Termination; Release (a) This Agreement shall continue in effect (notwithstanding the fact that from time to time there may be no Obligations outstanding) until (such occurrence being the “Termination Date”) the earlier of (i) the time at which all of the Obligations have been paid in full (other than any contingent obligations not then due and indemnification obligations not then due) and (ii) the consummation of the Exchange Agreement Closing. Upon the occurrence of the Termination Date, the Holder shall forthwith cause the satisfaction, discharge and termination of this Agreement and the Liens granted hereunder (subject to Section 7.8) and shall prepare and record any and all termination statements as may be appropriate to terminate all financing statements and other filings made in connection with the Liens granted hereunder.
(b) If any of the Collateral shall be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by the Grantor in a transaction permitted by this Agreement or the Note, the security interest created hereby in any Collateral that is so sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of shall automatically terminate and be released upon the closing of such sale, transfer or other disposition, and such Collateral shall be sold free and clear of the Lien and security interest created hereby; provided that, to the extent required by this Agreement or the Note, the Holder shall have consented to such sale, transfer or other disposition; provided, further, that such security interest will continue to attach to all proceeds of such sales, transfers or other dispositions except to the extent such proceeds are the subject of any such sale, assignment, transfer or disposition or as otherwise consented to by Holder.
(c) In connection with any of the foregoing, the Holder shall execute and deliver to the Grantor or the Grantor’s designee, at the Grantor’s expense, all UCC termination statements and similar documents that the Grantor shall reasonably request from time to time to evidence such termination. Any execution and delivery of termination statements or documents pursuant to this Section 7.12 shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Holder.
Severance Payment If, during the Employment Term at any time during the period of twelve (12) consecutive months following the occurrence of a Change in Corporate Control, the Executive is involuntarily terminated (other than for Cause) or the Executive terminates his employment for Good Reason, then subject to compliance with the restrictive covenants in Section 9 and Section 10 and the execution and timely return by the Executive of the Release, the Executive shall be entitled to receive a lump sum severance payment equal to the present value of a series of monthly payments for twenty-four (24) months, each in an amount equal to one-twelfth (1/12th) of the sum of (i) the Executive’s Base Salary, as in effect at the time of the Change in Corporate Control, and (ii) the average of the annual bonuses paid to the Executive for the prior two fiscal years of the Company ending prior to the Change in Corporate Control, if any. Such present value shall be calculated using a discount rate equal to the interest rate on 90-day Treasury bills, as reported in the Wall Street Journal (or similar publication) on the date of the Change in Corporate Control. Such lump sum payment shall be made to the Executive within sixty (60) days following the date of such involuntary termination. In addition, if during the Employment Term within twelve (12) months after a Change in Corporate Control the Executive is involuntarily terminated (other than for Cause) or the Executive terminates his employment for Good Reason, he shall be entitled to continued coverage at the Company’s expense under any health insurance programs maintained by the Company in which the Executive participated at the time of his termination, which coverage shall be continued for eighteen (18) months or until, if earlier, the date the Executive obtains comparable coverage under a group health plan maintained by a new employer. To the extent the benefits provided under the immediately preceding sentence are otherwise taxable to the Executive, such benefits, for purposes of Section 409A of the Code (and the regulations and other guidance issued thereunder) shall be provided as separate monthly in-kind payments of those benefits, and to the extent those benefits are subject to and not otherwise excepted from Section 409A of the Code, the provision of the in-kind benefits during one calendar year shall not affect the in-kind benefits to be provided in any other calendar year.
Lump Sum Severance Payment Payment of a lump sum amount equal to twelve (12) months of Executive’s then-current Base Salary plus the Pro Rated Bonus, less all customary and required taxes and employment-related deductions, paid on the first payroll date following the date on which the Release required by Paragraph 4(g) becomes effective and non-revocable, but not after seventy (70) days following the effective date of termination from employment.
Change of Control Severance Benefits (a) If during the Change of Control Period Cascade shall terminate Executive’s employment other than for Cause, or Executive shall terminate employment with Cascade for Good Reason, Cascade shall: (i) pay Executive (or in the event of Executive’s subsequent death, Executive’s beneficiary or estate, as the case may be), as severance pay, a sum equal to two (2) times the salary and bonus paid by Cascade to Executive during the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of the month preceding the effective date of a Change of Control (excluding any gains resulting from exercise of stock options or vesting of restricted stock awards or other similar forms of stock compensation); (ii) cause to be continued for twenty-four (24) months after the effective date of a Change of Control, life, medical, dental, and disability coverage substantially identical to the coverage maintained by Cascade for Executive prior to the effective date of a Change of Control, except to the extent such coverage may be changed in its application to all Cascade employees on a nondiscriminatory basis; and (iii) accelerate any unvested stock-based compensation so any such stock-based compensation shall be 100% vested and immediately exercisable in full as of the date of such termination. Payments due under (i) above shall be paid to Executive in a lump sum no sooner than six (6) months after the date of Executive’s termination.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1(a) above, if a payment to Executive who is a “disqualified individual” shall be in an amount which includes an “excess parachute payment,” the payment hereunder to Executive shall be reduced to the maximum amount which does not include an “excess parachute payment.” The terms “disqualified individual” and “excess parachute payment” shall have the meaning defined in Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(c) Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment or benefit provided for in Section 1(a) of this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of any payment or benefit provided for in Section 1(a) of this Agreement be reduced by any compensation earned or benefit received by Executive as the result of employment by another employer. This Agreement shall not be construed as a contract of employment or as providing Executive any right to be retained in the employ of Cascade or any affiliate thereof.
(d) Prior to Executive’s gaining the right to receive, and in exchange for, the severance compensation, benefits and option acceleration provided in Section 3(a), above, to which Executive would not otherwise be entitled, Executive shall first enter into and execute a release substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Release”) upon Executive’s termination of employment. Unless the Release is executed by Executive and delivered to Cascade within twenty-one (21) days after the termination of Executive’s employment with Cascade, Executive shall not receive any severance benefits provided under this Agreement, acceleration, if any, of Executive’s equity grants/benefits as provided in this Agreement shall not apply and Executive’s equity grants/benefits in such event may be exercised following the date of Executive’s termination only to the extent provided under their originals terms in accordance with the applicable equity plans and agreements.
Termination and Severance Pay A. In the event Employee is terminated by the Board before the expiration of the term of this agreement without just cause, and during that time Employee is willing and able to perform his duties under this Agreement, the Board shall continue to pay Employee's salary for a period of four (4) months after the date of termination (the "Severance Period") and shall continue Employee's then current health insurance coverage for a period of four (4) months. In the event Employer is not able to maintain Employee's health insurance coverage pursuant to the terms of the Township health insurance plan, then Employer shall pay to Employee, for a period of four (4) months, the cost of health insurance premiums at a rate that will continue substantially similar health benefits for Employee and Employee's family, if applicable, as provided under the then current township health insurance plan. In addition, the Board shall pay the cash value of any accrued vacation time. All of the above shall hereinafter be referred to as the Severance Compensation. The parties agree that this Severance Compensation shall constitute Employee's sole and exclusive remedy for termination without just cause
B. In the event Employee is terminated by the Board before the expiration of the term of this agreement with just cause, the Board shall have no obligation to pay the Severance Compensation set forth in Section 3A.
C. In the event the Board, at any time during the term of this Agreement, reduces the salary or other financial benefits of Employee in a greater percentage than an applicable across- the-board reduction for all employees of the Board, or in the event the Board refuses, following written notice, to comply with any other provision benefiting Employee herein, or Employee resigns following a written request by the Board that he resign, then, in that event, Employee may, at his option, be deemed to be "terminated without just cause" as of the date of such reduction, refusal to comply, or written request and Employee shall be entitled to the Severance Compensation as set forth in Section 3A. as if he were terminated without cause. For the purposes of this paragraph, the Board's failure to grant Employee a raise equivalent to that given any or all other Township Employees shall not be deemed a "reduction" as provided herein.
D. In the event Employee desires to voluntarily resign his position with the Board before the expiration of the above term of this employment, then Employee shall give the Board thirty (30) days notice in advance, unless the parties agree otherwise in writing. In the event the Employee voluntarily resigns his position, he shall not be entitled to the severance pay provisions contained in Section 3A hereof.
E. For the purposes of Section 3. hereof, "just cause" shall mean the following:
(a) The Employee is convicted of a felony;
(b) The Employee has failed or neglected to carry out his duties hereunder in any material and significant respect, or has been guilty of misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office for a period of thirty (30) days after written notice to him from the Board specifying the nature of such failure, neglect, misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office, unless such misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance is so egregious or of such a nature that it is of a criminal nature or it cannot be corrected.
F. If the Employee is permanently disabled or is otherwise unable to perform his duties because of sickness, accident, injury, mental incapacity or health for a period of eight successive weeks beyond any accrued sick leave and vacation time, the Board shall have the option to terminate this Agreement, and Employee shall receive the Severance Compensation set forth under Paragraph 3A. above.
Termination Severance (a) If (i) Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or (ii) if a Change in Control of the Company occurs and Employee’s employment with the Company or its successor Terminates In Connection With a Change in Control and in the absence of any event or circumstance constituting Cause, then, in either case:
(A) Employee will be entitled to receive from the Company an amount in severance equal to one year of Employee’s then-current base salary (the “Severance Amount”). The Severance Amount will be paid in a lump sum promptly after Employee has executed and delivered to the Company a mutual release, in form and substance satisfactory to the Company, of all claims arising in connection with Employee’s employment with the Company and termination thereof;
(B) Employee will be entitled to receive, for a period of 12 full calendar months from the date of his termination (the “Termination Date”), medical and dental benefits coverage for Employee and/or his dependents through the Company’s available plans at the time and the Company will be responsible to continue payment of all applicable deductions for premium costs. After the Company’s obligation to pay the premiums for health and dental coverage Employee and/or his dependents will be eligible to continue plan participation under COBRA; and
(C) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the option plan pursuant to which Employee’s options were granted, all options granted to Employee prior to the Termination Date (the “Options”) shall automatically vest and become fully exercisable as of the Termination Date notwithstanding any vesting or performance conditions applicable thereto, and such Options shall remain exercisable for (i) one year following the Termination Date or (ii) if the plan or grant agreement pursuant to which certain Options were granted provides that such Options will be exercisable for a period longer than one year in circumstances where Employee is terminated without Cause or Employee’s employment Terminates In Connection With a Change in Control, then such longer exercise period shall apply with respect to such Options; provided that, in either case, (A) in no event will Options be exercisable beyond the duration of the original term thereof and (B) if the Options qualify as an incentive stock option under the Internal Revenue Code and applicable regulations thereunder, the exercise period thereof shall not be extended in such a manner as to cause the Options to cease to qualify as an incentive stock option unless Executive elects to forego incentive stock option treatment and extend the exercise period thereof as provided herein.
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:
(1) Executive's Base Salary at the highest rate in effect prior to the Termination Date as salary continuation for a period of eighteen months commencing on the date on which Executive's employment with the Company is terminated (the "TERMINATION DATE") (the "SEVERANCE PERIOD"), payable in equal monthly installments pursuant to the Company's customary payroll practices for executive salaries; provided, however, that, at the option of the Company, the amounts payable under this Section 7(c) may be paid by the Company in one lump sum.
(2) Executive, Executive's spouse, and Executive's dependents will continue to be eligible for coverage under the Company's group health plan or any successor plan on the same basis as active executive employees of the Company, their spouses, and their dependents for the duration of the Severance Period. If and when group health coverage under another employer's plan is made available to Executive, Executive's spouse, or Executive's dependents, the Company's obligations under this paragraph will cease with respect to each person to whom such coverage is made available, notwithstanding that such person may not in fact become covered under such other employer's plan. Executive's portion of the premium for such coverage shall be withheld from the salary continuation payments described in paragraph (1) immediately above or, if salary continuation has been paid in a lump sum, Executive shall reimburse the Company for Executive's portion of the premium on a monthly basis.
(3) An amount equal to the sum of amounts paid or payable to Executive as bonuses by the Company for the year prior to the year in which the Termination Date occurs. This amount will be payable in one lump sum, to Executive within 30 days after the end of the Severance Period.
(4) Executive shall become 100% vested in all of the shares of restricted stock granted to Executive under the Mariner Energy, Inc. Equity Participation Plan to the extent Executive is less than 100% vested in such shares as of the Termination Date.
(5) Executive shall become 50% vested in all of the rights and interests granted to Executive under the Company's stock and other equity plans (other than the Mariner Energy, Inc. Equity Participation Plan), including without limitation any stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units, and/or performance shares to the extent Executive is less than 50% vested in such award as of the Termination Date.
(6) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, if the Company incurs an obligation to pay severance under this Section 7(c) in connection with the termination of Executive's employment after the consummation of an initial public offering by the Company, then, subject to Section 7(h), Executive shall be entitled to receive the amounts specified in Section 8(a) in lieu of the amounts specified in Sections 7(c)(1) and 7(c)(3).
(7) Payments under this Section 7(c) shall be in lieu of any severance benefits otherwise due to Executive under any severance pay plan or program maintained by the Company that covers its employees or executives generally. If Executive receives payment under Section 8(a), payments otherwise payable under Section 7(c)(1) shall terminate.
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 the Pro Rata Bonus 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.
Release; Termination (a) Upon any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of any item of Collateral of any Grantor in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents (other than sales of Inventory in the ordinary course of business), the Administrative Agent will, at such Grantor’s expense, execute and deliver to such Grantor such documents as such Grantor shall reasonably request to evidence the release of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted hereby; provided, however, that (i) at the time of such request and such release no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) such Grantor shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent, at least ten Business Days prior to the date of the proposed release, a written request for release describing the item of Collateral and the terms of the sale, lease, transfer or other disposition in reasonable detail, including, without limitation, the price thereof and any expenses in connection therewith, together with a form of release for execution by the Administrative Agent and a certificate of such Grantor to the effect that the transaction is in compliance with the Loan Documents and as to such other matters as the Administrative Agent may request and (iii) the proceeds of any such sale, lease, transfer or other disposition required to be applied, or any payment to be made in connection therewith, in accordance with Section 2.06 of the Credit Agreement shall, to the extent so required, be paid or made to, or in accordance with the instructions of, the Administrative Agent when and as required under Section 2.06 of the Credit Agreement.
(b) Upon the latest of (i) the payment in full in cash of the Secured Obligations, (ii) the Termination Date and (iii) the termination or expiration of all Letters of Credit and all Secured Hedge Agreements, the pledge and security interest granted hereby shall terminate and all rights to the Collateral shall revert to the applicable Grantor. Upon any such termination, the Administrative Agent will, at the applicable Grantor’s expense, execute and deliver to such Grantor such documents as such Grantor shall reasonably request to evidence such termination.
Severance Payments and Benefits (a) If a Change in Control occurs and within a period of twenty-four (24) months thereafter, Executive incurs a Separation from Service on account of (i) an involuntary termination by the Company for reasons other than death, Disability or Cause, or (ii) a voluntary termination elected by the Executive for Good Reason, then subject to (A) Executive signing and not revoking a separation and general release agreement (the “Release”) in a form provided by the Company as may be in use from time to time, and (B) Section 4 below, Executive shall (and the Company (or any successor thereto) shall pay, award and/or provide):
(1) receive a lump-sum cash severance payment in an amount equal to the sum of (a) two times (2x) Executive’s Annual Compensation; (b) the product of (x) Executive’s Long-term Incentive Award Value, multiplied by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of full and partial calendar months between January 1 of the year of Separation from Service and the date of the Executive’s Separation from Service (provided, however, that such numerator shall not exceed six (6)) and the denominator of which is twelve (12); and (c) the product of (x) the greater of (A) Executive’s target annual bonus amount for the year in which the Separation from Service occurs, or (B) the highest annual bonus paid to the Executive out of the three (3) prior bonuses paid to the Executive prior to the Executive’s Separation from Service, multiplied by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of full and partial calendar months between January 1 of the year of Separation from Service and the date of the Executive’s Separation from Service and the denominator of which is twelve (12); and
(2) receive eighteen (18) months of continued coverage under the Company’s group health plans (based on the level of the Executive’s coverage in effect on the date of the Executive’s Separation from Service), at the Company’s expense, subject to the Executive’s timely election of continuation coverage under the COBRA, it being understood that (a) in the event that the Executive becomes eligible to receive substantially similar or improved medical, dental or vision benefits from a subsequent employer (whether or not the Executive accepts such benefits), the Company’s obligations under this Section 3(a)(2) shall immediately cease, (b) the Executive will notify the Company of his eligibility for such benefits from a subsequent employer within thirty (30) days of such eligibility and (c) in the event that the Company’s making payments under this Section 3(a)(2) would violate nondiscrimination rules or result in the imposition of penalties under the PPACA, the parties agree to reform this Section 3(a)(2) in such manner as is necessary to comply with tax laws and the PPACA, as applicable.
(3) become fully vested in all Company equity and long-term incentive awards granted to Executive (including, but not limited to, and all stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units, and all other stock and cash-based long-term incentive awards) to the extent that such vesting is based on service with the Company. With respect to any performance shares and performance unit awards, (a) the final number of units and/or shares payable under such awards shall only be determined in accordance with the terms and conditions of the respective grant agreement governing such award, and accordingly, (b) distribution of such awards can only take place following such share and/or unit amount determination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the full and immediate vesting of any restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units, shall not change the payment date thereof or otherwise apply to the extent it would result in adverse tax consequences under Section 409A of the Code; and
(4) notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the respective award agreement(s), be entitled to exercise any stock options or stock appreciation rights until the expiration of twenty-four (24) months following Executive’s Separation from Service (or until such later date as may be applicable under the terms of the award agreement governing the stock option or stock appreciation right upon termination of employment), subject to the maximum full term of the stock option or stock appreciation right; provided, however, that, if any stock option or stock appreciation right is terminated or cashed-out in connection with a Change in Control, the Executive shall receive a lump-sum cash payment equal to the time value (i.e., under the Black Scholes option pricing model) of such stock options or stock appreciation rights inclusive of the economic value for the period of twenty-four (24) months following Executive’s Separation from Service (or until such later date as may be applicable under the terms of the award agreement governing the stock option or stock appreciation right upon termination of employment), subject to the maximum full term of the stock option or stock appreciation right.
(b) If Executive is not a Specified Employee, all payments made to Executive under Section 3(a) immediately above shall be made on the sixtieth (60th) calendar day following Executive’s Separation from Service, provided that Executive’s Release must be effective and not revocable on the date payment is to be made in order to receive such payments. If Executive is a Specified Employee, to the extent required to comply with Section 409A of the Code, payments made under Section 3(a) immediately above shall be made within ten (10) calendar days following the date following the first (1st) day of the seventh (7th) month after the date of Executive’s Separation from Service, provided that no such payment shall be made to Executive if the Release has not become effective as of the six (6)-month anniversary of the date of Executive’s Separation from Service.
