Termination Benefits (a) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, followed at any time during the term of this Agreement by the involuntary termination of the Executive’s employment (other than for Termination for Cause or death), or by the Executive for Good Reason, the Employers shall:
(i) pay the Executive, or in the event of his subsequent death, his beneficiary or beneficiaries, or his estate, as the case may be, a lump sum payment within thirty (30) days of the Date of Termination an amount equal to three (3) times the Executive’s average annual compensation for the five most recent taxable years that the Executive has been employed by the Employers or such lesser number of years in the event that the Executive shall have been employed by the Employers for less than five years. For this purpose, annual compensation shall include base salary and any other taxable income, including, but not limited to, amounts related to the granting, vesting or exercise of restricted stock or stock option awards, commissions, bonuses, pension and profit sharing plan contributions or benefits (whether or not taxable), severance payments, retirement benefits, and fringe benefits paid or to be paid to the Executive or paid for the Executive’s benefit during any such year; and
(ii) cause to be continued life insurance and non-taxable medical, dental and disability coverage substantially identical to the coverage maintained by the Employers for the Executive prior to his Date of Termination, except to the extent such coverage may be changed in its application to all employees on a nondiscriminatory basis. Such coverage and payments shall cease upon the expiration of thirty-six (36) full calendar months from the Date of Termination.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent required to avoid penalties under Section 409A of the Code, the cash severance payable under Section 3 of this Agreement shall be delayed until the first day of the seventh month following the Executive’s Date of Termination.
(c) For purposes of this Agreement, a “termination of employment” shall mean a “Separation from Service” as defined in Section 409A of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder, such that the Employers and the Executive reasonably anticipate that the level of bona fide services the Executive would perform after a termination of employment would permanently decrease to a level that is less than 50% of the average level of bona fide services performed (whether as an employee or as an independent contractor) over the immediately preceding thirty-six (36) month period.
Termination and Termination Benefits Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3, the Executive's employment under this Agreement shall terminate under the following circumstances set forth in this Section 6.
Termination of Employment with Severance Benefits (a) In the event that the Officer’s employment with the Bank shall terminate during the Assurance Period, or prior to the commencement of the Assurance Period but within three (3) months of and in connection with a Change of Control as defined in section 10 of this Agreement on account of:
(i) The Officer’s voluntary resignation from employment with the Bank within ninety (90) days following:
(A) the failure of the Bank’s Board to appoint or re-appoint or elect or re-elect the Officer to serve in the same position in which the Officer was serving, on the day before the Assurance Period commenced or a more senior office;
(B) the failure of the stockholders of the Holding Company to elect or re-elect the Officer as a member of the Board, if he was a member of the Board on the day before the Assurance Period commenced;
(C) the expiration of a thirty (30) day period following the date on which the Officer gives written notice to the Bank of its material failure, whether by amendment of the Bank’s Organization Certificate or By-laws, action of the Board or the Holding Company’s stockholders or otherwise, to vest in the Officer the functions, duties, or responsibilities vested in the Officer on the day before the Assurance Period commenced (or the functions, duties and responsibilities of a more senior office to which the Officer may be appointed), unless during such thirty (30) day period, the Bank fully cures such failure;
(D) the failure of the Bank to cure a material breach of this Agreement by the Bank, within thirty (30) days following written notice from the Officer of such material breach;
(E) a reduction in the compensation provided to the Officer, or a material reduction in the benefits provided to the Officer under the Bank’s program of employee benefits, compared with the compensation and benefits that were provided to the Officer on the day before the Assurance Period commenced;
(F) a change in the Officer’s principal place of employment that would result in a one-way commuting time in excess of the greater of (I) 30 minutes or (II) the Officer’s commuting time immediately prior to such change; or
(ii) the discharge of the Officer by the Bank for any reason other than for “cause” as provided in section 9(a); then, subject to section 21, the Bank shall provide the benefits and pay to the Officer the amounts provided for under section 8(b) of this Agreement; provided, however, that if benefits or payments become due hereunder as a result of the Officer’s termination of employment prior to the commencement of the Assurance Period, the benefits and payments provided for under section 8(b) of this Agreement shall be determined as though the Officer had remained in the service of the Bank (upon the terms and conditions in effect at the time of his actual termination of service) and had not terminated employment with the Bank until the date on which the Officer’s Assurance Period would have commenced.
(b) Upon the termination of the Officer’s employment with the Bank under circumstances described in section 8(a) of this Agreement, the Bank shall pay and provide to the Officer (or, in the event of the Officer’s death, to the Officer’s estate) on his termination of employment, subject to section 24 :
(i) the Officer’s earned but unpaid compensation (including, without limitation, all items which constitute wages under section 190.1 of the New York Labor Law and the payment of which is not otherwise provided for under this section 8(b)) as of the date of the termination of the Officer’s employment with the Bank, such payment to be made at the time and in the manner prescribed by law applicable to the payment of wages but in no event later than thirty (30) days after termination of employment;
(ii) the benefits, if any, to which the Officer is entitled as a former employee under the employee benefit plans and programs and compensation plans and programs maintained for the benefit of the Bank’s officers and employees;
(iii) continued group life, health (including hospitalization, medical and major medical), accident and long term disability insurance benefits, in addition to that provided pursuant to section 8(b)(ii) and after taking into account the coverage provided by any subsequent employer, if and to the extent necessary to provide for the Officer, for the remaining unexpired Assurance Period, coverage equivalent to the coverage to which the Officer would have been entitled under such plans (as in effect on the date of his termination of employment, or, if his termination of employment occurs after a Change of Control, on the date of such Change of Control, whichever benefits are greater) if the Officer had continued working for the Bank during the remaining unexpired Assurance Period at the highest annual rate of compensation achieved during the Officer’s period of actual employment with the Bank;
(iv) a lump sum payment, in an amount equal to the present value of the salary that the Officer would have earned if the Officer had continued working for the Bank during the remaining unexpired Assurance Period at the highest annual rate of salary achieved during the Officer’s period of actual employment with the Bank, where such present value is to be determined using a discount rate equal to the applicable short-term federal rate prescribed under section 1274(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (“Code”) (“Applicable Short-Term Rate”), compounded using the compounding periods corresponding to the Bank’s regular payroll periods for its officers, such lump sum to be paid in lieu of all other payments of salary provided for under this Agreement in respect of the period following any such termination;
(v) a lump sum payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of:
(A) the present value of the aggregate benefits to which the Officer would be entitled under any and all qualified and non-qualified defined benefit pension plans maintained by, or covering employees of, the Bank if the Officer were 100% vested thereunder and had continued working for the Bank during the remaining unexpired Assurance Period, such benefits to be determined as of the date of termination of employment by adding to the service actually recognized under such plans an additional period equal to the remaining unexpired Assurance Period and by adding to the compensation recognized under such plans for the year in which termination of employment occurs all amounts payable under sections 8(b)(I), (iv) and (vii);
(B) the present value of the benefits to which the Officer is actually entitled under such defined benefit pension plans as of the date of his termination; where such present values are to be determined using the mortality tables prescribed under section 415(b)(2)(E)(v) of the Code and a discount rate, compounded monthly, equal to the applicable long-term federal rate prescribed under section 1274(d) of the Code for the month in which his employment terminates; provided, however, that if payments are made under this section 8(b)(v) as a result of this section deeming otherwise unvested amounts under such defined benefit plans to be vested, the payments, if any, attributable to such deemed vesting shall be paid in the same form, and paid at the same time, and in the same manner, as benefits under the corresponding non-qualified plan;
(vi) a lump sum payment in an amount equal to the present value of the additional employer contributions (or if greater in the case of a leveraged employee stock ownership plan or similar arrangement, the additional assets allocable to him through debt service, based on the fair market value of such assets at termination of employment) to which he would have been entitled under any and all qualified and non-qualified defined contribution plans maintained by, or covering employees of, the Bank, if he were 100% vested thereunder and had continued working for the Bank during the remaining unexpired Assurance Period at the highest annual rate of compensation achieved during the Officer’s period of actual employment with the Bank, and making the maximum amount of employee contributions, if any, required under such plan or plans, such present value to be determined on the basis of the discount rate, compounded using the compounding period that corresponds to the frequency with which employer contributions are made to the relevant plan, equal to the Applicable Short-Term Rate; provided, however, that if payments are made under this section 8(b)(vi) as a result of this section deeming otherwise unvested amounts under such defined contribution plans to be vested, the payments, if any, attributable to such deemed vesting shall be paid in the same form, and paid at the same time, and in the same manner, as benefits under the corresponding non-qualified plan;
(vii) the payments that would have been made to the Officer under any cash bonus or long-term or short-term cash incentive compensation plan maintained by, or covering employees of, the Bank, if he had continued working for the Bank during the remaining unexpired Assurance Period and had earned the maximum bonus or incentive award in each calendar year that ends during the remaining unexpired Assurance Period, such payments to be equal to the product of:
(A) the maximum percentage rate at which an award was ever available to the Officer under such incentive compensation plan; multiplied by
(B) the salary that would have been paid to the Officer during each such calendar year at the highest annual rate of salary achieved during the remaining unexpired Assurance Period, such payments to be made without discounting for early payment .. The Bank and the Officer hereby stipulate that the damages which may be incurred by the Officer following any such termination of employment are not capable of accurate measurement as of the date first above written and that the payments and benefits contemplated by this section 8(b) constitute a reasonable estimate under the circumstances of all damages sustained as a consequence of any such termination of employment, other than damages arising under or out of any stock option, restricted stock or other non-qualified stock acquisition or investment plan or program, it being understood and agreed that this Agreement shall not determine the measurement of damages under any such plan or program in respect of any termination of employment. Such damages shall be payable without any requirement of proof of actual damage and without regard to the Officer’s efforts, if any, to mitigate damages. The Bank and the Officer further agree that the Bank may condition the payments and benefits (if any) due under sections 8(b)(iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii) on the receipt of the Officer’s resignation from any and all positions which he holds as an officer, director or committee member with respect to the Bank, the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate of either of them.
Separation Benefits If this Agreement is terminated either by the Company without Cause in accordance with Section 6(c) (including the Company’s non-renewal of this Agreement) or by Employee resigning his employment for Good Reason in accordance with Section 6(d), the Company shall have no further obligation to Employee under this Agreement, except the Company shall provide the Accrued Obligations to Employee in accordance with Section 7(a) plus the following payments and benefits (collectively, the “Separation Benefits”) to Employee: (i) an amount equal to one times the sum of the Base Salary in effect immediately before the Termination Date plus the Annual Bonus received by Employee for the fiscal year preceding the Termination Date (or if Employee was employed for less than one full fiscal year prior to the Termination Date, the Annual Bonus for purposes of this Section 7 shall be the Annual Bonus payable during the current fiscal year at the target amount provided above) (together, the “Separation Pay”); and (ii) during the six-month period commencing on the Termination Date that Employee is eligible to elect and elects to continue coverage for himself and his eligible dependents under the Company’s group heath insurance plan pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”), or similar state law, the Company shall reimburse Employee on a monthly basis for the difference between the amount Employee pays to effect and continue such coverage under COBRA and the employee contribution amount that active employees of the Company pay for the same or similar coverage; provided, however, that Employee shall notify the Company in writing within five days after he becomes eligible after the Termination Date for group health insurance coverage, if any, through subsequent employment or otherwise and the Company shall have no further reimbursement obligation after Employee becomes eligible for group health insurance coverage due to subsequent employment or otherwise. The Separation Pay shall be paid to Employee in a lump sum within 60 days of the Termination Date; provided, however, that no Separation Pay shall be paid to Employee unless the Company receives, on or within 55 days after the Termination Date, an executed and fully effective copy of the Release (as defined below). Any COBRA reimbursements due under this Section shall be made by the last day of the month following the month in which the applicable premiums were paid by Employee. For the avoidance of doubt, Employee shall not be entitled to the Separation Benefits if this Agreement is terminated (i) due to Employee’s death; (ii) by the Company due to Employee’s Inability to Perform; (iii) by the Company for Cause; (iv) by Employee without Good Reason; or (v) by non-renewal by Employee in accordance with Sections 4(b) and 6(f).
Severance Compensation upon Termination of Employment 4.1 If the Executive’s employment with the Corporation or the Partnership shall be terminated (a) by the Corporation or Partnership other than for Cause or pursuant to Sections 3.6 or 3.7, or (b) by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Corporation and the Partnership shall:
(i) pay to the Executive as severance pay, within five days after termination, a lump sum payment equal to 250% of the sum of the Executive’s annual salary at the rate applicable on the date of termination and the average of the Executive’s annual bonus for the preceding two full fiscal years;
(ii) arrange to provide Executive, for a 12 month period (or such shorter period as Executive may elect), with disability, accident and health insurance substantially similar to those insurance benefits which Executive is receiving immediately prior to the date of termination to the extent obtainable upon reasonable terms; provided, however, if it is not so obtainable the Corporation shall pay to the Executive in cash the annual amount paid by the Corporation or the Partnership for such benefits during the previous year of the Executive’s employment. Benefits otherwise receivable by Executive pursuant to this Section 4.1(ii) shall be reduced to the extent comparable benefits are actually received by the Executive during such 12 month period following his termination (or such shorter period elected by the Executive), and any such benefits actually received by Executive shall be reported by the Executive to the Corporation; and
(iii) any options granted to Executive to acquire common stock of the Corporation, any restricted shares of common stock of the Corporation issued to the Executive and any other awards granted to the Executive under any employee benefit plan that have not vested shall immediately vest on said termination.
(a) The Executive shall not be required to mitigate damages or the amount of any payment provided for under this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor, except to the extent provided in Section 4.1 above, shall the amount of any payment provided for under this Agreement be reduced by any compensation earned by the Executive as a result of employment by another employer or by insurance benefits after the date of termination, or otherwise.
(b) The provisions of this Agreement, and any payment provided for hereunder, shall not reduce any amounts otherwise payable, or in any way diminish the Executive’s existing rights, or rights which would accrue solely as a result of the passage of time, under any benefit plan of the Corporation or Partnership, or other contract, plan or arrangement.
Employment Benefits In addition to the Salary payable to the Executive hereunder, the Executive shall be entitled to the following benefits:
Vacation Benefits During the Term, the Executive shall be eligible for 20 vacation days annually, which shall be accrued and used in accordance with the applicable policies of the Company. During the Term, the Executive shall be eligible to participate in such medical, dental and life insurance, retirement and other plans as the Company may have or establish from time to time on terms and conditions applicable to other senior executives of the Company generally. The foregoing, however, shall not be construed to require the Company to establish any such plans or to prevent the modification or termination of such plans once established.
Compensation and Benefits Upon Termination (a) The Company’s obligation to compensate Executive ceases on the Termination Date except as to: (i) any unpaid Base Salary earned by Executive as of that time; (ii) any unpaid amount actually earned and due to Executive pursuant to the MIP; (iii) any business expenses for which Executive is entitled to reimbursement under this Agreement; and (iv) any compensation and/or benefits to which Executive may be entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 6.
(b) If the Company terminates Executive’s employment without Cause or Executive resigns for Good Reason, then the Company shall pay Executive the payments referenced above in Subsections 6(a)(i), (ii), and (iii) (collectively, the “Accrued Payments”). In addition, subject to Executive’s compliance with Sections 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 15 of this Agreement and subject to the requirements of Section 6(e) below: (i) the Company will pay Executive an amount equal to his/her Base Salary as of the Termination Date for a period of twelve (12) months following the Termination Date, payable through the Company’s regular payroll procedures (the “Severance Pay”) commencing on the sixtieth (60th) day following the Termination Date (with the first payment including a catch-up payment for any Base Salary that would have otherwise been paid as Severance Pay during such sixty (60) day period); and (ii) if Executive timely elects continued health insurance coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”), the Company shall, on the sixtieth (60th) day following the Termination Date, reimburse Executive for the entire amount of any premiums paid by Executive prior to such date necessary to continue such COBRA coverage for Executive and Executive’s covered spouse and eligible dependents and thereafter the Company shall pay the entire premium necessary to continue such coverage, in each case, until the earlier of (A) the expiration of the eighteen (18) month period following the Termination Date, or (B) the date on which Executive becomes eligible for group health insurance coverage under another employer’s plan, notice of which Executive shall promptly provide the Company.
(c) If the Company terminates Executive’s employment for Cause or if the Executive terminates his/her employment without Good Reason, or if Executive’s employment ends due to his/her death, then the Company’s sole obligation shall be to pay Executive (or his/her estate) only the Accrued Payments.
(d) If the Company terminates Executive’s employment due to Disability or upon Executive’s death, the Company shall pay Executive or his/her estate, in addition to any short term or long term disability benefits that he/she may have received and/or be entitled to receive, the Accrued Payments. In addition, Executive shall be eligible to receive payment of the Target Bonus as set forth in Section 3(b) above, subject to the terms of the MIP and to the extent actually earned for the fiscal year in which such termination takes place, prorated based on the number of days in such fiscal year that Executive was employed prior to the Termination Date, to be paid in accordance with the timing set forth in Section 3(b) (or if later, the sixtieth (60th) day following the Termination Date).
(e) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Company’s obligation to make any payments or to provide any benefits under Sections 6(b) or Section 6(d) above is subject to and conditioned upon Executive’s execution of an enforceable release and waiver of claims agreement in a form satisfactory to the Company (the “Release Agreement”) and his/her compliance with the covenants in Sections 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 15 of this Agreement. If Executive chooses not to timely execute such Release Agreement, revokes the Release Agreement, or fails to comply with the covenants in Sections 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 15 of this Agreement, then the Company’s obligation to compensate him/her ceases on the effective Termination Date except as to the Accrued Payments. The Release Agreement shall be provided to Executive within seven (7) days of the Termination Date and Executive must execute it within the twenty-one (21) or forty-five (45) day time period specified in the Release Agreement. The Release Agreement and any payments due following its execution by Executive shall not be effective until any applicable revocation period has expired.
(f) Executive is not entitled to receive any compensation or benefits upon his/her termination except as: (i) set forth in this Agreement, (ii) otherwise required by applicable law, or (iii) otherwise specifically required by any employee benefit plan of the Company in which he/she participates. Moreover, the terms and conditions provided to Executive under this Agreement are in lieu of any severance benefits to which he/she otherwise might be entitled pursuant to any severance plan, policy and practice of the Company and or any of its affiliates. Nothing in this Agreement however, is intended to waive or supplant any accrued death, disability, accidental death and dismemberment, retirement 401 (k) or pension benefits of the Company to which he/she may be entitled under employee benefit plans of the Company in which he/she participates.
(g) If, within the twelve (12) month period following a Change in Control, as defined below, Executive is terminated without Cause or he/she resigns for Good Reason, but in either case subject to the provisions of Section 6(e) above, Executive shall, in addition to the payments and benefits set forth in Section 6(b), be entitled to a lump sum payment, payable on the sixtieth (60th) day following the Termination Date, equal to the greater of: (A) fifty percent (50%) of Executive’s then Base Salary, or (B) his/her Target Bonus under the MIP. A “Change in Control,” as defined herein solely for purposes of this Agreement, shall mean: (i) any merger, consolidation, or reorganization involving the Company, in which, immediately after giving effect to such merger, consolidation or reorganization, less than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of outstanding stock of the surviving or resulting entity is then “beneficially owned” (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1943, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) in the aggregate by the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such merger consolidation or reorganization; (ii) any sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any other person or entity (other than to one or more wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company) in a transaction or a series of related transactions; (iii) the dissolution or liquidation of the Company; (iv) when any person or entity not currently a stockholder, including a “group” as contemplated by Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, acquires or gains ownership or control (including, without limitation, power to vote) of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding shares of the Company’s voting stock (based upon voting power); or (v) as a result of or in connection with a contested election of directors, the persons who were directors of the Company before such election shall cease to constitute a majority of the Company’s Board.
Certain Termination Benefits Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement or otherwise required by law, all compensation and benefits payable to Executive under this Agreement shall terminate on the date of termination of Executive’s employment under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of termination of Executive’s employment with the Company pursuant to Section 5(c) or Section 5(d) above, the Company shall provide to Executive the following termination benefits (“Termination Benefits”):
(i) continuation of salary at a rate equal to one-hundred (100%) of Executive’s Base Salary as in effect on the date of termination for a period of twelve months (payment shall be subject to withholding under applicable law and shall be made in periodic installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payroll practice for executive officers of the Company as in effect from time to time) with the first payment starting on the first payroll date that occurs 30 days after the Termination Date;
(ii) provided Executive elects and remains eligible for the continuation of group health plan benefits pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 1161 et seq. (commonly known as “COBRA”), the Company will pay with the cost of the regular premium for such benefits shared in the same relative proportion by the Company and Executive as in effect on the date of termination from the date of termination until the earlier of: (1) twelve months after the date of termination, or (2) the date Executive is no longer eligible for COBRA; and
(iii) payment of the bonus that the Executive would have been entitled to receive under the bonus or other performance plan referred to in Section 3(b) had his employment not been terminated, prorated based on the number of days the Executive was employed by the Company during the relevant bonus period. Such payment shall be made to the Executive at the time bonuses under such plan are generally paid to other participants but in no event later than March 15 of the calendar year following the termination date. The Company shall have the right to terminate all of the Termination Benefits set forth in Section 5(e)(i) and Section 5(e)(ii) in the event that Executive fails to comply in any material respect with Executive’s Continuing Obligations under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 5(e) shall be construed to affect Executive’s right to receive COBRA continuation entirely at Executive’s own cost to the extent that Executive may continue to be entitled to COBRA continuation after Executive’s right to cost sharing under Section 5(e)(ii) ceases. The Company and Executive agree that the Termination Benefits paid by the Company to Executive under this Section 5(e) shall be in full satisfaction, compromise and release of any claims arising exclusively out of any termination of Executive’s employment pursuant to Section 5(c) or Section 5(d), and that the payment of the Termination Benefits shall be contingent upon Executive’s delivery of a separation agreement in a form satisfactory to the Company that shall include a general release of claims in favor of the Company and related persons and entities (“Release Agreement”), it being understood that no Termination Benefits shall be provided unless and until such Release agreement becomes fully effective.
ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS The Executive shall receive the following additional compensation and welfare and fringe benefits:
