Exhibit 48
SETTLEMENT AND RELEASE AGREEMENT
Agreement dated as of April 3, 1998 between Handy & Xxxxxx,
a New York corporation (the "Company"), WHX Corporation, a Delaware
corporation ("WHX"), HN Acquisition Corp., a New York corporation (the
"Purchaser"), and Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx (the "Executive").
WHEREAS, the Purchaser has commenced a tender offer to
purchase all the issued and outstanding shares of the Company (the "Tender
Offer"), pursuant to an offer to purchase dated March 6, 1998 and a related
letter of transmittal of the same date;
WHEREAS, the Company and the Purchaser have entered into an
Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of March 1, 1998 (as it may be
amended and modified from time to time, the "Merger Agreement"), providing
for the merger of the Purchaser with and into the Company following
completion of the Tender Offer;
WHEREAS, the Executive is entitled to certain payments from
the Company, contingent upon a change of control of the Company, the
occurrence of certain events after a change of control of the Company, or
upon retirement of the Executive from the Company, pursuant to agreements
and arrangements listed on Schedule A to this Agreement (the "Compensation
Arrangements");
WHEREAS, the successful completion of the Tender Offer will
constitute a change of control of the Company for the purposes of the
Compensation Arrangements and, as a result, the amounts described in
Schedule B to this Agreement will be paid to the Executive and the payments
and benefits described in Schedule C to this Agreement will or, in certain
instances may, become payable by the Company;
WHEREAS, in order to achieve certainty in the relations
among the parties after the Purchaser accepts shares for payment pursuant
to the Tender Offer (the "Tender Closing") (the date of which is
anticipated to be April 7, 1998), and to give effect to certain agreements
they have made concerning the Compensation Arrangements, the parties wish
to enter this Settlement and Release Agreement confirming and restating the
amounts which the Executive is entitled to receive from the Company under
the Compensation Arrangements, and providing for the release, subject to
the terms of this Agreement, of the Company, the Purchaser and WHX from any
obligation other than those described in this Agreement, and of the
Executive from certain obligations to which he might otherwise be subject.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants
contained herein, the parties agree as follows:
1. AMOUNTS TO BE PAID ON TENDER CLOSING
The amounts specified in Schedule B to this Agreement shall be paid
by the Company to the Executive immediately prior to the Tender Closing.
2. AMOUNTS TO BE PAID AFTER TENDER CLOSING
The payments and benefits specified in Schedule C to this Agreement
shall be made and provided by the Company to the Executive, in the amounts
and at the times provided in the relevant Compensation Arrangements,
following the Tender Closing.
3. RELEASE
3.1 General releases:
(a) The Executive:
(i) agrees not to xxx or file any charges of discrimination,
or any other action or proceeding with any local, state
and/or federal agency or court; and
(ii) waives, discharges and releases the Company, WHX, their
affiliates, subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees,
representatives, agents and their successors and assigns
from any and all actions, causes of action, suits, debts,
dues, sums of money, accounts, reckonings, bonds, bills,
specialties, covenants, contracts, controversies,
agreements, promises, variances, trespasses, liabilities,
damages, judgments, extents, executions, claims and demands,
whether known or unknown, whatsoever, in law, admiralty or
equity
arising out of or relating in any way to the Executive's employment
with the Company prior to the Tender Closing, or to the Executive's
separation from employment with the Company prior to or
contemporaneously with the Tender Closing.
The claims covered by this paragraph (a) include, without
limitation, claims under all laws, rules or regulations as
currently in effect, or as may exist from time to time, relating to
employment and related matters, including without limitation Title
VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination in
Employment Act of 1967; the Civil Rights Act of 1866; the Civil
Rights Act of 1991; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990; the Worker Adjustment and Retraining
Notification Act of 1988; the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act
of 1990; the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978; the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974; the Family and Medical
Leave Act of 1993; Fair Labor Standards Act; and any and all
contract, tort, wrongful termination or other retaliation claims in
connection with workers' compensation claims.
(b) The Company and WHX:
(i) agree not to xxx or file any charges or any other action
or proceeding with any local, state or federal agency or
court; and
(ii) waive, discharge and release the Executive from any and
all actions, causes of action, suits, debts, dues, sums of
money, accounts, reckonings, bonds, bills, specialties,
covenants, contracts, controversies, agreements, promises,
variances, trespasses, liabilities, damages, judgments,
extents, executions, claims and demands, whether known or
unknown, whatsoever, in law, admiralty or equity, other than
for acts of Executive constituting embezzlement, fraud, or
deliberate dishonesty
arising out of the Executive's employment with the Company prior to
the Tender Closing, relating to the payments made under this
Agreement, or arising out of the Executive's separation from
employment with the Company prior to or contemporaneously with the
Tender Closing.
3.2 Nothing in the foregoing release or in this Agreement shall in any
way limit or affect the Executive's rights to indemnification
(including advancement of expenses) pursuant to (i) the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws, (ii) Section 5.12 of the
Merger Agreement, and (iii) the provisions of the New York Business
Corporation Law.
3.3 The Company and WHX waive, discharge and release the Executive from
any obligation to mitigate damages arising from breach of this
Agreement, or any payment obligation arising under this Agreement,
by seeking alternative employment or otherwise. Moreover, the
Company and WHX agree that no payment or damages arising under this
Agreement shall be reduced by any compensation received by the
Executive from any employer of the Executive other than the
Company, or from any other source.
3.4 The waivers, discharges and releases made by the Executive under
this Section 3 shall be contingent upon the full and timely payment
and provision by the Company of amounts payable to and benefits
receivable by the Executive described in the Schedules to this
Agreement.
3.5 Employee-at-will; release of severance entitlements: The Executive
acknowledges that following the Tender Closing and the payment of the
amounts specified in Schedule B that his status will be that of an
employee-at-will and that should his employment be terminated following the
Tender Closing he will not be entitled to any cash severance or any other
payments or benefits other than those provided in Schedule C to this
Agreement or required by law unless he enters into an agreement with the
Company after the Tender Closing providing for such a severance payment.
3.6 Continuing effect of Compensation Arrangements: The Compensation
Arrangements shall have no further force or effect after the Tender Closing
EXCEPT insofar as they provide for the payments and benefits listed in
Schedule C of this Agreement, in which respect they shall continue to
govern the nature, amount and timing of all such payments and benefits.
4. RESTRICTION TO EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP
The parties acknowledge that this Agreement is intended to apply
only to rights, obligations and claims arising out of the Compensation
Arrangements and the employment relationship (or its termination) between
the Executive and the Company. In particular, and without limiting the
effect of the previous sentence, this Agreement does not apply to, limit or
affect any rights which the Executive may have in relation to the Tender
Offer or the Merger in his capacity as a shareholder of the Company
(including rights arising out of the ownership of shares that were
originally received by the Executive as compensation for his services as an
employee).
5. DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION.
5.1 In the course of the Executive's employment with the Company, whether
past or in the future, the Executive has received, and will continue to
receive, information that gives the Company an advantage over its
competitors, and which is confidential and proprietary, relating to names
and preferences of customers, the costs and profits of particular lines,
products and markets, technological data, computer programs, know-how,
potential acquisitions, sources of financing, corporate operating and
financing strategies, expansion plans and similar related information
(together, the "Confidential Material"). Confidential Material shall not
include any information that (i) is generally available to the public
(other than as a result of disclosure by the Executive), or (ii) becomes
available to the Executive on a non-confidential basis from a source other
than the Company, provided that such source is not known by the Executive
to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with, or other obligation of
secrecy to, the Company. At no time during the period commencing on the
date first written above and continuing through the third anniversary of
the termination of Executive's employment with the Company, shall the
Executive individually or jointly with others, for the benefit of himself
or any third party, (i) in whole or in part, disclose such Confidential
Material to any person, firm, corporation, association or other entity for
any reason or purpose whatsoever or (ii) make use of any such Confidential
Material for his own purposes or for the benefit of any person, firm,
association, corporation or other entity (except the Company) under any
circumstances; provided, however, that the Executive may disclose any
Confidential Material as required by court order or which is relevant to
any dispute or proceeding between the Executive and the Company. The
Executive acknowledges that any disclosure of the Confidential Material
would cause material and irreparable harm to the Company and its business.
5.2 All papers, books and records of every kind and description relating to
the business and affairs of the Company or its affiliates, whether or not
prepared by the Executive, shall be the sole and exclusive property of the
Company, and the Executive shall surrender them to the Company at any time
upon request by the Chairman of the Board or any authorized officer.
5.3 The provisions of this Section 5 will survive the expiration or earlier
termination of the term of this Agreement.
6. ARBITRATION
Any dispute or controversy between the Company and the Executive,
whether arising out of or relating to any of the Compensation Arrangements
(to the extent they remain in force) or this Agreement, or the breach of
any of the Compensation Arrangements or this Agreement, shall be settled by
arbitration before a single arbitrator administered by the American
Arbitration Association in accordance with its Commercial Rules then in
effect and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered
in any court having jurisdiction thereof. Such arbitration shall take place
in the New York City metropolitan area. The arbitrator shall have the
authority to award any remedy or relief that a court of competent
jurisdiction could order or grant, including, without limitation, the
issuance of an injunction. However, either party may, without inconsistency
with this arbitration provision, apply to any court having jurisdiction
over such dispute or controversy and seek interim, provisional, injunctive
or other equitable relief until the arbitration award is rendered or the
controversy is otherwise resolved. Either party may also apply to a court
for enforcement of the remedy or relief the arbitrator orders or grants.
The Company shall reimburse the Executive, upon demand, for all costs and
expenses (including without limitation attorneys' fees) reasonably incurred
by the Executive in good faith in connection with this arbitration
provision, including without limitation in connection with any such
application undertaken by the Executive in good faith, as well as for all
such costs and expenses reasonably incurred by the Executive in connection
with entering or enforcing the award rendered by the arbitrator. Except as
necessary in court proceedings to enforce this arbitration provision or an
award rendered hereunder, or to obtain interim relief, neither a party nor
an arbitrator may disclose the existence, content or results of any
arbitration hereunder without the prior written consent of the Company.
7. MISCELLANEOUS
7.1 Interpretation: References to a party shall include that party's
successors and assigns, and in the case of references to the Company shall
include any entity related to WHX to which all or a substantial portion of
the business or assets of the Company are transferred at any time following
the completion of the Merger Agreement (and WHX shall cause the Company to
include an appropriate term to that effect in any agreement providing for
such a transfer), provided that any such inclusion shall not detract from
the Company's own obligations under this Agreement.
7.2 Injunctive Relief: If there is a breach or threatened breach of the
provisions of Section 5 of this Agreement, the Company shall be entitled to
an injunction restraining the Executive from such breach. Nothing herein
shall be construed as prohibiting the Company from pursuing any other
remedies for such breach or threatened breach.
7.3 Acknowledgment: Executive acknowledges (i) that the provisions of
Section 5 are reasonable and necessary for the protection of the Company
and (ii) that such provisions, and the period or periods of time,
geographic areas and types and scope of restrictions on the activities
specified therein are, and are intended to be, divisible. Without affecting
the generality of section 7.6 herein, if any provision of Section 5,
including any sentence, clause or part thereof, shall be deemed contrary to
law or invalid or unenforceable in any respect by a court of competent
jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall not be affected, but shall,
subject to the discretion of such court, remain in full force and effect
and any invalid and unenforceable provisions shall be deemed, without
further action on the part of the parties hereto, modified, amended and
limited to the extent necessary to render the same valid and enforceable.
7.4 Governing law: This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of New York (without regard to the choice-of-law
rules thereof).
7.5 Entire agreement: This Agreement (including the Schedules hereto), the
Merger Agreement and the Compensation Arrangements to the extent they
remain in force under Section 3.6 of this Agreement, constitute the entire
agreement between the parties with respect to compensation of the
Executives contingent upon, relating to, or due as a result of termination
of employment contemporaneous with, the change of control of the Company,
and supersedes any prior understandings, agreements, or representations by
or among the parties, written or oral, to the extent they related in any
way to such subject matter.
7.6 Severability: To the extent possible, this Agreement shall be
interpreted in such a manner as to be effective and valid under applicable
law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited or
invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective only to
the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating or
affecting in any manner whatsoever the remainder of such provision or the
remaining provisions of this Agreement.
7.7 Counterparts: This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts,
each of which is deemed to be an original and all of which taken together
constitute one and the same Agreement.
SIGNED
HANDY & XXXXXX
By:_________________________
As Its: ______________________
WHX CORPORATION
By:________________________
As Its: ______________________
HN ACQUISITION CORP.
By:________________________
As Its: ______________________
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Executive
SCHEDULE A
Agreements and Arrangements with respect to which the Executive is a party
or a participant
1. Amended and Restated Agreement dated as of 27 February, 1998 between the
Executive and the Company (the "1998 Agreement");
2. Handy & Xxxxxx Management Incentive Plan - Corporate Group Participants
(as amended) (the "MIP");
3. Handy & Xxxxxx Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended) (the "LTIP");
4. Handy & Xxxxxx Long-Term Incentive Stock Option Plan (as amended) and
its successor, the Handy & Xxxxxx 1995 Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan (as
amended) (the "Stock Option Plans");
5. Handy & Xxxxxx Pension Plan (the "Qualified Pension Plan").
SCHEDULE B
Compensation Payable to the Executive on the Tender Closing
1. SEVERANCE PAYMENTS: $165,000.00
One year's salary, under Section 4(a) of the 1998 Agreement(1).
2. CASH OUT OF 6TH CYCLE RESTRICTED STOCK UNDER THE LTIP: $97,325.25
2,761 shares x $35.25 tender offer price per share
See attached Exhibit 1 for details of awards of Restricted Stock
in the sixth cycle.
The sixth cycle grants of Restricted Stock are to be awarded
pro-rata with the proportion of the sixth cycle which will have
elapsed up to 3 April 1998, the date of the Tender Closing. The
sixth cycle began on 1 January 1997 and would normally terminate
on 31 December 1999. Note that this Agreement does not relate to
stock that was granted in earlier cycles and that has already
vested, in respect of which the Executive will receive the tender
offer price as an ordinary stockholder.
3. INTERIM 1998 AWARD UNDER THE MIP: $21,402.00
This interim award is based on the 1997 award, pro-rated for the
period elapsed in 1998 up to the date of the Tender Closing.
4. TOTAL OF ITEMS 1 THROUGH 4: $283,727.25
Cash Out of Stock Options
CASH OUT OF STOCK OPTIONS AWARDED UNDER THE STOCK OPTION PLANS: $387,812.00
See attached Exhibit 1 for the numbers of options granted and their
exercise prices.
The value of each option is the difference between the exercise price of
the option as shown on the attached Exhibit 1, and the $35.25 tender
offer price per share.
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1 The references to provisions of the Compensation Arrangements in
this Schedule are explanatory and for reference only. They do not
incorporate such provisions into this Agreement, save such
provisons from the effect of Section 3.6 of this Agreement, or
otherwise imply that such provisions have any continued effect.
SCHEDULE C
Compensation and Benefits Payable to the Executive after the Tender Closing
1. Payment of premiums under Handy & Xxxxxx group life, medical and dental
insurance plans for one year, under Section 4(b) of the 1998 Agreement, in
the event of termination of the Executive's employment within two years
following the date of the Tender Closing by the Company other than for
Cause or Disability (as defined in the 1998 Agreement) or by the Executive
for Good Reason (as defined in the 1998 Agreement);
2. Pension under the Qualified Pension Plan, and payment under any other
qualified plans operated by Handy & Xxxxxx in which the Executive is a
participant.
