Retention Bonuses Provided Executive becomes and remains an active employee of Mercantile, Mercantile will pay Executive retention bonuses in accordance with the following schedule:
Other Severance Arrangements This Agreement supersedes any and all cash severance arrangements on change in control under any prior separation, severance and salary continuation arrangements, programs and plans which were previously offered by the Company to the Executive, including change in control severance arrangements pursuant to an employment agreement or offer letter. In no event shall any individual receive cash severance benefits under both this Agreement and any other severance pay or salary continuation program, plan or other arrangement with the Company.
Retention Bonus You will be eligible for a lump sum cash payment on the first anniversary of the Acquisition Date provided that you are employed by the Company as of such date in an amount equal to the sum of (i) 100% of your annual base salary in effect as of the Acquisition Date, plus (ii) 100% of the annual bonus paid to you for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2008 (such sum, the “First Year Retention Bonus”). You will be eligible for a lump sum cash payment on the second anniversary of the Acquisition Date provided that you are employed by the Company as of such date in an amount equal to the sum of (i) 100% of your annual base salary in effect as of the Acquisition Date, plus (ii) 100% of the annual bonus paid to you for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2008 (such sum, the “Second Year Retention Bonus”). Except as set forth below, you will not be eligible for the retention bonuses as set forth above if your employment terminates prior to such applicable anniversary. In the event of your Voluntary Termination for Good Reason (as defined below), the termination of your employment by the Company other than for Justifiable Cause, or in the event of your death or “permanent disability” as defined in the Company’s long-term disability policy (i) during the first twelve month period following the Acquisition Date, you will be eligible for a pro rata portion of the First Year Retention Bonus, counting full months of employment with the Company from the Acquisition Date through such termination, and (ii) during the second twelve month period following the Acquisition Date, you will be eligible for a pro rata portion of the Second Year Retention Bonus, counting full months of employment with the Company from the first anniversary of the Acquisition Date through such termination. Any prorated payment pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be made within 10 business days of such termination. If the annual bonus payment for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2008 has not been paid to you or otherwise determined by the Company as of the date the prorated payment is due, the prorated payment shall be calculated using your target bonus amount for 2008. Payments under this Section 8 shall be net of any applicable withholding taxes. For purposes of this Section 8, “Voluntary Termination for Good Reason” shall have the same meaning as given to such term under the Key Employee Change in Control Severance Plan as in effect immediately prior to the Acquisition Date, but with respect to the First Year Retention Bonus only, determined without regard to clause (ii) thereof.”
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.
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.
Termination Benefits (a) If Executive’s employment is voluntarily (in accordance with Section 2(a) of this Agreement) or involuntarily terminated within two (2) years of a Change in Control, Executive shall receive:
Labor Agreements and Actions; Employee Compensation (a) Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary is bound by or subject to (and none of its assets or properties is bound by or subject to) any written or oral, express or implied, contract, commitment or arrangement with any labor union other than those provisions of general agreements between the Federation of Labor Unions (the “Histadrut”) and the Coordination Bureau of Economic Organizations which may be applicable to certain classes of employees by virtue of extension orders, and no labor union has requested or has sought to represent any of the employees, representatives or agents of the Company or the Subsidiary. There is no strike or other labor dispute involving the Company or the Subsidiary pending, or to the best knowledge of the Company, that is likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, nor is the Company aware of any labor organization activity involving the Company or the Subsidiary. The Company is not aware that any officer or key employee, or that any group of key employees, intends to terminate their employment with the Company or the Subsidiary, nor does the Company or the Subsidiary have a present intention to terminate the employment of any of the foregoing. Schedule 2.24 sets forth the names of each of the Company’s and the Subsidiary’s employees and consultants. The Company and the Subsidiary are or at the Closing will be a party to an employment agreement with each employee of the Company and the Subsidiary, as applicable. The employment of each officer and employee of the Company or the Subsidiary is terminable at the will of the Company or the Subsidiary, subject to the payment of severance and other payments as provided by law and/or pursuant to any applicable employment agreements. The Company and the Subsidiary have complied in all material respects with all applicable laws related to employment. Except as set forth in Schedule 2.24(a) below, the Company and the Subsidiary are not parties to or bound by any currently effective employment deferred compensation agreement, bonus plan, incentive plan, profit sharing plan, retirement agreement, or other employee compensation agreement. Schedule 2.24(a) contains a list of all written and material oral promises, agreements, arrangements and understandings, with officers, directors, employees and consultants (other than attorneys and accountants) of the Company and the Subsidiary, which are presently in effect, detailing the name, title or position, annual salary/compensation (including bonuses, commissions, and deferred compensation), pensions (including those required by all applicable laws), retirement benefits, company cars, profit sharing, and any interests in any incentive compensation plan. A copy of the written (and a summary description of any material oral) agreements described in this Section 2.24 was delivered to Wellington prior to the date hereof. The severance pay to the employees of the Company and the Subsidiary is fully funded or provided for in the Financial Statements in accordance with US generally accepted accounting principals. All liabilities of the Company in connection with its employees (excluding illness pay and advance notice of termination) were adequately accrued in the Financial Statements and the Company is not aware of any circumstance whereby any employee might demand any claim for compensation on termination of employment beyond the amount of statutory or contractual severance pay to which such employee may be entitled. All obligations of the Company and the Subsidiary with respect to statutorily required severance payments have been fully satisfied or have been funded by contributions to appropriate insurance funds.
Change in Control Benefits Agreement shall mean any separate agreement between Participant and the Corporation which provides Participant with special vesting acceleration and/or other special benefits with respect to one or more awards of restricted stock units made to Participant for shares of Common Stock, including (to the extent applicable) the restricted stock units evidenced by this Agreement, in the event of a change in control or ownership of the Corporation (whether or not constituting a Change in Control hereunder).
Additional Severance Benefits In the event that it is determined that any payment or benefit provided by the Company to or for the benefit of Executive, either under this Agreement or otherwise, will be subject to the excise tax imposed by section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code or any successor provision ("section 4999"), the Company will, prior to the date on which any amount of the excise tax must be paid or withheld, make an additional lump-sum payment (the "gross-up payment") to Executive. The gross-up payment will be sufficient, after giving effect to all federal, state and other taxes and charges with respect to the gross-up payment, to make Executive whole for all taxes (including withholding taxes) imposed under section 4999. Determinations under this Section 2 will be made by the Company's then current firm of independent auditors (the "Firm"). The determinations of the Firm will be binding upon the Company and Executive except as the determinations are established in resolution (including by settlement) of a controversy with the Internal Revenue Service to have been incorrect. All fees and expenses of the Firm will be paid by the Company. If the Internal Revenue Service asserts a claim that, if successful, would require the Company to make a gross-up payment or an additional gross-up payment, the Company and Executive will cooperate fully in resolving the controversy with the Internal Revenue Service. The Company will make or advance such gross-up payments as are necessary to prevent Executive from having to bear the cost of payments made to the Internal Revenue Service in the course of, or as a result of, the controversy. The Firm will determine the amount of such gross-up payments or advances and will determine after resolution of the controversy whether any advances must be returned by Executive to the Company. The Company will bear all expenses of the controversy and will gross Executive up for any additional taxes that may be imposed upon Executive as a result of its payment of such expenses.
Severance Amount If the Company is required to pay Executive severance by the express terms of Section 7(a) or 7(b), the Company shall pay Executive the following as severance:
