material Adverse Effect, and (iv) there are no pending, or to the Company's knowledge threatened, claims (other than routine claims for benefits) by, on behalf of or against, any of the Plans or any trusts related thereto which would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect. No Plan is a "multiemployer plan" (within the meaning of ERISA) nor has the Company or any ERISA Affiliate ever contributed or been required to contribute to any multiemployer plan.
(i) No Plan has incurred an "accumulated fund deficiency" (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived and (ii) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability under Title IV of ERISA except for required premium payments to the PBGC, which payments have been made when due, and no events have occurred which are reasonably likely to give rise to any liability of the Company or an ERISA Affiliate under Title IV of ERISA or which could reasonably be anticipated to result in any claims being made against Purchaser by the PBGC, in any such case, which presents a risk of liability which would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(c) With respect to each Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, (i) the Company has provided to Parent and the Purchaser copies of the most recent actuarial valuation report prepared for such Plan prior to the date hereof, (ii) the assets and liabilities in respect of the accrued benefits as set forth in the most recent actuarial valuation report prepared by the Plan's actuary fairly presented the funded status of such Plan in all material respects, and (iii) since the date of such valuation report there has been no adverse change in the funded status of any such Plan which would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has failed to make any contribution or payment to any Plan which has resulted or could result in the imposition of a lien or the posting of a bond or other security under ERISA or the Code which would have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(e) Except as provided for in this Agreement or as disclosed in the Disclosure Letter, the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not (i) entitle any current or former employee or officer of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate to severance pay, unemployment compensation or any other payment, or (ii) accelerate the time of payment or vesting or increase the amount of compensation due any such employee or officer.
Employee Benefits Matters (a) From and after the Effective Time, each of the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries shall honor all of its respective compensation and benefits plans, programs, agreements and arrangements of the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with their terms as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, provided that nothing in this sentence shall prohibit the Surviving Corporation or its Subsidiaries from amending or terminating any such plans, programs, agreements and arrangements in accordance with their terms. The Surviving Corporation shall, for the six-month period immediately following the Effective Time, provide each retained employee of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the Effective Time (each, a “Retained Employee”), other than any Retained Employee whose employment is subject to a collective bargaining or other labor agreement, with compensation and employee benefits, excluding equity, equity-based and similar compensation, that are comparable in the aggregate to those provided by the Company and its Subsidiaries (other than with respect to change of control payments or other payments resulting from the Offer or the Merger) to such Retained Employees immediately prior to the Effective Time. Nothing herein shall be deemed to be a guarantee of employment for any employee or prohibit or restrict the right of the Surviving Corporation to (i) make changes to salaries, employee benefits and incentive compensation pursuant to negotiations in connection with a collective bargaining agreement or (ii) amend and/or eliminate any benefit program, subject to compliance with the first sentence of this Section 6.7(a).
(b) The Retained Employees shall receive credit for service with the Company and its Subsidiaries for all purposes (including for purposes of eligibility to participate, vesting, benefit accrual and eligibility to receive benefits, but excluding benefit accruals under any defined benefit pension plan) under any compensation or employee benefit plan, program or arrangement established or maintained by Parent (to the extent an Retained Employee is brought under any such plan), the Surviving Corporation or any of their respective Affiliates under which each Retained Employee may be eligible to participate on or after the Effective Time to the same extent recognized by the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries under comparable benefit plans immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided, however, that such crediting of service shall not operate to duplicate any benefit or the funding of any such benefit.
(c) To the extent that, after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation changes the welfare benefit plans, programs and arrangements in which Retained Employees participate, Parent shall (i) waive, or use its reasonable best efforts to cause its insurance carrier to waive, all limitations as to preexisting and at-work conditions, if any, with respect to participation and coverage requirements applicable to each Retained Employee to the same extent waived under a comparable benefit plan and (ii) with respect to the plan year in which the change was made, provide a credit to each Retained Employee for any co-payments, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses paid by such Retained Employee under the benefit plans during the relevant plan year, up to and including the Effective Time.
(d) During the period from the date hereof to the Acceptance Date, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, without Parent’s prior written consent, make any payment or contribution to the Employee Benefit Plans except in accordance with past practices in the ordinary course.
(e) The parties agree that the provisions of this Section 6.7 may be modified without the consent of any employee (it being understood and agreed that the employees to whom this Section 6.7 applies shall not be third party beneficiaries of this Section 6.7).
