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.
Bonus Severance A lump-sum payment equal to 100% of the Executive’s target annual bonus as in effect for the fiscal year in which the CIC Qualified Termination occurs.
Timing of Severance Payments Any severance payment to which Employee is entitled under Sections 3(a)(i)(1), 3(a)(i)(2) and 3(a)(i)(5) shall be paid by the Company to the Employee (or to the Employee's successors in interest pursuant to Section 7(b)) in cash and in full, not later than thirty (30) calendar days following the Termination Date, subject to any delay required under Section 9.
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.
Severance Pay and Benefits Upon Termination by the Company without Cause or by the Executive for
Salary, Bonus and Benefits For services rendered by the Employee on behalf of the Company during the Employment Term, the following salary, bonus and benefits shall be provided to the Employee by the Company:
(a) The Company shall pay to the Employee, in equal installments, according to the Company’s then current practice for paying its executive officers in effect from time to time during the Employment Term, the Annual Base Salary.
(b) The Employee shall participate in the Sealy Corporation Annual Bonus Plan (the “Bonus Plan”) in accordance with the provisions of that Plan as in effect as of the date of this Agreement based on the Target Annual Bonus Percentage.
(c) The Employee shall be eligible for participation in such other benefit plans, including, but not limited to, the Company’s Profit Sharing Plan and Trust, Executive Severance Benefit Plan, Benefit Equalization Plan, Short-Term and Long Term Disability Plans, Group Term Life Insurance Plan, Medical Plan or PPO, Dental Plan, the 401(k) feature of the Profit Sharing Plan and the 1998 Stock Option Plan, as the Board may adopt from time to time and in which the Company’s executive officers are eligible to participate. Such participation shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the applicable plan documents. As is more fully set forth in Section 6 hereof, the Employee shall not be entitled to duplicative payments under this Agreement and the Executive Severance Benefit Plan.
(d) Without limiting the generality of Subsection 3(c) above, for so long as such coverage shall be available to the executive officers of the Company, the Employee shall be eligible to participate in the Company’s Group Term Life Insurance Plan with a death benefit to be provided at the level of one and one half (1 ½) times annual base salary at Company expense, plus extended coverage with a death benefit to be provided of at least the level in effect on the date of this Agreement for the Employee under such Plan at the Employee’s discretion and expense.
(e) The Employee shall be entitled to take, during each calendar year period during the Employment Term, vacation time equal to four (4) weeks per year.
(f) In addition, the Parties do hereby further confirm that any shares of Class A Common Stock of the Company (“Class A Shares”), and any options to purchase additional Class A Shares previously granted to Employee are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any shares or options which may be granted under any other plan or arrangement of the Company after the date of this Agreement, and (b) the various stock agreements and stock option agreements, and any related Stockholder Agreement (the “Stockholder Agreement”) between the Parties (such agreements being hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Pre-existing Agreements”), all remain in full force and effect except as otherwise provided herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any provision contained herein is inconsistent with the terms of any of the Pre-existing Agreements, the terms of this Agreement shall be controlling.
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.
Form and Timing of Severance Benefits The Severance Benefits described in Sections 3.3(a), 3.3(b), and 3.3
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 Pay Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 62 (Severance Pay) of this Agreement, where the period of continuous employment in respect of which severance benefit is to be paid consists of both full and part-time employment or varying levels of part-time employment, the benefit shall be calculated as follows: the period of continuous employment eligible for severance pay shall be established and the part-time portions shall be consolidated to equivalent full-time. The equivalent full-time period in years shall be multiplied by the full-time weekly pay rate for the appropriate group and level to produce the severance pay benefit.
