Exhibit 10.16
AGREEMENT AND RELEASE
This Agreement and
Release (Agreement) is dated as of October 21, 2003 (Today), and is between Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxx, (you), and CIGNA Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the Company).
You and the Company
intend to be legally bound by the Agreement, and are entering into it in reliance on the
promises made to each other in the Agreement. Under the Agreement, your employment will
end, and you and the Company agree to settle all issues concerning your employment and
termination of employment. The Company will pay you certain benefits described in this
agreement and release certain claims against you. In turn, you are releasing certain
legal claims against the Company.
1. Your Retirement Date.
Your employment with the Company will end on December 31, 2003 (the Retirement Date).
2. Your Promises to the
Company.
a. |
Terms
used in paragraph 2 are defined as follows: |
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(1) |
“CIGNA” means
the Company and any subsidiaries and/or affiliates of the Company. |
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(2) |
“Confidential
Information” means any knowledge, information or materials
relating to the Company or the Division about their products,
services, know-how, customers, business plans, or financial,
marketing, pricing, compensation and other proprietary matters,
whether or not subject to trademark, copyright, trade secret or other
protection, that you obtained during the course of your employment
with the Company. |
|
(3) |
“Division” means
the CIGNA Human Resources & Services Division. |
b. |
You
agree that, other than in the good faith performance of your services to
CIGNA before the Retirement Date, you will not disclose any Confidential
Information to anyone other than CIGNA employees or use any Confidential
Information for your benefit or the benefit of any other person, firm,
operation or entity unrelated to CIGNA except to the extent disclosure is
or may be required (1) by a statute, by a court of law, by any
governmental agency having supervisory authority over the business of the
Company or by any administrative or legislative body (including a
committee thereof) with actual or apparent jurisdiction to order you to
divulge, disclose or make accessible such information; (2) in connection
with any litigation, mediation or arbitration involving this Agreement,
including enforcement of this Agreement; or (3) with respect to any
cooperation provided by |
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you pursuant to paragraph 2.g. After an item of
Confidential Information has become public knowledge or known generally in
the industry, you shall have no further obligation under this paragraph 2.b
regarding that information so long as you were in no manner responsible,
directly or indirectly, for permitting the information to become public
knowledge or known within the industry without CIGNA’s consent. |
c. |
Until
December 31, 2005, you will not, within any part of the United States or
any other country where CIGNA currently conducts business: |
|
(1) |
engage
directly or indirectly, in any capacity (including, but not limited to
owner, sole proprietor, partner, shareholder (unless your holding is
for investment purposes only and is limited to less than 1% of the
total combined voting power of all shares), employee, agent,
consultant, officer or director) in any business that competes with
the Company without prior written consent of the Chief Executive
Officer of CIGNA Corporation, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld, or |
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(2) |
solicit
in any manner: |
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(a)
any CIGNA employees, either
to terminate employment with CIGNA or to become employed, as an employee or
independent contractor, by you or by any business that you may become employed
by, or affiliated in any way with, after leaving CIGNA; or |
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(b)
Any of CIGNA’s customers (that
you know or have reason to know are CIGNA customers as of the Retirement Date)
to (a) terminate or reduce any business arrangements in effect with CIGNA on
your Retirement Date or (b) to enter into any new business arrangements with
you or any business that employs or becomes affiliated with you after you leave
CIGNA, if such new business arrangements would adversely affect in any way any
business arrangements with any CIGNA customer that CIGNA either has Today or
has been planning during the three-month period ending Today. |
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The
Company agrees that it shall not be a violation of paragraph 2.c(2) if: (a) you provide a
personal reference for any CIGNA employee setting forth your personal views about the
employee, provided you make it clear in any such reference that you are not speaking for
CIGNA; or (b) an entity that employs or becomes affiliated with you hires a CIGNA
employee, provided you are not involved in hiring the employee or identifying the
employee as a potential recruit and you do not assist in recruiting the employee for the
entity. |
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The
Company agrees that it shall not be a violation of paragraph 2.c merely because an entity
that employs or becomes affiliated with you (x) has a pre- |
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existing relationship with a
CIGNA customer or (y) responds to a solicitation for a proposal from a CIGNA customer, so
long as you are not significantly involved in the development or delivery of the
proposal. |
d. |
You
agree that the duration, area and scope of activities restricted under
paragraphs 2.b and 2.c are reasonable and necessary to protect the
Company’s legitimate business interests and that, if any court or
arbitrator determines that paragraphs 2.b or 2.c or any part of them is
unenforceable because of the duration, area or scope of activities restricted,
then the court or arbitrator shall have the power to reduce the duration, area
or scope to the maximum allowed by applicable law and, in its reduced form, the
provision shall then be enforced and you will abide by the provision as
altered. |
e. |
From
your Retirement Date until December 31, 2004, you agree that: |
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1) |
You
will be subject to the same CIGNA stock trading window periods that apply to
senior CIGNA officers; |
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2) |
You
will continue to clear all trades involving CIGNA Corporation stock with the
Corporate Secretary; and |
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3) |
During
any one window period, you will not sell more than 25% of the combined
number of shares of CIGNA Corporation common stock that (1) you own
on your Retirement Date and (2) are issued to you within 30 days
after your Retirement Date. |
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From
and after your Retirement Date, you agree not to sell more than 15,000 shares of CIGNA
Corporation common stock during any one day. |
f. |
(1) |
You
shall be entitled to indemnification by the Company (and, if applicable, any other
Company affiliate) to the fullest extent permitted or authorized by its (or their)
by-laws against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and
amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred or sustained by you, in
connection with any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative
or investigative, to which you may be made a party (or are threatened to be made a party)
(each a Proceeding), by reason of your having been an officer, employee or director of
the Company or an officer, employee or director of any other Company affiliate (including
service at the request of or on behalf of CIGNA as a director, officer, member, employee,
consultant or agent of another corporation, limited liability corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust or other entity, including service with respect to employee benefit
plans), whether or not the basis of such Proceeding is your alleged action in an official
capacity while serving in |
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such capacities, and such indemnification shall continue as to
you even though you have ceased to be an officer, member, employee, consultant or agent
of CIGNA or any other entity and shall inure to the benefit of your heirs, executors and
administrators. |
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(2) |
The
Company or applicable affiliate shall advance to you all reasonable costs
and expenses that you incur in connection with any Proceeding as
provided under the by-laws of the Company or applicable affiliate
after receipt by the Company of a written request for such advance
that includes an undertaking by you to repay the amount of such
advance if it shall ultimately be determined that you are not
entitled to be indemnified against such costs and expenses. The amount
of such obligation to repay shall be limited to the after-tax amount
of any such advance except to the extent you are able to offset such
taxes incurred on the advance by the tax benefit, if any,
attributable to a deduction for repayment. |
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(3) |
Neither
the failure of the Company or any Company affiliate (including their
respective boards of directors, independent legal counsel or
stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement
of any Proceeding concerning payment of amounts claimed by you under
paragraph 2.f(1) above that indemnification of you is proper because
you have met the applicable standard of conduct, nor a determination
by the Company or any Company affiliate (including their respective
boards of directors, independent legal counsel or stockholders) that
you have not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a
presumption or inference that you have not met the applicable
standard of conduct. |
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(4) |
Nothing
in this paragraph 2.f shall be construed as reducing or waiving any
right to indemnification, or advancement of expenses, you would
otherwise have under the by-laws of the Company or any affiliate or
any rights you may have under any directors’ and officers’ liability
policies maintained by the Company or any affiliates. |
g. |
You
agree to make yourself reasonably available to the Company in connection
with any legal proceedings relating to CIGNA in which you may have
knowledge of potentially relevant facts because of your employment with
the Company, and the Company agrees to accommodate reasonably your other
personal and business commitments. The Company shall reimburse you for all
reasonable expenses that you incur (including the costs of travel and
meals) in connection with your making yourself available to it or its
counsel to provide information or to testify. For the first ten days (not
necessarily consecutive, and including partial days) that you spend in so
providing information or testifying, you shall not be compensated for such
time. Thereafter, the Company shall pay you $750.00 for each day (or |
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part
of a day) as compensation for your time in providing information or
testifying. |
h. |
Prior
to your Retirement Date, you will return to CIGNA any CIGNA property that
you now have (for example: identification card, access card, office keys,
company manuals, office equipment, records and files); provided, however,
you will not be required to return rolodexes, personal cell phone,
personal diaries (including your portable personal computer), or
correspondence and other items of a personal nature. If those personal
items are responsive to instructions you have received to retain documents
in connection with legal proceedings and an SEC inquiry, you must continue
to retain them after your termination. If CIGNA property that you have
includes information that you reasonably believe you may need for tax
purposes and copies of plans, programs and agreements relating to your
employment and termination of employment, you may make and retain copies
before returning the information to CIGNA. |
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3. |
Your
Retirement Arrangements. |
a. |
From
Today until your Retirement Date, the Company will continue to pay you a
salary at your current regular salary rate and you and your eligible
dependents may continue to participate in the Company’s employee
benefits programs in accordance with the terms of those programs. During
this period, you agree to remain available for internal consulting and
advice to the CEO and other division heads. |
b. |
You
agree that you will not be covered by the CIGNA Short-Term Disability Plan
or CIGNA Long-Term Disability Plan after Today. |
c. |
You
will receive no further time off benefits for 2003. |
d. |
If
you die before the Company pays you all amounts due under paragraph 3 of the Agreement,
the remaining amounts (except for those described in paragraphs 3.e and f) will be paid
to your surviving spouse in a lump sum within 90 calendar days after the date of your
death. The amounts described in paragraphs 3.e and f will be paid to your surviving
spouse at the same times the payments would have been made to you, as described in
paragraphs 3.e and f. If you have no surviving spouse, the payment will be made to your
estate. If you die before December 31, 2003, the date you die will automatically be your
new Retirement Date (but the above lump sum payment shall be calculated as if you had
remained employed until December 31, 2003). |
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e. |
In
March 2004 (or if earlier, when bonuses for 2003 are paid to CIGNA senior
executives), the Company will pay you a cash bonus for service performed
in 2003 in an amount equal to your bonus target multiplied by the CIGNA
corporate staff bonus rating for 2003. |
f. |
In
May 2004, May 2005 and May 2006 (or such earlier time as provided below), the
Company will pay you for one hundred percent of your previously-awarded
Strategic Performance Units. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
paragraphs 10.5(d) or 10.7 of the CIGNA Long-Term Incentive Plan
(Incentive Plan) as in effect Today, the payments will be in cash, in
amounts that are in accordance with the formula under the Strategic
Performance Unit provisions of the Incentive Plan and that are based on
the same Unit values that apply to other senior executives (taking into
account any changes in the method of valuing these awards) and shall
include any supplemental or additional payments made to any active senior
executive of the Company. If a Change of Control (as defined in the
Incentive Plan) occurs prior to the payment of all of these awards, all
unpaid units will be paid within 30 days following the Change of Control
in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 10.6(d)(1)-(3) of the CIGNA
Long-Term Incentive Plan as approved by shareholders in April, 2000. No
changes to the terms of these awards will be made without your advance
approval. |
g. |
Any
amounts you may have earned under the CIGNA Pension, Supplemental Pension,
CIGNA Deferred Compensation, Medical, Life Insurance and 401(k) Plans will
be paid to you under the provisions of those plans except as modified
under contractual arrangements which have been previously disclosed in
public filings. Notwithstanding any previous agreements, years of credited
service beyond 30 years will be determined using the same “hours of
service method” used in the CIGNA Pension Plan. |
h. |
Any
options on Company stock that you now hold will vest under the terms of your
applicable grant letters and will expire on the original expiration dates
specified in your applicable grant letters. During the remaining term of
these options, you shall be able to participate in any future program the
Company adopts for senior executive officers that replaces, or reduces the
exercise prices (reprices) of, stock options that have exercise prices
above the then-prevailing market price. Your participation in the program
shall be on the same terms and conditions that apply to those senior
executive officers and shall apply only to comparable options. “Comparable
options” are options that you then still hold and that the Company
granted to you (by original grant or replacement grant) in the same
year(s) that the Company granted the options being replaced or repriced to
the senior executives participating in the program. |
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i. |
The
Company will provide you with: |
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(1) |
Executive
Financial Services through year-end 2008; |
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(2) |
Reimbursement
for reasonable tax preparation fees incurred for income tax returns
for income through year-end 2008; |
j. |
With
respect to any shares of restricted CIGNA Corporation stock that you hold on your
Retirement Date (RSGs), the Company will, within 30 days after your Retirement Date, make
a lump sum cash payment to you equal to (a) one hundred percent of the number of RSGs
that you forfeit on your Retirement Date multiplied by (b) the average closing price of a
share of CIGNA Corporation stock on the 10 trading days ending on your Retirement Date. |
k. |
You
will receive no other money from the Company except as provided in this
Agreement. |
a. |
You
and the Company each agree not to file (or ask or allow anyone else to file)
any charge, complaint, claim or lawsuit of any kind in
connection with any claim released by this Agreement against any
Released Person. However, the preceding sentence does not apply to
any claim you might file alleging that your waiver of claims under
the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) was not
knowing and voluntary. |
b. |
You
acknowledge full and complete satisfaction of, and release and discharge all
Released Persons from, any Claims. |
c. |
The
Company acknowledges full and complete satisfaction of, and releases and
discharges all Released Persons from, any Claims. |
d. |
You
are giving this release for yourself as well as for your executors,
administrators, heirs and assigns. |
e. |
The
Company is giving this release for the Company, together with its
successors, subsidiaries and affiliates (Company Affiliated Parties)
and all of their directors, officers, agents and employees (but as to
any such director, officer, agent or employee only in connection
with, or in relationship to, his or its capacity as a director,
officer, agent or employee of any Company Affiliated Party and not in
connection with, or in relationship to, his or its personal capacity
unrelated to any Company Affiliated Party). |
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f. |
“Released
Persons” for your release of Claims are the Company Affiliated
Parties and all of their directors, officers, agents and employees
(as limited by paragraph 4.e). “Released Persons” for the
release of Claims against you by the Company (and other persons
described in paragraph 4.e) are you, your dependents, heirs, agents,
assigns and estate. |
g. |
With
respect to Claims you are releasing, “Claims” are any and all
claims, demands and causes of action of whatever kind, including any
claims for attorneys fees, that you now have, or at any time had,
against any Released Persons, but only to the extent they arise out
of or relate in any way to your employment or termination of
employment with the Company and its affiliates. With respect to
Claims the Company and Company Affiliated Parties are releasing,
“Claims” are any and all claims, demands and causes of
action of whatever kind, including any claims for attorneys fees,
that the Company or any other Company Affiliated Party now has, or at
any time had, against you, but only to the extent they arise out of
or relate in any way to your employment or termination of employment
with the Company and its affiliates. “Claims” includes
things you or the Company may not even know about or suspect as well
as any claims you may have under ADEA. |
h. |
“Claims” does
not include (and you and the Company are not releasing): |
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(1) |
any
claims for promises you and the Company are making to each other under this
Agreement and any claims that arise after Today, |
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(2) |
any
claims for benefits under any retirement savings or other employee benefit
programs under which you will receive benefits after your Retirement
Date (however, the Release does include any claims for benefits under
any severance pay plan or arrangement, any pension plan and any other
plans or programs referenced in this Agreement, to the extent such
claims are inconsistent with this Agreement), |
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(3) |
any
claims covered by workers compensation laws, |
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(4) |
any
rights you have to indemnification under the Company’s (and, if
applicable, any Company affiliate’s) by-laws, directors and
officers liability insurance or this Agreement or any rights you may
have to obtain contribution as permitted by law in the event of entry
of judgment against you as a result of any act or failure to act for
which you and any Company Affiliated Party are jointly liable, and |
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(5) |
any
claims that you did not knowingly and voluntarily waive your rights under
ADEA. |
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5. No
Mitigation, No Offset. You shall have no duty to seek other employment and there shall be
no offset against amounts due under this Agreement on account of any remuneration you may
receive attributable to any subsequent employment or self-employment.
6. Anti-disparagement.
You agree not to knowingly make any statement to a customer of CIGNA or
any public statement, whether oral or written, that would disparage CIGNA
or any of its senior officers or directors. The Company agrees that it
(and its affiliates) shall not, and it shall cause each CIGNA senior
officer or director not to, knowingly make any public statement, whether
oral or written, that disparages you. It shall not, however, be a
violation of this paragraph 6 for any person: (a) to make truthful
statements (i) when required to do so by a court of law, by any
governmental agency having supervisory authority over CIGNA’s
business or by any administrative or legislative body (including a
committee thereof) with actual or apparent jurisdiction to order such
person to divulge, disclose or make accessible such information or (ii) to
the extent necessary with respect to any litigation, arbitration or
mediation involving this Agreement, including but not limited to,
enforcement of this Agreement; or (b) from responding publicly to
incorrect or disparaging public statements to the extent reasonably
necessary to correct or refute such public statement.
7. No
Admission of Wrongdoing. Just because the Company is entering into
this Agreement and paying you money, the Company is not admitting that it
(or any Released Person) has done anything wrong or violated any law,
rule, order, policy, procedure, or contract, express or implied, or
otherwise incurred any liability. Similarly, by entering into this
Agreement, you are not admitting that you have done anything wrong or
violated any law, rule, order, policy, procedure, or contract, express or
implied, or otherwise incurred any liability.
8. Applicable
Law. This Agreement is being made in Pennsylvania. It will be
interpreted, enforced and governed under the laws of Pennsylvania (without
reference to the principles of conflicts of law), but your eligibility
for, or the amount of any, employee benefits shall be subject to the terms
of the benefit plans and the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA).
9. Arbitration. Without
in any way affecting the releases in paragraph 4, any and all
disagreements, disputes or claims listed below will be resolved
exclusively by arbitration in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area.
Arbitration will be conducted in accordance with the Employment Dispute
Resolution Rules of the American Arbitration
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Association, as modified by
Company. Copies of the Arbitration Policy and Rules and Procedures have
been provided to you. A legal judgment based upon the Arbitrator’s
award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction over the matter.
Each party shall be liable for its own costs and expenses (including
attorneys’ fees). You and the Company agree to arbitrate anything:
a. |
related
in any way to this Agreement, including its validity, and how it is
interpreted or implemented, and the validity of your ADEA waiver; or |
b. |
that
involves your employment with Company or the termination of that
employment, including any disputes arising under local, state or federal
statutes or common law (if for any reason your release and waiver under
paragraph 4 is found to be unenforceable or inapplicable). |
10. Final
and Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended to be the complete,
entire and final agreement between you and the Company. It fully replaces
all earlier agreements or understandings; however, it does not replace the
terms of any employee benefit plan or terms included in any stock option or
restricted stock grant; provided that the covenants and provisions in
paragraphs 2, 6 and 9 above supercede in their entirety any similar
provisions in any employee benefit plan. Neither you nor the Company has
relied upon any other statement, agreement or contract, written or oral,
in deciding to enter into this Agreement. Any amendment to this Agreement
must be in writing and signed by both you and the Company. Any waiver by
any person of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective only if
in writing, specifically referring to the provision being waived and
signed by the person against whom enforcement of the waiver is being
sought. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective as
to any other provision of this Agreement except to the extent specifically
provided in an effective written waiver. If any provision or portion this
Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in a legal forum
with competent jurisdiction to so determine, the remaining provisions or
portions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect to the
fullest extent permitted by law and the invalid or unenforceable
provisions or portions shall be deemed to be reformed so as to give
maximum legal effect to the agreements of the parties contained herein.
11. Your
Understanding. By signing this Agreement, you admit and agree that:
a. |
You
have read this Agreement. |
b. |
You
understand it is legally binding, and you were advised to review it with a
lawyer of your choice. |
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c. |
You
have had (or had the opportunity to take) at least 21 calendar days to
discuss it with a lawyer of your choice before signing it and, if you sign
it before the end of that period, you do so of your own free will and with
the full knowledge that you could have taken the full period. |
d. |
You
realize and understand that the release covers certain claims, demands, and
causes of action against the Company and any Released Persons relating to
your employment or termination of employment, including those under ADEA,
whether or not you know or suspect them to exist at the present time (but
the release does not apply to claims described in paragraph 4.h). |
e. |
You
understand the terms of this Agreement and that it is not part of an exit
incentive or other employment termination program being offered to a group
or class of employees. |
f. |
You
are signing this Agreement voluntarily and with the full understanding of
its consequences, and you have not been forced or coerced in any way. |
12. Revoking
the Agreement. You have seven calendar days from the date you sign
this Agreement to revoke and cancel it. To do that, a clear, written
cancellation letter, signed by you, must be received by Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx,
CIGNA Corporation, 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx XX00X, Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX, 00000
before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the seventh calendar day following the
date you sign this Agreement. The Agreement will have no force and effect
until the end of that seventh day; provided that, during such seven-day
period, the Company shall not be able to revoke this Agreement or cancel
it.
13. If
Legal Action Is Started by You. You understand and agree that Company’s
main reason for entering into this Agreement is to avoid lawsuits and
other litigation. Therefore, if any legal action covered by paragraph 4 or 9
(other than arbitration of a dispute described in paragraph 9.a or b or
claims related to whether your release of ADEA claims was knowing and
voluntary) is started by you (or by someone else on your behalf) against
any Company Released Person with respect to any Claim released by you
under paragraph 4, you agree to withdraw such proceeding or claim with
prejudice (or, in the case of any legal action filed on your behalf, you
agree to withdraw from such proceeding or claim).
If you fail to withdraw such proceeding or claim (or, in the case of any
legal action filed on your behalf, you fail to withdraw from such proceeding or claim)
within 30 days of receipt of written notice from the Company requesting that you withdraw
such proceeding or claim, then in addition to any other equitable or legal relief that
the Company may be entitled to:
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a. |
The
Company may withhold or retain all or any portion of the amounts due
hereunder until such proceeding or claim is withdrawn by you; |
b. |
You
agree to pay back to the Company within 60 days after receipt of written
notice from the Company all the money you receive under paragraph 3
(except sub-paragraph 3.g); and |
c. |
You
agree to pay the Company the reasonable costs and attorneys’ fees it
incurs in defending such action. |
You represent that as of Today you have not assigned to any other party,
and agree not to assign, any claim released by you under this Agreement. (If you claim
that your release of ADEA claims was not knowing and voluntary, the Company reserves its
right to recover from you its attorneys’ fees and/or costs in defending that claim,
at the conclusion of that action.)
Upon a finding by a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator that a
release or waiver of claims provided for by paragraph 4 above is illegal, void or
unenforceable, the Company or you, as the case may be, may require the other party to
execute promptly a release that is legal and enforceable and does not extend to Claims
not released under paragraph 4. If you fail to execute such a release within a reasonable
period of time, then this Agreement shall be null and void from Today on, and any money
paid to you by the Company after Today under paragraph 3 (except sub-paragraphs 3.g) and
not previously returned to the Company, will be treated as an overpayment. You will have
to repay that overpayment to the Company with interest, compounded annually at the rate
of 6%. However, the repayment provision in this paragraph does not apply to legal actions
in which you claim that your release of ADEA claims was not knowing and voluntary.
This paragraph 13 does not apply to any thing of value given to you for
which you actually performed services and by law you are entitled to receive.
14. Legal
Action by the Company. The Company represents that as of Today neither
it nor any of its affiliates has assigned to any other party, and agrees
not to assign, any claim released by it under this Agreement. In addition,
the Company promises that neither it nor any of its affiliates (including
CIGNA Corporation) will file a lawsuit or an arbitration claim against you
or any other Released Persons asserting any claim released by the Company
or any of the Company Released Parties under this Agreement and, to the
extent that the Company or any affiliate does commence such a proceeding,
the Company agrees that it or its affiliate will withdraw such proceeding
with prejudice. If the Company or any affiliate fails to withdraw any
proceeding or claim with respect to any claim released under this
Agreement within 30 days of receipt of written notice from you requesting
that such withdrawal, the Company agrees to pay you the reasonable costs
and attorneys’ fees you incur in defending such action.
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15. Representations.
The Company represents and warrants that (a) the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement has been fully and validly
authorized by all necessary corporate action (including, without
limitation, by any action required to be taken by the board of directors
of the Company or any affiliate, any committee of such board or any
committee or designee administering the applicable CIGNA plans, including
the Incentive Plan); (b) the officer signing this Agreement on behalf
of the Company is duly authorized to do so; (c) the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement does not violate any applicable law,
regulation, order, judgment or decree or any agreement, plan or corporate
governance document to which the Company or any affiliate is a party or by
which it is bound; and (d) upon execution and delivery of this Agreement
by the parties, it shall be a valid and binding obligation of the Company
enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except to the extent
that enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or
similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights
generally.
16. Notices.
Except as provided below, any notice, request or other communication given
in connection with this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed
to have been given (a) when personally delivered to the recipient or (b)
provided that a written acknowledgement of receipt is obtained, three days
after being sent by prepaid certified or registered mail, or two days
after being sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier, to the
address specified in this paragraph 16 (or such other address as the
recipient shall have specified by ten days’ advance written notice
given in accordance with this paragraph 16). Such communication shall be
addressed to you as follows (unless such address is changed in accordance
with this paragraph 16):
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
and to the Company or CIGNA as follows:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
CIGNA Corporation
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx XX00X
Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX, 00000
However, CIGNA and you may deliver any notices or other communications
related to any employee benefit or compensation plans, programs or arrangements in the
same manner that similar communications are delivered to or from other current or former
employees, including by electronic transmission and first class mail.
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17. Successors
and Assigns. This Agreement will be binding on and inure to the
benefit of the parties and their respective successors, heirs (in your case)
and assigns. No rights or obligations of the Company under this Agreement
may be assigned or transferred without your prior written consent, except
that such rights or obligations may be assigned or transferred pursuant to
a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the continuing
entity, or a sale, liquidation or other disposition of the assets of the
Company, provided that the assignee or transferee is the successor to the
Company (or in connection with a purchase of Company assets, assumes the
liabilities, obligations and duties of the Company under this Agreement),
either contractually or as a matter of law. Your rights or obligations
under this Agreement may not be assigned or transferred by you, without
the Company’s prior written consent, other than your rights to
compensation and benefits, which may be transferred only by will or
operation of law or pursuant to the terms of the applicable plan, program,
grant or agreement of CIGNA or the Company. In the event of your death or
a judicial determination of your incompetence, references in this
Agreement to you shall be deemed to refer, where appropriate, to your
legal representative, or, where appropriate, to your beneficiary or
beneficiaries.
18. This
Agreement is not effective or binding on either party until fully signed by
both parties.
The persons named below
have signed this Agreement on the dates shown below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 10, 2003
|
|
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
|
Date |
|
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx on behalf of CIGNA Corporation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 8, 2003
|
|
/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
|
Date |
|
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
14