Employee Benefits and Contracts (a) For a period of one year following the Effective Time, except as contemplated by this Agreement, any Buyer Entity shall provide generally to employees who are actively employed by a Seller Entity on the Closing Date (“Covered Employees”) while employed by such Buyer Entity following the Closing Date employee benefits under Buyer Benefit Plans, on terms and conditions which are, in the aggregate, substantially comparable to those provided by Buyer Entities to their similarly situated employees; provided, that in no event shall any Covered Employee be eligible to participate in any closed or frozen plan of any Buyer Entity. Until such time as Buyer shall cause the Covered Employees to participate in the applicable Buyer Benefit Plans, the continued participation of the Covered Employees in the Seller Benefit Plans shall be deemed to satisfy the foregoing provisions of this clause (it being understood that participation in Buyer Benefit Plans may commence at different times with respect to each of Buyer Benefit Plans). For purposes of determining eligibility to participate and vesting under Buyer Benefit Plans, and for purposes of determining a Covered Employee’s entitlement to paid time off under the applicable Buyer Entity’s paid time off program, the service of the Covered Employees with a Seller Entity prior to the Effective Time shall be treated as service with a Buyer Entity participating in such Buyer Benefit Plans, to the same extent that such service was formally recognized by the Seller Entities for purposes of a similar benefit plan; provided, that such recognition of service shall not (i) operate to duplicate any benefits of a Covered Employee with respect to the same period of service or (ii) apply for purposes of any plan, program or arrangement (x) under which similarly-situated employees of Buyer Entities do not receive credit for prior service, (y) that is grandfathered or frozen, either with respect to level of benefits or participation, or (z) for purposes of retiree medical benefits or level of benefits under a defined benefit pension plan.
(b) Prior to the Closing Date, the Seller Entities shall take all necessary action (including without limitation the adoption of resolutions and plan amendments and the delivery of any required notices) to terminate, effective as of no later than the day before the Closing Date, any Seller Benefit Plan that is intended to constitute a tax-qualified defined contribution plan under Internal Revenue Code Section 401(k) (a “401(k) Plan”). Seller shall provide Buyer with a copy of the resolutions, plan amendments, notices and other documents prepared to effectuate the termination of the 401(k) Plans in advance and give Buyer a reasonable opportunity to comment on such documents (which comments shall be considered in good faith), and prior to the Closing Date, Seller shall provide Buyer with the final documentation evidencing that the 401(k) Plans have been terminated.
(c) Upon request by Buyer in writing prior to the Closing Date, the Seller Entities shall cooperate in good faith with Buyer prior to the Closing Date to amend, freeze, terminate or modify any other Seller Benefit Plan to the extent and in the manner determined by Buyer effective upon the Closing Date (or at such different time mutually agreed to by the Parties) and consistent with applicable Law. Seller shall provide Buyer with a copy of the resolutions, plan amendments, notices and other documents prepared to effectuate the actions contemplated by this Section 7.8(c), as applicable, and give Seller a reasonable opportunity to comment on such documents (which comments shall be considered in good faith), and prior to the Closing Date, Seller shall provide Buyer with the final documentation evidencing that the actions contemplated herein have been effectuated.
(d) Without limiting the generality of Section 10.4, nothing in this Section 7.8, expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any Person (other than the Parties or their respective successors), including any current or former employee, officer, director or consultant of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, any rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement. In no event shall the terms of this Agreement: (i) establish, amend, or modify any Seller Benefit Plan or any “employee benefit plan” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, or any other benefit plan, program, agreement or arrangement maintained or sponsored by Buyer, Seller or any of their respective Affiliates; (ii) alter or limit the ability of the Surviving Corporation, Buyer or any of their Subsidiaries or Affiliates to amend, modify or terminate any Seller Benefit Plan, employment agreement or any other benefit or employment plan, program, agreement or arrangement after the Closing Date; or (iii) confer upon any current or former employee, officer, director or consultant of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, any right to employment or continued employment or continued service with Buyer or any Buyer Subsidiaries, the Surviving Corporation or the Seller Entities, or constitute or create an employment agreement with any employee, or interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Surviving Corporation, Seller, Buyer or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof to discharge or terminate the services of any employee, officer, director or consultant of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause.
(e) On the Closing Date, Seller shall provide Buyer with a list of employees who have suffered an “employment loss” (as defined in the WARN Act) in the 90 days preceding the Closing Date or had a reduction in hours of a least 50% in the 180 days preceding the Closing Date, each identified by date of employment loss or reduction in hours, employing entity and facility location.
