Employment and Employee Benefits Matters (a) Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation and each of its other Subsidiaries to, for the period commencing at the Effective Time and ending December 31, 2019, maintain for each individual employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries at the Effective Time (each, a “Current Employee”) (i) each of base compensation and a target annual cash incentive compensation opportunity at least as favorable as that provided to the Current Employee as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, (ii) benefits that are at least as favorable as the benefits maintained for and provided to the Current Employee as of immediately prior to the Effective Time and (iii) severance benefits that are at least as favorable as the severance benefits provided by the Company to the Current Employees as of immediately prior to the Effective Time to the extent set forth in Section 4.13(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule. (b) Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, cause service rendered by Current Employees to the Company and its Subsidiaries, prior to the Effective Time to be taken into account for all purposes under employee benefit plans of Parent, the Surviving Corporation, and its Subsidiaries, to the same extent as such service was taken into account under the corresponding Company Plans immediately prior to the Effective Time for those purposes; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to the extent that its application would result in a duplication of benefits or the funding thereof with respect to the same period of service. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Parent shall not, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation to not, subject Current Employees to any eligibility requirements, waiting periods, actively-at-work requirements or pre-existing condition limitations under any employee benefit plan of Parent, the Surviving Corporation or its Subsidiaries for any condition for which they would have been entitled to coverage under the corresponding Company Plan in which they participated prior to the Effective Time. Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries, to give such Current Employees credit under such employee benefit plans for any eligible expenses incurred by such Current Employees and their covered dependents under a Company Plan during the portion of the year prior to the Effective Time for purposes of satisfying all co-payment, co-insurance, deductibles, maximum out-of-pocket requirements, and other out-of-pocket expenses applicable to such Current Employees and their covered dependents in respect of the plan year in which the Effective Time occurs; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to the extent that its application would result in a duplication of benefits or the funding thereof with respect to the same period of service. (c) No provision of this Agreement (i) prohibits Parent or the Surviving Corporation from amending or terminating any individual Company Plan or any other employee benefit plan, (ii) confers upon any director, Current Employee or service provider of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof any right to continue in the employ or service of the Surviving Corporation, Parent or any Subsidiary or any Affiliate thereof for any period of time, or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Surviving Corporation, Parent or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof to discharge or terminate the services of any director, employee or individual service provider of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, or (iii) constitutes the establishment or adoption of, or amendment to, any Company Plan or employee benefit plan. No Current Employee or any other individual employed by, or providing services to, the Company or its Subsidiaries has any third-party beneficiary or other rights with respect to this Agreement.
Labor and Employment Matters (1) (i) There is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened arbitration or grievance, charge, complaint, audit or investigation by or before the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other Governmental Entity with respect to any current or former employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, nor has been since January 1, 2021, a party to, bound by or negotiating any collective bargaining agreement, work rules or practices, or any other labor-related agreement, arrangement or contract with a labor union, trade union, works council or labor organization applicable to persons employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, nor has any labor union, trade union, labor organization or group of employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries made a pending demand (in writing) for recognition or certification, and there are no representation or certification proceedings or petitions seeking a representation proceeding presently pending or threatened in writing to be brought or filed with the National Labor Relations Board or any other labor relations tribunal or authority; (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no contemplated or pending proceedings of any labor union to organize any such employees; (iv) there are no Unfair Labor Practice (as defined under the National Labor Relations Act) complaints pending against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries before the National Labor Relations Board; and (v) since January 1, 2021, there has not been any strike, slowdown, work stoppage, lockout, job action, picketing, unfair labor practice, concerted refusal to work overtime or other labor disruption or dispute affecting, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threat thereof, by or with respect to any employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. (2) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any requirement under contract or Law to provide notice to, or to enter into any consultation procedure with, any union, labor organization, work council or similar organization in connection with the execution of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. (3) The Company and its Subsidiaries are and since January 1, 2021 have been in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws relating to the employment of labor, including with respect to employment practices, terms and conditions of employment, employment discrimination or harassment, termination of employment, employee whistle-blowing, immigration and employment eligibility verification, occupational health and safety, wages and hours, withholding, classification of employees as exempt or nonexempt, and classification of consultants and independent contractors. (4) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any liability or obligation the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 and the regulations promulgated thereunder or any similar state or local Law that remains unsatisfied.
Labor and Employment As of the date of this Agreement, Section 3.19 of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete list of all collective bargaining agreements or other labor union contracts applicable to any employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. As of the date of this Agreement, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has breached or otherwise failed to comply with any provision of any collective bargaining agreement or other labor union contract applicable to any employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for any breaches or failures to comply that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had and are not reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Except for matters that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had and are not reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) there is not any, and during the past one year there has not been any, labor strike, dispute, work stoppage or lockout pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, no union organizational campaign is in progress or threatened with respect to the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and no question concerning representation of such employees exists, (iii) there are no unfair labor practice charges or complaints against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened and (iv) there are, as of the date of this Agreement, no written grievances or written complaints outstanding or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Except for matters that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had and are not reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, there are no, and since November 29, 2011, have not been any “plant closings” or “mass layoffs” (as those terms are defined in the Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act or any comparable state or local law) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, without complying with the notice requirements of such Laws, and the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all Laws respecting employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment, wages and hours and occupational safety and health (including, without limitation, classifications of service providers as employees and/or independent contractors).
Employee Matters (a) Parent hereby acknowledges that a “change of control” (or similar phrase) within the meaning of the Employee Plans, as applicable, will occur as of the Appointment Time or Effective Time, as applicable. (b) Except as provided in Section 7.2(b), from and after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall (and Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to) honor all Employee Plans and compensation arrangements in accordance with their terms as in effect immediately prior to the Appointment Time, provided that nothing in this sentence shall prohibit the Surviving Corporation from amending or terminating, or from causing the Surviving Corporation to amend or terminate, any such Benefit Plans, arrangements or agreements in accordance with their terms or if otherwise required by applicable Law. As of the Effective Time, Parent shall or shall cause the Surviving Corporation to assume the Employee Plans set forth in Section 7.2(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter. (c) The Company shall take (or cause to be taken) all action necessary or appropriate to terminate, effective no later than the day immediately preceding the Appointment Time, any Employee Plan that contains a cash or deferred arrangement intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code (the “401(k) Plans”), unless Parent, in its sole and absolute discretion, agrees to sponsor and maintain any such 401(k) Plan by providing the Company with written notice of such election (an “Election Notice”) at least three days before the Appointment Time. Unless Parent timely provides an Election Notice to the Company, the Company shall deliver to Parent, prior to the Appointment Time, evidence that the Company’s board of directors has validly adopted resolutions to terminate the 401(k) Plans (the form and substance of which resolutions shall be subject to review and approval of Parent), effective no later than the date immediately preceding the Appointment Time. Parent shall cause a plan intended to qualify under Section 401(k) of the Code (the “Parent 401(k) Plan”) to accept rollovers (including rollover loans) from any 401(k) plan of the Company. (d) For a period of one year following the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall (and Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to) provide (i) at least the same level of base salary or base wages to each Continuing Employee as the base salary or base wages provided to each such Continuing Employee immediately prior to the Effective Time, and (ii) benefits and severance payments (other than equity based benefits, change in control benefits and individual employment agreements) to each Continuing Employee employed in the United States that, taken as a whole, are substantially similar in the aggregate to the benefits and severance payments (other than equity based benefits, change in control benefits and individual employment agreements) provided to similarly situated employees of Parent and its Subsidiaries. Parent agrees that it shall cause the Surviving Corporation to pay an annual cash bonus to each participant in an annual cash bonus plan of the Company as of the Effective Time (excluding, for avoidance of doubt, sales and commission plans) equal to the amount determined by (i) determining the annual cash bonus that would have been paid to such participant based on deemed performance for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011 using the rate of accrual for purposes of the Company’s financial statements as of immediately prior to the date of this Agreement and (ii) multiplying the number determined pursuant to clause (i) by 0.8356 (i.e., 305/365), with the resulting amount reduced by any portion of such annual bonus previously paid to the participant. Such bonus will be paid in February 2011 subject to the participant’s continued employment through January 31, 2011. (e) To the extent that an Employee Plan or employee benefit plan of Parent is made available to any Continuing Employee on or following the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall (and Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to) cause to be granted to such Continuing Employee credit for all service with the Company and its Subsidiaries (and their predecessors) prior to the Effective Time for purposes of eligibility to participate, vesting and entitlement to benefits where length of service is relevant (including, but not limited to, for purposes of vacation, sick and paid time off accrual and severance pay entitlement); provided, however, that such service need not be credited (i) to the extent that it would result in duplication of coverage or benefits or (ii) under any new plan or arrangement to the extent that such plan or arrangement does not provide prior service credit to employees generally. In addition, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, at the Effective Time: (i) each Continuing Employee shall be immediately eligible to participate, without any waiting time, in any and all employee benefit plans sponsored by the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries (other than the Employee Plans) (such plans, collectively, the “New Plans”) to the extent coverage under any such New Plan replaces coverage under a comparable Employee Plan in which such Continuing Employee participates immediately before the Appointment Time (such plans, collectively, the “Old Plans”); and (ii) for purposes of each New Plan providing medical, dental, pharmaceutical, vision and/or disability benefits to any Continuing Employee, the Surviving Corporation shall cause all waiting periods, pre-existing condition exclusions, evidence of insurability requirements and actively-at-work or similar requirements of such New Plan to be waived for such Continuing Employee and his or her covered dependents, and the Surviving Corporation shall cause any eligible expenses incurred by such Continuing Employee and his or her covered dependents during the portion of the plan year of the Old Plan ending on the date such employee’s participation in the corresponding New Plan begins to be given full credit under such New Plan for purposes of satisfying all deductible, coinsurance and maximum out-of-pocket requirements applicable to such Continuing Employee and his or her covered dependents for the applicable plan year as if such amounts had been paid in accordance with such New Plan, and (iii) the Surviving Corporation shall credit the accounts of such Continuing Employees under any New Plan which is a flexible spending plan with any unused balance in the account of such Continuing Employee under the applicable Employee Plan. Any vacation or paid time off accrued but unused by a Continuing Employee as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be credited to such Continuing Employee following the Effective Time, and shall not be subject to accrual limits or other forfeiture and shall not limit future accruals. (f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no provision of this Agreement shall be deemed to (i) guarantee employment for any period of time for, or preclude the ability of Parent or the Surviving Corporation to terminate, any Continuing Employee for any reason, or (ii) subject to the limitations and requirements specifically set forth in this Section 7.2, require Parent or the Surviving Corporation to continue any Employee Plan or prevent the amendment, modification or termination thereof after the Effective Time. (g) This Section 7.2 shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each of the parties to this Agreement, and nothing in this Section 7.2, expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any other Person any rights or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Section 7.2. Without limiting the foregoing, no provision of this Section 7.2 will create any third party beneficiary rights in any current or former employee, director or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of continued employment (or resumed employment) or any other matter. (h) Effective as of immediately prior to, and contingent upon, the Appointment Time, the Company shall cause to be amended each outstanding Company RSU, Company Option and Company Restricted Stock Award to provide that, if upon or within twelve (12) months following the Appointment Time, the employment or service of the holder of any such Company RSU, Company Option and/or Company Restricted Stock Award is terminated by the Company or the Parent (or any employing parent or subsidiary thereof) by reason of elimination of the holder’s position due to redundancy or integration of Parent and Company business units (but, for avoidance of doubt, excluding terminations for death, “Disability,” “Serious Misconduct,” or “Poor Performance,” (as such terms are defined in Section 7.2(h) of the Company Disclosure Letter), then one hundred percent (100%) of the then unvested shares subject to such Company RSU, Company Option and/or Company Restricted Stock Award shall become immediately vested and, if applicable, exercisable.
Employment Matters (a) The Sellers have provided to the Buyer a complete and accurate list of the following information as of the date of this Agreement for each Business Employee: employer; job title; location; date of hiring; date of commencement of employment; and current compensation paid or payable. At least sixty (60) days prior to the applicable Closing, the Sellers will provide to the Buyer the following information as of immediately prior to such Closing (to the extent that such information can be generated at least sixty (60) days prior to such Closing and as early prior to such Closing as reasonably practicable to the extent such information cannot be generated at least sixty (60) days prior to such Closing) for each Business Employee whose services relate primarily to the portion of the Business being transferred at such Closing: service credit for purposes of vesting and eligibility to participate under any Employee Plan (including any vacation or other paid time off policy of the Sellers). The parties agree and acknowledge that, due to the timing of the deliveries contemplated by the preceding sentence, and as a result of ordinary course personnel turnover, certain individuals who are identified as Business Employees in connection with the deliveries contemplated by the preceding sentence may not be Business Employees at the applicable Closing, and certain individuals who are not identified as Business Employees in connection with the deliveries contemplated by the preceding sentence may be Business Employees at the applicable Closing, and in no event will any resulting inaccuracies in any information delivered pursuant to this Section 3.13(a) be considered a breach of any provision of this Agreement. Further, within ten (10) Business Days following the applicable Closing, the Sellers will provide to the Buyer, for each Business Employee whose services relate primarily to the portion of the Business being transferred at such Closing, data relating to the amount of sick and vacation leave that is accrued but unused as of such Closing. (b) Except as set forth on Section 3.13(b) of the Disclosure Schedule, (i) none of the Business Employees is, or during the past two (2) years has been, represented by a union, labor organization or group (collectively, a “Union”) that was either voluntarily recognized or certified by any labor relations board; (ii) none of the Business Employees is, or during the past two (2) years has been, a signatory to or bound by a Collective Agreement with any Union; (iii) to the Knowledge of the Sellers, there are no currently filed petitions for representation with respect to the formation of a collective bargaining unit involving any of the Business Employees and no such petitions for representation have been filed or, to the Knowledge of the Sellers, threatened in the past two (2) years; (iv) there is no unfair labor practice or labor arbitration proceeding brought by or on behalf of any of the Business Employees pending or, to the Knowledge of the Sellers, threatened against the Sellers and no such proceeding has been initiated or, to the Knowledge of the Sellers, threatened in the past two (2) years; and (v) no labor dispute, walk out, strike, slowdown, hand billing, picketing, or work stoppage involving the Business Employees has occurred, is in progress or, to the Knowledge of the Sellers, has been threatened in the past two (2) years.
Labor and Employee Relations As of the date hereof, except as disclosed in Section 4.11(a) of the PSNC Disclosure Schedule hereto or in the PSNC SEC Reports, (i) neither PSNC nor any of the PSNC Subsidiaries is a party to any collective bargaining agreement or other labor agreement with any union or labor organization and (ii) to the best knowledge of PSNC, there is no current union representation question involving employees of PSNC or any of the PSNC Subsidiaries, nor does PSNC know of any activity or proceeding of any labor organization (or representative thereof) or employee group to organize any such employees. PSNC has delivered or otherwise made available to SCANA true, correct and complete copies of the collective bargaining agreements listed in Section 4.11(a) of the PSNC Disclosure Schedule, together with all amendments, modifications or supplements thereto. Except as disclosed in Section 4.11(b) of the PSNC Disclosure Schedule hereto or in the PSNC SEC Reports filed prior to the date hereof or except to the extent such could not reasonably be expected to have a PSNC Material Adverse Effect, (a) there is no unfair labor practice, employment discrimination or other written grievance, arbitration, claim, suit, action or proceeding against PSNC or any of the PSNC Subsidiaries pending, or to the best knowledge of PSNC, threatened before any court, governmental department, commission agency, instrumentality or authority or any arbitrator, (b) there is no strike, lockout or material dispute, slowdown or work stoppage pending or, to the best knowledge of PSNC, threatened against or involving PSNC, and (c) there is no proceeding, claim, suit, action or governmental investigation pending or, to the best knowledge of PSNC, threatened in respect of which any director, officer, employee or agent of PSNC or any of the PSNC Subsidiaries is or may be entitled to claim indemnification from PSNC or such PSNC Subsidiary pursuant to their respective charters or by-laws or as provided in the indemnification agreements listed in Section 4.11(c) of the PSNC Disclosure Schedule. Except as set forth in Section 4.11(d) of the PSNC Disclosure Schedule, to the knowledge of PSNC, PSNC and the PSNC Subsidiaries are in material compliance with all federal, state and local laws with respect to employment practices, labor relations, safety and health regulations and mass layoffs and plant closings.
EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE DUTIES 11.1 An employer may direct an employee to carry out such duties as are within the limits of the employee's skills, competence and training consistent with the classification structure of this agreement provided that such duties are not designed to promote xx-xxxxxxxx. 11.2 An employer may direct an employee to carry out such duties and use such tools and equipment as may be required provided that the employee has been properly trained in the use of such tools and equipment. 11.3 Any direction issued by an employer under this clause is to be consistent with the employer's responsibilities to provide a safe and healthy working environment.
ASSOCIATION AND EMPLOYEE RIGHTS A. The Board specifically recognizes the right of the Association to organize and operate under the Michigan Public Employment Relations Act and all other applicable laws and regulations. The rights granted to employees herein under shall be deemed to be in addition to those provided elsewhere. B. Except as they may interfere with the employee-pupil relationship, employees shall be entitled to full rights of citizenship and no lawful religious or political activities of any employee, or the lack thereof, shall be grounds for any discrimination with respect to the professional employment of such employees. C. Provisions of this Agreement and the wages, terms, hours, and conditions of employment shall be applied without regard to race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, sex or marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation or membership in, or association with, the activities of any employee organization. D. The Association and its members shall be allowed, upon request, to use school building facilities for meeting during the hours that the buildings are covered by custodial staff. Association personnel shall have the right to use school facilities, technology, and equipment, at reasonable times such equipment is not otherwise in use. The Association shall supply at the Association's expense, all materials needed to conduct Association business. The Association shall have the exclusive right to post notices of activities and matters of Association concern on employee bulletin boards, at least one of which shall be provided in each school building. The Association may use the district mail service and employee mailboxes for communication to employees. E. The Board agrees to make available to the Association in response to reasonable requests all available information concerning the financial resources of the district, including but not limited to: annual financial reports and audits, register and minutes of all board meetings, census and membership data, names and addresses of all members and such other information as will assist the Association in developing intelligent, accurate, informed and constructive programs on behalf of the employees and their students, together with information which may be necessary for the Association to process any grievance or complaint. F. The District will inform the BEA of upcoming budgets (issues and projections) and will allow the BEA to offer input prior to presenting the budget to the Board for approval. X. Xxxx authorized representatives of the Association and their respective affiliates shall be permitted to transact official Association business on school property provided that this shall not interfere with or interrupt normal school operations. X. Xxx-xxxxxxx of a probationary employee’s contract in the first five years of active employment is not subject to the grievance procedure. All other terms and conditions of the contract are subject to the grievance procedure. I. Any employee shall, upon request, be entitled to Association representation when being reprimanded, warned, or disciplined for any infraction of discipline or delinquency or inadequacy in professional performance.
Certain Employee Matters (a) During the 12-month period commencing on the Closing Date, Parent shall, or shall cause one of its Subsidiaries (including the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries) to, provide each employee of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company who continues employment with Parent or any of its Subsidiaries (including the Surviving Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries) after the Effective Time (a “Continuing Employee”) with (i) an annual base salary or wage rate that is no less favorable to such Continuing Employee than the annual base salary or wage rate that is provided to such Continuing Employee immediately prior to the Effective Time, and (ii) employee benefits (including severance and long-term incentive opportunities but excluding annual base salary or wage rate) that are substantially comparable in the aggregate to those employee benefits provided to similarly situated employees of Parent and its Subsidiaries (including severance and long-term incentive opportunities but excluding annual base salary or wage rate). (b) For purposes of eligibility, level of benefits and vesting and benefits accrual (including with respect to vacation or paid time off, but excluding any defined benefit or retiree medical plans) under the Parent Plans in which the Continuing Employees are eligible to participate, Parent shall, or shall cause the applicable plan sponsor to, credit each Continuing Employee with his or her years of service with the Company, any of the Subsidiaries of the Company and any of its or their predecessor entities, to the same extent as such Continuing Employee was entitled immediately prior to the Closing Date to credit for such service under any similar Company Plan, except to the extent that such service credit would result in a duplication of benefits for the same period of service. In addition, Parent or the Subsidiaries of Parent (including the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries), as applicable, shall cause each Parent Plan that is a welfare benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(1) of ERISA to: (i) waive all limitations as to preexisting conditions, exclusions and waiting periods with respect to participation and coverage requirements other than preexisting condition limitations, exclusions or waiting periods that are already in effect with respect to such Continuing Employees and that have not been satisfied or waived as of the Effective Time under the analogous welfare benefit plan maintained for the Continuing Employees immediately prior to the Effective Time; and (ii) recognize for each Continuing Employee and his or her spouse, domestic partner and dependents for purposes of applying annual deductible, co-payment and out-of-pocket maximums under such Parent Plan any deductible, co-payment and out-of-pocket expenses paid by the Continuing Employee and his or her spouse, domestic partner and dependents under an analogous Company Plan during the plan year of such plan in which occurs the later of the Effective Time and the date on which the Continuing Employee begins participation in such Parent Plan. (c) Pxxxxx agrees to take the actions set forth on Section 4.11(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter. (d) If requested by Parent not less than ten (10) Business Days before the Closing Date, the Company Board (or the appropriate committee thereof) shall adopt resolutions and take such corporate action as is necessary to terminate the Company’s 401(k) plan (the “Company 401(k) Plan”), effective as of the day prior to the Closing Date, but contingent on the occurrence of the Closing. In the event that Parent requests that the Company 401(k) Plan be terminated, (i) the Company shall provide Parent with evidence that such plan has been terminated (the form and substance of which shall be subject to reasonable prior review and comment by Parent) not later than the day preceding the Closing Date and (ii) following the Effective Time and as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of a favorable determination letter from the IRS on the termination of the Company 401(k) Plan, the assets thereof shall be distributed to the participants, and Parent shall permit the Continuing Employees who are then actively employed to make rollover contributions of “eligible rollover distributions” (within the meaning of Section 401(a)(31) of the Code, including with respect to loans) to Parent’s 401(k) plan, in the form of cash, in an amount equal to the full account balance distributed to such Continuing Employees from the Company 401(k) Plan. If the Company 401(k) Plan is terminated prior to the Closing Date, each Continuing Employee shall be eligible to participate in Parent’s 401(k) plan on the Closing Date (subject to the terms of Parent’s 401(k) plan and giving effect to the service crediting provisions of Section 4.11(b)). (e) Each of the Company and Parent shall provide to the other party copies of any written, broad-based communications with employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries regarding the impact of the Merger on such employee’s employment, compensation or benefits for Parent’s or the Company’s prior approval, as applicable, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed; provided, however, that no such prior approval shall be required in the event (i) the other party has previously approved the information contained in such communication or (ii) the information contained in such communication was previously publicly disclosed. (f) Nothing in this Section 4.11 or elsewhere in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to create a right in any employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to employment with Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any of their Subsidiaries or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of Parent or any of its Affiliates, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of any Continuing Employee at any time for no reason or any reason whatsoever, with or without cause. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to amend or modify any compensation or benefit arrangement of Parent, the Company or their respective Affiliates. Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the right of Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any of their Subsidiaries to amend or terminate any Parent Plan, any Company Plan or any other employee benefit plan. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Section 4.11 shall create any third party rights, benefits or remedies of any nature whatsoever in any employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or any beneficiaries or dependents thereof) or any other Person that is not a party to this Agreement.
Employees and Employee Benefits (a) Prior to the Closing Date, Buyer shall determine in its sole discretion which Business Employees, if any, to offer employment, and shall set initial terms and conditions of employment for any such employees to whom it offers employment, including wages, benefits, job duties and responsibilities, and work assignments. Only Business Employees who are offered and accept such offers of employment, and actually commence employment with Buyer based upon the initial terms and conditions set by Buyer, shall become “Buyer Employees” after the Closing Date. Seller shall make available for interviews the Business Employees if so requested by Buyer to facilitate Buyer’s right to offer employment to such employees in its sole discretion pursuant to this Section 6.03(a). Buyer shall be responsible for any liability, obligation or commitment arising out of or relating to the (i) employment (including the application for or termination of employment) of any Buyer Employee by Buyer arising after the Closing Date pursuant to the terms and conditions of employment set by Buyer, and (ii) the provision of services by any other Person to Buyer after the Closing Date. (b) Seller shall terminate, or shall cause to be terminated, on or prior to the Closing Date the employment and service of all Business Employees (which shall include releasing such Business Employees from any obligations to Seller or its Affiliates following the Closing Date incurred or that arose in connection with such employment or service, including confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements) who are offered and accept offers of employment with Buyer pursuant to this Section 6.03. For the avoidance of doubt, (i) Buyer shall not be obligated to provide any severance, separation pay, final wage payments, or other payment or benefits to any Business Employee on account of any termination of such Business Employee’s employment on or before the Closing Date, and (ii) Seller acknowledges and agrees that any and all liabilities, obligations or commitments of Seller to pay any employee or former employee of Seller (including the Buyer Employees) for any salary, bonus, commission, vacation pay, severance, separation, key employee retention payments, or other compensation earned or accrued on or prior to the Closing Date, shall be an Excluded Liability and be borne solely by Seller. (c) Seller shall have full responsibility under the WARN Act or any other labor or employment Law relating to any obligation, act, or omission of Seller prior to or on the Closing Date with respect to the Business Employees including, without limitation, any Liabilities that result from the Business Employees’ separation of employment from Seller or Business Employees not becoming Buyer Employees. (d) With respect to any employee benefit plan maintained by Buyer or an Affiliate of Buyer for the benefit of any Buyer Employee (collectively, “Buyer Benefit Plans”), effective as of the Closing, Buyer shall, or shall cause its Affiliate to, recognize, to the extent permitted under applicable Law, all service of the Buyer Employees with Seller, as if such service were with Buyer, for purposes of any applicable Buyer Benefit Plan; provided, however, such service shall not be recognized to the extent that (x) such recognition would result in a duplication of benefits or (y) such service was not recognized under the corresponding Benefit Plan. Further, with respect to each Buyer Benefit Plan, in which any Buyer Employee will be eligible to participate effective as of the Closing, Buyer shall, or shall cause its applicable Affiliate(s) to, (i) waive, to the extent permitted under applicable Law, all pre-existing conditions, exclusions and waiting periods with respect to participation and coverage requirements applicable to such Buyer Employee under any such Buyer Benefit Plan in which such Buyer Employee may be eligible to participate on or after the Closing, except to the extent such pre-existing conditions, exclusions or waiting periods would apply under the analogous Benefit Plan; and (ii) to the extent permitted under applicable Law, provide each such Buyer Employee with credit for any payments made under any cost-sharing provisions prior to the Closing (to the same extent such credit was given under the analogous Benefit Plan prior to the Closing) in satisfying any applicable cost-sharing provisions in any Buyer Benefit Plan in which such Buyer Employee may be eligible to participate on or after the Closing. (e) Effective as of the Closing Date, the Buyer Employees shall cease active participation in the Benefit Plans. Seller shall remain liable for all eligible claims for benefits under the Benefit Plans that are incurred by the Business Employees on or prior to the Closing Date. For purposes of this Agreement, the following claims shall be deemed to be incurred as follows: (i) life, accidental death and dismemberment, short-term disability, and workers’ compensation insurance benefits, on the event giving rise to such benefits; (ii) medical, vision, dental, and prescription drug benefits, on the date the applicable services, materials or supplies were provided; and (iii) long-term disability benefits, on the eligibility date determined by the long-term disability insurance carrier for the plan in which the applicable Business Employee participates. (f) Buyer and Seller intend that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement should not constitute a separation, termination or severance of employment of any Business Employee who accepts an employment offer by Buyer that is consistent with the requirements of Section 6.03(b), including for purposes of any Benefit Plan that provides for separation, termination or severance benefits (if any). Each Buyer Employee shall resign from Seller and accept employment with Buyer at the same time resulting in no period of unemployment. Buyer shall be liable and hold Seller harmless for any claims relating to the employment of any Buyer Employee only to the extent such claims relate to activity occurring after the Closing Date. (g) This Section 6.03 shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each of the parties to this Agreement, and nothing in this Section 6.03, express or implied, shall confer upon any other Person any rights or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Section 6.03. Nothing contained herein, express or implied, shall be construed to establish, amend or modify any benefit plan, program, agreement or arrangement. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the terms set forth in this Section 6.03 shall not create any right in any Business Employee, Buyer Employee or any other Person to any continued employment with Buyer or any of its Affiliates or compensation or benefits of any nature or kind whatsoever. (h) Seller shall follow the “standard procedure” for preparing and filing Internal Revenue Service Forms W-2 (Wage and Tax Statements), as described in Revenue Procedure 2004-53 for Buyer Employees. Under this procedure, (i) Seller shall provide all required Forms W-2 to (x) all Buyer Employees reflecting wages paid and Taxes withheld by Seller in respect of such Buyer Employees’ employment with Seller through the Closing Date, and (y) all other employees and former employees of Seller who are not Buyer Employees reflecting all wages paid and taxes withheld by Seller, and (ii) Buyer (or one of its Affiliates) shall provide all required Forms W-2 to all Buyer Employees reflecting all wages paid and taxes withheld by Buyer (or one of its Affiliates) after the Closing Date.
