Severance Agreement Any payments of compensation made pursuant to Articles 4 and 5 are contingent on Executive executing the Company’s standard severance agreement, including a general release of the Company, its owners, partners, stockholders, directors, officers, employees, independent contractors, agents, attorneys, representatives, predecessors, successors and assigns, parents, subsidiaries, affiliated entities and related entities, and on Executive’s continued compliance with Section 6. Executive must execute the standard severance agreement and release within 45 days of being provided with the document to sign or the severance agreement offer will expire.
Severance Payments 5.1 The Company shall pay the Executive the payments described in this Section 5.1 ("Severance Payments") upon the termination of the Executive's employment following a Change in Control during the term of this Agreement, including the Executive's termination of employment for Good Reason, unless such termination is (a) by the Company for Cause, or (b) by reason of the Executive's Death or Disability. The Executive's employment shall be deemed to have been terminated following a Change in Control by the Company without Cause if the Executive's employment is terminated prior to a Change in Control without Cause at the direction (or action which constitutes a direction) of a Person who has entered into an agreement with the Company the consummation of which will constitute a Change in Control.
(i) Within three (3) business days after the Date of Termination, the Company shall make a lump sum or monthly, at the Executive's option, cash severance payment to the Executive in an amount equal to: (x) the Executive's annual base salary in effect immediately prior to the occurrence of the event or circumstance upon which the Notice of Termination is based or in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control; and (y) a pro-rated portion of Executive's Targeted Annual Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs.
(ii) For a twelve (12) month period after the Date of Termination, the Company shall arrange to provide the Executive with medical and dental insurance benefits substantially similar to those that the Executive is receiving immediately prior to the Notice of Termination. Benefits otherwise receivable by the Executive pursuant to this Section 5.1(ii) shall be reduced to the extent comparable benefits are actually received by or made available to the Executive without cost during the twelve (12) month period following the Executive's termination of employment (and any such benefits actually received by the Executive shall be reported to the Company by the Executive).
5.2 The Company also shall pay to the Executive all legal fees and expenses incurred by the Executive in disputing the non-payment of Severance Payments in connection with a termination which entitles the Executive to Severance Payments. Such payments shall be made within five (5) business days after delivery of the Executive's written request for payment accompanied with such evidence of fees and expenses incurred as the Company reasonably may require.
Severance Benefits In addition, if a Change in Control Severance Payment Event (as defined below) occurs, then the Company shall pay to Employee the Accrued Payments, and contingent upon Employee satisfying the Severance Conditions, the Company shall also provide Employee the following payments and other benefits (the “Change in Control Severance Package”):
(i) Payment of an amount equal to 2.0 times the sum of (i) Employee’s annual rate of Base Salary as of the Termination Date or as of the date of the Change in Control, whichever is greater, plus (ii) Employee’s Target STI Payment, calculated based on Employee’s Base Salary as of the Termination Date or, if greater, as of the date of the Change in Control, payable to Employee on the 30th day following the Termination Date in a lump sum payment; plus
(ii) Payment of a Pro-Rata Bonus for the calendar year of termination, payable as soon as administratively feasible following preparation of the Company’s audited financial statements for the applicable calendar year, but in no event later than March 31 (or earlier than January 1) of the calendar year following the calendar year to which such STI Payment relates; and
(iii) The Company shall pay or reimburse on a monthly basis the premiums required to continue Employee’s group health care coverage for a period of eighteen (18) months following Employee’s Termination Date, under the applicable provisions of COBRA, provided that Employee or his dependents, as applicable, elect to continue and remain eligible for these benefits under COBRA. If necessary to avoid inclusion in taxable income by Employee of the value of in-kind benefits, such health care continuation premiums shall be provided in the form of taxable payments to Employee, which payments shall be made without regard to whether Employee elects to continue and remain eligible for such benefits under COBRA, and in which event Company shall pay to Employee, with each monthly reimbursement, an additional amount of cash equal to A/(1-R)-A, where A is the amount of the reimbursement for the month, and R is the sum of the maximum federal individual income tax rate then applicable to ordinary income and the maximum individual Colorado income tax rate then applicable to ordinary income;
(iv) Provided, however, that the sum of (i) and (ii) above shall be reduced, but not below zero, by the sum of any actually benefits provided to Employee pursuant to Section 5(a)(i), (ii), or (iii) and any payments otherwise required pursuant to Section 5(a)(i), (ii), and (iii) shall not be made. Nothing in this Section 6 shall relieve the Company or any successor-in-interest thereof of its obligation to continue, following any Change in Control, to provide Employee with the compensation due pursuant to Section 3 of this Agreement or to otherwise comply with its obligations hereunder in the event Employee’s service continues pursuant to this Agreement following the occurrence of such Change in Control.
Right to Severance Benefits The Executive shall be entitled to receive from the Company Severance Benefits, as described in Section 3.3 herein, if there has been a Change in Control of the Company and if, within twenty-four (24) calendar months following the Change in Control, a Qualifying Termination of the Executive has occurred. The Executive shall not be entitled to receive Severance Benefits if he/she is terminated for Cause, or if his/her employment with the Company ends due to death, Disability, or Retirement or due to a voluntary termination of employment by the Executive without Good Reason.
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.
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.
Termination of Employment and Severance Benefits The Executive’s employment hereunder shall terminate under the following circumstances:
Severance Pay and Benefits Upon Termination by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for
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 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.
