Change in Control Severance Benefits If there is a Change in Control, and within one (1) year of such Change in Control, the Executive’s employment is terminated under the circumstances described in Sections 4(a) through 4(f) above, the Executive shall be entitled to the following: (I) if such termination is a termination by the Company without Cause pursuant to Section 4(a) or the Executive resigns for Good Reason pursuant to Section 4(b), the Company shall pay the Executive the Accrued Obligations and, in addition, subject to the provisions of Section 19, (A) an amount equal to twenty-four (24) months of the Executive’s Base Salary at the rate in effect on the date of termination or resignation, payable in a lump sum within sixty (60) calendar days of the date of termination or resignation; and (B) provided the Executive timely elects continuation coverage under COBRA, the Company shall also pay, on the Executive’s behalf, the portion of monthly premiums for the Executive’s group health insurance, including coverage for the Executive’s dependents, that the Company paid immediately prior to the date of termination or resignation, during the eighteen (18) month period following the date of termination or resignation, subject to the Executive’s continued eligibility for COBRA coverage. The Company will pay for such COBRA coverage for eligible dependents only for those dependents who were enrolled immediately prior to the date of termination or resignation. The Executive will continue to be required to pay that portion of the premium for the Executive’s health coverage, including coverage for the Executive’s eligible dependents, that the Executive was required to pay as an active employee immediately prior to the date of termination or resignation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that under applicable guidance the reimbursement of COBRA premiums causes the Company’s group health plan to violate any applicable nondiscrimination rule, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith a mutually agreeable alternative arrangement; and (II) if such termination is a termination or resignation under the circumstances described in Sections 4(c), 4(d), 4(e) or 4(f), the Executive shall be entitled to the compensation and benefits for which the Executive is eligible under such sections.
Change of Control Severance Benefits (a) If during the Change of Control Period Cascade shall terminate Executive’s employment other than for Cause, or Executive shall terminate employment with Cascade for Good Reason, Cascade shall: (i) pay Executive (or in the event of Executive’s subsequent death, Executive’s beneficiary or estate, as the case may be), as severance pay, a sum equal to two (2) times the salary and bonus paid by Cascade to Executive during the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of the month preceding the effective date of a Change of Control (excluding any gains resulting from exercise of stock options or vesting of restricted stock awards or other similar forms of stock compensation); (ii) cause to be continued for twenty-four (24) months after the effective date of a Change of Control, life, medical, dental, and disability coverage substantially identical to the coverage maintained by Cascade for Executive prior to the effective date of a Change of Control, except to the extent such coverage may be changed in its application to all Cascade employees on a nondiscriminatory basis; and (iii) accelerate any unvested stock-based compensation so any such stock-based compensation shall be 100% vested and immediately exercisable in full as of the date of such termination. Payments due under (i) above shall be paid to Executive in a lump sum no sooner than six (6) months after the date of Executive’s termination.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1(a) above, if a payment to Executive who is a “disqualified individual” shall be in an amount which includes an “excess parachute payment,” the payment hereunder to Executive shall be reduced to the maximum amount which does not include an “excess parachute payment.” The terms “disqualified individual” and “excess parachute payment” shall have the meaning defined in Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(c) Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment or benefit provided for in Section 1(a) of this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of any payment or benefit provided for in Section 1(a) of this Agreement be reduced by any compensation earned or benefit received by Executive as the result of employment by another employer. This Agreement shall not be construed as a contract of employment or as providing Executive any right to be retained in the employ of Cascade or any affiliate thereof.
(d) Prior to Executive’s gaining the right to receive, and in exchange for, the severance compensation, benefits and option acceleration provided in Section 3(a), above, to which Executive would not otherwise be entitled, Executive shall first enter into and execute a release substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Release”) upon Executive’s termination of employment. Unless the Release is executed by Executive and delivered to Cascade within twenty-one (21) days after the termination of Executive’s employment with Cascade, Executive shall not receive any severance benefits provided under this Agreement, acceleration, if any, of Executive’s equity grants/benefits as provided in this Agreement shall not apply and Executive’s equity grants/benefits in such event may be exercised following the date of Executive’s termination only to the extent provided under their originals terms in accordance with the applicable equity plans and agreements.
Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits The receipt of the Severance Benefits will be subject to you signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Separation Agreement”) by no later than the sixtieth (60th) day after your employment termination (“Release Deadline”). No Severance Benefits will be paid or provided until the Separation Agreement becomes effective. You shall also resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.
Change in Control Severance Except as otherwise set forth herein, if a Change in Control occurs, and on, or at any time during the 24 months following, the Change in Control, (i) the Company terminates Executive’s employment for any reason other than Cause or Disability, or (ii) Executive terminates Executive’s employment for Good Reason, Executive shall be entitled to the following benefits:
(i) The Company shall pay Executive, in a lump sum within 60 days following termination of Executive’s employment, severance equal to two times the sum of Executive’s Base Salary and Bonus (the full, non- prorated Bonus for the year of termination assuming attainment of the targeted performance goals at the 100% payout level).
(ii) Executive also shall be entitled to receive any and all vested benefits accrued under any other incentive plans to the date of termination of employment, the amount, entitlement to, form, and time of payment of such benefits to be determined by the terms of such incentive plans. For purposes of calculating Executive’s benefits under the incentive plans, Executive’s employment shall be deemed to have terminated under circumstances that have the most favorable result for Executive under the applicable incentive plan.
(iii) If, upon the date of termination of Executive’s employment, Executive holds any awards with respect to securities of the Company, (i) all such awards that are options shall immediately become vested and exercisable upon such date and shall be exercisable thereafter until the earlier of the third (3rd) year anniversary of Executive’s termination of employment or the expiration of the term of the options; (ii) all restrictions on any such awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units or other awards shall terminate or lapse, and all such awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units or other awards shall be vested and payable; and (iii) all performance goals applicable to any such performance-based awards that are “in cycle” (i.e., the performance period is not yet complete) shall be deemed satisfied at the “target” level (assuming 100% payout), and (iv) all such awards shall be paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable award agreement. The provisions of this subsection shall be subject (and defer) to the provisions of any incentive plan, award agreement or other agreement as it relates to an individual award to the extent such provisions provide treatment that is more favorable to Executive than the treatment described in this subsection and such more favorable provisions in such incentive plan, award agreement or other agreement shall supersede any inconsistent or contrary provision of this subsection. All of Executive’s awards with respect to securities of the Company that are outstanding upon the date of termination of Executive’s employment shall continue to be subject to, and enjoy the benefits and protections under, the terms of the incentive plan, the award agreement and any other plan, agreement, policy or other arrangement to which such awards are subject as of the effective date of Executive’s participation, including any employment security agreement or other written compensation arrangement (even if the remaining terms thereof are waived), without application of this subsection.
(iv) Executive and Executive’s spouse and other qualified beneficiaries shall be eligible for continued coverage as follows:
(A) If the Executive, Executive’s spouse and/or Executive’s other qualified beneficiaries are enrolled under a group health plan as defined by COBRA, on the date of termination of Executive’s employment, Executive, Executive’s spouse and/or Executive’s qualified beneficiaries may elect to continue such coverage under COBRA, except that the maximum coverage period shall be extended to no less than the Severance Period (but no more than 2 years) for that Executive, unless, after electing COBRA, the individual attains age 65 and becomes eligible for Medicare, in which case COBRA shall end for that individual. If Executive, Executive’s spouse and/or Executive’s other qualified beneficiaries elect COBRA coverage, the Company shall pay a portion of the COBRA costs for the Severance Period for that Executive (subject to any earlier termination of COBRA). The portion to be paid by the Company shall equal the amount necessary so that the total of the COBRA costs paid by Executive is equal to the costs that would have been paid by Executive for such coverage as an active employee immediately prior to termination of Executive’s employment or, if less, prior to the Change in Control. The cost of COBRA coverage paid by the Company may be taxable income to the Executive and reported on Executive’s Internal Revenue Service Form W-2. Executive, Executive’s spouse and/or Executive’s qualified beneficiaries may continue coverage under COBRA after the Severance Period for that Executive, provided they pay the full COBRA costs and COBRA otherwise remains available.
(B) The benefits and/or extended coverage provided under this subsection shall cease prior to the date such benefits and/or extended coverage would otherwise end under subsection if and when Executive (A) obtains employment with another employer during the Severance Period and becomes eligible for coverage under any substantially similar plan provided by his/her new employer or (B) fails to pay the required active employee portion of the cost of coverage provided under this subsection in the time and manner specified by the Company or its designee.
(v) Executive shall be entitled to payment for any accrued but unused vacation in accordance with the Company’s policy in effect at the time of termination of Executive’s employment, in a lump sum within 60 days following such termination. Executive shall not be entitled to receive any payments or other compensation attributable to vacation that would have been earned had Executive’s employment continued during the Severance Period, and Executive waives any right to receive any such compensation.
(vi) The Company shall, at the Company’s expense, provide Executive with 12 months of executive outplacement services with a professional outplacement firm selected by the Company; provided that Executive must use the outplacement services by no later than the end of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which the termination of Executive’s employment occurred and the total cost of such outplacement services must not exceed any per individual cap on such amounts in the Company’s agreement with the professional outplacement firm selected by the Company.
(vii) Executive shall not be entitled to reimbursement for any other fringe benefits or perquisite payments during the Severance Period, including but not limited to dues and expenses related to club memberships, automobile, cell phone, expenses for professional services, executive physicals, and other similar perquisites.
(viii) The Company shall pay as incurred (within ten calendar days following the Company’s receipt of an invoice from Executive) Executive’s out-of-pocket expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by Executive at any time from the date of this Agreement through Executive’s remaining lifetime or, if longer, the statute of limitations for contract claims under applicable state law, in connection with any action taken to enforce the Executive’s rights under this Agreement or construe or determine the validity of this Agreement or otherwise in connection herewith, including any claim or legal action or proceeding, whether brought by Executive or the Company or another party; provided, Executive must be successful through judgment in his/her favor with respect to such action in order to recover fees under this Section 5(f)(viii); provided further, that Executive shall have submitted an invoice for such fees and expenses at least fifteen calendar days before the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and expenses were incurred. The amount of such legal fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any given calendar year shall not affect the legal fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any other calendar year, and Executive’s right to have the Company pay such legal fees and expenses may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit. The Company’s obligation to pay Executive’s eligible legal fees and expenses under this Section 5(f)(viii) shall not be conditioned upon the termination of Executive’s employment.
Description of Severance Benefits In the event Executive becomes entitled under Sections 2.1 and 2.2 herein to receive Severance Benefits, the Company shall pay to Executive and provide him or her with the following benefits:
(a) A lump sum payment of accrued and unpaid Base Salary, any annual bonus award earned by Executive for a fiscal year of the Company that ended prior to Executive’s Effective Date of Termination that has not yet been paid, unused vacation or paid time off, and other accrued benefits through the Effective Date of Termination (together, the “Accrued Obligations”), paid on the same basis as paid upon any voluntary termination of employment. Such lump sum amount shall be paid in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll procedures.
(b) A lump sum amount equal to Executive’s annual bonus award earned as of the Effective Date of Termination, based on target performance (excluding any special bonus payments), except that the bonus will be prorated for the portion of the fiscal year during which Executive was actively employed. This payment will be in lieu of any other payment to be made to Executive under the annual bonus plan for such fiscal year in which Executive is then participating.
(c) A lump sum amount equal to two (2) multiplied by the sum of the following: (i) the higher of: (A) Executive’s Base Salary in effect upon the Effective Date of Termination, or (B) Executive’s Base Salary in effect on the date of the Change in Control; and (ii) the higher of: (A) Executive’s annual target bonus opportunity for the fiscal year of the Company in which Executive’s Effective Date of Termination occurs, or (B) the average of the actual annual bonuses earned (whether or not deferred) by Executive under the annual bonus plan (excluding any special bonus payments) in which Executive participated in the three (3) fiscal years of the Company preceding the fiscal year of the Company in which Executive’s Effective Date of Termination occurs. If Executive has less than three (3) years of annual bonus participation preceding the fiscal year of the Company in which Executive’s Effective Date of Termination occurs, then Executive’s annual target bonus established under the annual bonus plan in which Executive is then participating for the fiscal year of the Company in which Executive’s Effective Date of Termination occurs shall be used for each fiscal year that Executive did not participate in the annual bonus plan, up to a maximum of three (3) years, to calculate the three (3) year average bonus payment.
(i) Upon the consummation of the Change in Control, with respect to Executive’s equity-based long-term incentive awards that are outstanding on the Effective Date, immediate full vesting and lapse of all restrictions on any and all such awards (including but not limited to stock options, stock appreciation rights and restricted stock awards) held by Executive, and any performance conditions applicable to any such awards shall be deemed satisfied at target performance without proration. This provision shall override any conflicting language contained in Executive’s respective award agreements outstanding on the Effective Date and such award agreements are hereby deemed amended.
(ii) Upon the consummation of the Change in Control, with respect to Executive’s equity-based long-term incentive awards that are granted to Executive after the Effective Date, immediate full vesting and lapse of all restrictions on any and all such awards (including but not limited to stock options, stock appreciation rights and restricted stock awards) held by Executive and any performance conditions applicable to any such awards shall be deemed satisfied at target performance without proration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that a Replacement Award (as defined below) is provided to Executive to replace any then outstanding award (“Replaced Award”) in connection with the Change in Control, the Replaced Award held by Executive shall not become immediately vested and nonforfeitable.
Severance Benefits (i) If the Executive’s employment is terminated pursuant to any of the Paragraphs set forth in Section 3.1 hereof, then the Executive (or his legal representative, as applicable) shall be entitled to receive the benefits which the Executive has accrued or earned or which have become payable under the Plans as of the Termination Date, but which have not yet been paid to the Executive. Payment of any such benefits shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Plans.
(ii) If the Executive’s employment is terminated pursuant to Paragraph (e) or (f) in Section 3.1 hereof, and if the Executive is eligible for and timely elects continuation coverage pursuant to Section 601 et seq. of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, Section 4980B of the Code or similar state continuation coverage law (together, “COBRA”) under any insured or self-insured medical, dental or vision plan maintained by the Company (other than any health and/or dependent care flexible spending account plan or employee assistance plan), then, for a period of eighteen (18) months following the Termination Date, or until the Executive is no longer eligible for COBRA coverage under the particular plan, the Company will reimburse the Executive, on a taxable basis, for the cost of such COBRA coverage less the amount that the Executive would be required to contribute toward health coverage if he had remained an active employee of the Company. Such reimbursement payments will commence on the first payroll date of the month following the Termination Date and will be paid on the first payroll date of each subsequent month. The Executive shall not be entitled to reimbursement for the cost of any COBRA coverage elected separately by his current or former spouse or dependent child. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any such plan is fully insured, any such reimbursement requirement shall apply to the extent permitted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (the “Health Care Law”). Any portion of the continued or replacement welfare benefits coverage provided for under this Section 3.3(c)(ii) which constitutes deferred compensation subject to Section 409A shall be subject to the following conditions: (i) the expenses eligible for reimbursement or the amount of in-kind benefits provided in one taxable year shall not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement or the amount of in-kind benefits provided in any other taxable year (except with respect to annual, lifetime or similar limits under arrangements providing for the reimbursement of medical expenses under Section 105(b) of the Code); (ii) the reimbursement of an eligible expense shall be made no later than the end of the year after the year in which such expense was incurred; and (iii) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.
Change in Control Benefits In the event there is a Change in Control, as defined below, and the Executive’s employment hereunder is terminated by the Executive for Good Reason or by the Employer without Cause (other than on account of the Executive’s death or disability), in each case within twelve (12) months either (a) after Executive’s employment has terminated or (b) following a Change in Control, the Executive shall be entitled to be paid, in a single lump sum, severance equal to two (2) years’ salary at that salary rate being paid to Executive as of the date of the Executive’s termination together with an amount equal to one times (1.0x) the average of the Annual Bonus paid to Executive for services during the preceding three (3) calendar years (or the Executive’s period of employment, if less than three (3) years), provided; that, in the event the Executive’s employment has terminated and Executive has been paid a severance benefit under Section 6 of this Agreement, such change in control benefit under this Section 7 shall be reduced by the amount of the severance benefit previously paid. Executive acknowledges and agrees that such payment is in lieu of all damages, payments and liabilities on account of the early termination of this Agreement and is the sole and exclusive remedy for Executive (other than rights, if any, to exercise any of the stock options vested prior to such termination), and shall only be paid, within 60 days after his separation from service with Employer, subject to Executive’s execution and delivery to Employer, within such 60-day period, of a complete release of all claims Executive may have against the Employer, its officers, directors, agents, employees, predecessors, successors, parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates. If the 60-day period referred to in the immediately preceding sentence begins in one calendar year and ends in the following calendar year, then the payment shall be made in the latter calendar year. If upon termination of employment Executive chooses to arbitrate any claims pursuant to Section 18, Executive shall be deemed to have waived Executive’s right, if any, to severance.
Reduction of Severance Benefits If any payment or benefit that the Executive would receive from any Company Group member or any other party whether in connection with the provisions in this Agreement or otherwise (the “Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and (ii) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then the Payment will be equal to the Best Results Amount. The “Best Results Amount” will be either (x) the full amount of the Payment or (y) a lesser amount that would result in no portion of the Payment being subject to the Excise Tax, whichever of those amounts, taking into account the applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes and the Excise Tax, results in the Executive’s receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater amount. If a reduction in payments or benefits constituting parachute payments is necessary so that the Payment equals the Best Results Amount, reduction will occur in the following order: (A) reduction of cash payments in reverse chronological order (that is, the cash payment owed on the latest date following the occurrence of the event triggering the Excise Tax will be the first cash payment to be reduced); (B) cancellation of equity awards that were granted “contingent on a change in ownership or control” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code in the reverse order of date of grant of the awards (that is, the most recently granted equity awards will be cancelled first); (C) reduction of the accelerated vesting of equity awards in the reverse order of date of grant of the awards (that is, the vesting of the most recently granted equity awards will be cancelled first); and (D) reduction of employee benefits in reverse chronological order (that is, the benefit owed on the latest date following the occurrence of the event triggering the Excise Tax will be the first benefit to be reduced). In no event will the Executive have any discretion with respect to the ordering of Payment reductions. The Executive will be solely responsible for the payment of all personal tax liability that is incurred as a result of the payments and benefits received under this Agreement, and the Executive will not be reimbursed, indemnified, or held harmless by any member of the Company Group for any of those payments of personal tax liability.
Other Severance Benefits Executive hereby agrees that in consideration for the payments to be received under Section 7(b) of this Agreement, Executive waives any and all rights to any payments or benefits under any severance plans or arrangements of the Company or their respective affiliates that specifically provide for severance payments, other than the Change in Control Severance Agreement between the Company and Executive (the “Change in Control Severance Agreement”); provided that any payments payable to Executive under Section 7(b) hereof shall be offset by any payments payable under the Change in Control Severance Agreement.
Right to Severance Benefits The Executive shall be entitled to receive from the Company Severance Benefits, as described in Section 3.3 herein, if there has been a Change in Control of the Company and if, within twenty-four (24) calendar months following the Change in Control, a Qualifying Termination of the Executive has occurred. The Executive shall not be entitled to receive Severance Benefits if he/she is terminated for Cause, or if his/her employment with the Company ends due to death, Disability, or Retirement or due to a voluntary termination of employment by the Executive without Good Reason.
