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EXHIBIT 99.3
U.S. HOMECARE CORPORATION
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
RECITALS
A. The Board has adopted the Plan for the purpose of retaining the
services of selected Employees, non-employee members of the Board or the board
of directors of any Parent or Subsidiary and consultants and other independent
advisors who provide services to the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary).
B. Optionee is to render valuable services to the Corporation (or a
Parent or Subsidiary), and this Agreement is executed pursuant to, and is
intended to carry out the purposes of, the Plan in connection with the
Corporation's grant of an option to Optionee.
C. All capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning
assigned to them in the attached Appendix.
NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed as follows:
1. GRANT OF OPTION. The Corporation hereby grants to Optionee,
as of the Grant Date, an option to purchase up to the number of Option Shares
specified in the Grant Notice. The Option Shares shall be purchasable from time
to time during the option term specified in Paragraph 2 at the Exercise Price.
2. OPTION TERM. This option shall have a term of ten (10)
years measured from the Grant Date and shall accordingly expire at the close of
business on the Expiration Date, unless sooner terminated in accordance with
Paragraph 5 or 6.
3. LIMITED TRANSFERABILITY. This option shall be neither
transferable nor assignable by Optionee other than by will or by the laws of
descent and distribution following Optionee's death and may be exercised, during
Optionee's lifetime, only by Optionee.
4. DATES OF EXERCISE. This option shall become exercisable for
the Option Shares in one or more installments as specified in the Grant Notice.
As the option becomes exercisable for such installments, those installments
shall accumulate and the option shall remain exercisable for the accumulated
installments until the Expiration Date or sooner termination of the option term
under Paragraph 5 or 6.
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5. CESSATION OF SERVICE. The option term specified in
Paragraph 2 shall terminate (and this option shall cease to be outstanding)
prior to the Expiration Date should any of the following provisions become
applicable:
(i) Should Optionee cease to remain in Service
for any reason (other than death or Permanent Disability) while this
option is outstanding, then Optionee shall have a period of three (3)
months (commencing with the date of such cessation of Service) during
which to exercise this option, but in no event shall this option be
exercisable at any time after the Expiration Date.
(ii) Should Optionee die while this option is
outstanding, then the personal representative of Optionee's estate or
the person or persons to whom the option is transferred pursuant to
Optionee's will or in accordance with the laws of descent and
distribution shall have the right to exercise this option. Such right
shall lapse and this option shall cease to be outstanding upon the
earlier of (i) the expiration of the twelve (12)- month period measured
from the date of Optionee's death or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(iii) Should Optionee cease Service by reason
of Permanent Disability while this option is outstanding, then Optionee
shall have a period of twelve (12) months (commencing with the date of
such cessation of Service) during which to exercise this option. In no
event shall this option be exercisable at any time after the Expiration
Date.
(iv) Should Optionee's Service be terminated
for Misconduct, then this option shall terminate immediately and cease
to remain outstanding.
(v) During the limited period of post-Service
exercisability, this option may not be exercised in the aggregate for
more than the number of vested Option Shares for which the option is
exercisable at the time of Optionee's cessation of Service. Upon the
expiration of such limited exercise period or (if earlier) upon the
Expiration Date, this option shall terminate and cease to be
outstanding for any vested Option Shares for which the option has not
been exercised. To the extent Optionee is not vested in the Option
Shares at the time of Optionee's cessation of Service, this option
shall immediately terminate and cease to be outstanding with respect to
those shares.
(vi) In the event of a Corporate Transaction,
the provisions of Paragraph 6 shall govern the period for which this
option is to remain exercisable following Optionee's cessation of
Service and shall supersede any provisions to the contrary in this
paragraph.
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6. SPECIAL ACCELERATION OF OPTION.
(a) In the event of a Corporate Transaction, the
exercisability of this option, to the extent outstanding at such time but not
otherwise fully exercisable, shall automatically accelerate so that this option
shall, immediately prior to the effective date of the Corporate Transaction,
become exercisable for any or all of the Option Shares at the time subject to
this option as fully-vested shares of Common Stock. No such acceleration of this
option, however, shall occur if and to the extent: (i) this option is, in
connection with the Corporate Transaction, either to be assumed by the successor
corporation (or parent thereof) or to be replaced with a comparable option to
purchase shares of the capital stock of the successor corporation (or parent
thereof) or (ii) this option is to be replaced with a cash incentive program of
the successor corporation which preserves the spread existing on the Option
Shares for which this option is not exercisable at the time of the Corporate
Transaction (the excess of the Fair Market Value of such Option Shares over the
aggregate Exercise Price payable for such shares) and provides for subsequent
pay-out in accordance with the same exercise schedule in effect for the option
pursuant to the option exercise schedule set forth in the Grant Notice. The
determination of option comparability under clause (i) shall be made by the Plan
Administrator, and such determination shall be final, binding and conclusive.
(b) Immediately following the Corporate Transaction,
this option, to the extent not previously exercised, shall terminate and cease
to be outstanding, except to the extent assumed by the successor corporation (or
parent thereof) in connection with the Corporate Transaction.
(c) If this option is assumed in connection with a
Corporate Transaction, then this option shall be appropriately adjusted,
immediately after such Corporate Transaction, to apply to the number and class
of securities which would have been issuable to Optionee in consummation of such
Corporate Transaction had the option been exercised immediately prior to such
Corporate Transaction, and appropriate adjustments shall also be made to the
Exercise Price, provided the aggregate Exercise Price shall remain the same.
(d) Upon an Involuntary Termination of Optionee's
Service within eighteen (18) months following a Corporate Transaction in which
this option is assumed or replaced, the exercisability of this option, to the
extent outstanding at such time but not otherwise fully exercisable, shall
automatically accelerate so that this option shall immediately become fully
exercisable for all the Option Shares at the time subject to this option as
fully-vested shares of Common Stock and may be exercised for any or all of those
shares at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Expiration Date or (ii) the
expiration of the one (1)-year period measured from the effective date of the
Involuntary Termination.
(e) This Agreement shall not in any way affect the
right of the Corporation to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise change
its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate
or sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.
3.
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7. ADJUSTMENT IN OPTION SHARES. Should any change be made to
the Common Stock by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization,
combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change affecting the
outstanding Common Stock as a class without the Corporation's receipt of
consideration, appropriate adjustments shall be made to (i) the total number
and/or class of securities subject to this option and (ii) the Exercise Price in
order to reflect such change and thereby preclude a dilution or enlargement of
benefits hereunder.
8. SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS. The holder of this option shall not
have any shareholder rights with respect to the Option Shares until such person
shall have exercised the option, paid the Exercise Price and become a holder of
record of the purchased shares.
9. MANNER OF EXERCISING OPTION.
(a) In order to exercise this option with respect to
all or any part of the Option Shares for which this option is at the time
exercisable, Optionee (or any other person or persons exercising the option)
must take the following actions:
(i) Execute and deliver to the Corporation a
Notice of Exercise for the Option Shares for which the option is
exercised.
(ii) Pay the aggregate Exercise Price for
the purchased shares in one or more of the following forms:
(A) cash or check made payable to
the Corporation;
(B) a promissory note payable to the
Corporation, but only to the extent approved by the Plan
Administrator in accordance with Paragraph 13;
(C) shares of Common Stock held by
Optionee (or any other person or persons exercising the
option) for the requisite period necessary to avoid a charge
to the Corporation's earnings for financial reporting purposes
and valued at Fair Market Value on the Exercise Date; or
(D) through a special sale and
remittance procedure pursuant to which Optionee (or any other
person or persons exercising the option) shall concurrently
provide irrevocable written instructions (a) to a
Corporation-designated brokerage firm to effect the immediate
sale of the purchased shares and remit to the Corporation, out
of the sale proceeds available on the settlement date,
sufficient funds to cover the aggregate Exercise Price payable
for the purchased shares plus all applicable Federal, state
and local income and employment taxes
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required to be withheld by the Corporation by reason of such
exercise and (b) to the Corporation to deliver the
certificates for the purchased shares directly to such
brokerage firm in order to complete the sale transaction.
Except to the extent the sale and remittance
procedure is utilized in connection with the option exercise,
payment of the Exercise Price must accompany the Notice of
Exercise delivered to the Corporation in connection with the
option exercise.
(iii) Furnish to the Corporation appropriate
documentation that the person or persons exercising the option (if
other than Optionee) have the right to exercise this option.
(iv) Make appropriate arrangements with the
Corporation (or Parent or Subsidiary employing or retaining Optionee)
for the satisfaction of all Federal, state and local income and
employment tax withholding requirements applicable to the option
exercise.
(b) As soon as practical after the Exercise Date, the
Corporation shall issue to or on behalf of Optionee (or any other person or
persons exercising this option) a certificate for the purchased Option Shares,
with the appropriate legends affixed thereto.
(c) In no event may this option be exercised for any
fractional shares.
10. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
(a) The exercise of this option and the issuance of
the Option Shares upon such exercise shall be subject to compliance by the
Corporation and Optionee with all applicable requirements of law relating
thereto and with all applicable regulations of any stock exchange (or the Nasdaq
National Market if applicable) on which the Common Stock may be listed for
trading at the time of such exercise and issuance.
(b) The inability of the Corporation to obtain
approval from any regulatory body having authority deemed by the Corporation to
be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Common Stock pursuant to
this option shall relieve the Corporation of any liability with respect to the
non-issuance or sale of the Common Stock as to which such approval shall not
have been obtained. The Corporation, however, shall use its best efforts to
obtain all such approvals.
11. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. Except to the extent otherwise
provided in Paragraphs 3 and 6, the provisions of this Agreement shall inure to
the benefit of, and be binding upon, the Corporation and its successors and
assigns and Optionee, Optionee's assigns and the legal representatives, heirs
and legatees of Optionee's estate.
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12. NOTICES. Any notice required to be given or delivered to
the Corporation under the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing and
addressed to the Corporation at its principal corporate offices. Any notice
required to be given or delivered to Optionee shall be in writing and addressed
to Optionee at the address indicated below Optionee's signature line on the
Grant Notice. All notices shall be deemed effective upon personal delivery or
upon deposit in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid and properly addressed to the
party to be notified.
13. FINANCING. The Plan Administrator may, in its absolute
discretion and without any obligation to do so, permit Optionee to pay the
Exercise Price for the purchased Option Shares by delivering a promissory note.
The terms of any such promissory note (including the interest rate, the
requirements for collateral and the terms of repayment) shall be established by
the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion.(1)
14. CONSTRUCTION. This Agreement and the option evidenced
hereby are made and granted pursuant to the Plan and are in all respects limited
by and subject to the terms of the Plan. All decisions of the Plan Administrator
with respect to any question or issue arising under the Plan or this Agreement
shall be conclusive and binding on all persons having an interest in this
option.
15. GOVERNING LAW. The interpretation, performance and
enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New
York without resort to that State's conflict-of-laws rules.
16. EXCESS SHARES. If the Option Shares covered by this
Agreement exceed, as of the Grant Date, the number of shares of Common Stock
which may without shareholder approval be issued under the Plan, then this
option shall be void with respect to such excess shares, unless shareholder
approval of an amendment sufficiently increasing the number of shares of Common
Stock issuable under the Plan is obtained in accordance with the provisions of
the Plan.
17. ADDITIONAL TERMS APPLICABLE TO AN INCENTIVE OPTION. In the
event this option is designated an Incentive Option in the Grant Notice, the
following terms and conditions shall also apply to the grant:
(i) This option shall cease to qualify for
favorable tax treatment as an Incentive Option if (and to the extent)
this option is exercised for one or more Option Shares: (i) more than
three (3) months after the date Optionee ceases to be an Employee for
any reason other than death or Permanent
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(1) Authorization of payment of the Exercise Price by a promissory note under
such provisions may, under currently proposed Treasury Regulations, result in
the loss of incentive stock option treatment under the Federal tax laws.
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Disability or (ii) more than twelve (12) months after the date Optionee
ceases to be an Employee by reason of Permanent Disability.
(ii) No installment under this option shall
qualify for favorable tax treatment as an Incentive Option if (and to
the extent) the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the Grant
Date) of the Common Stock for which such installment first becomes
exercisable hereunder would, when added to the aggregate value
(determined as of the respective date or dates of grant) of any earlier
installments of the Common Stock and any other securities for which
this option or any other Incentive Options granted to Optionee prior to
the Grant Date (whether under the Plan or any other option plan of the
Corporation or any Parent or Subsidiary) first become exercisable
during the same calendar year, exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars
($100,000) in the aggregate. Should such One Hundred Thousand Dollar
($100,000) limitation be exceeded in any calendar year, this option
shall nevertheless become exercisable for the excess shares in such
calendar year as a Non-Statutory Option.
(iii) Should the exercisability of this
option be accelerated upon a Corporate Transaction, then this option
shall qualify for favorable tax treatment as an Incentive Option only
to the extent the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the Grant
Date) of the Common Stock for which this option first becomes
exercisable in the calendar year in which the Corporate Transaction
occurs does not, when added to the aggregate value (determined as of
the respective date or dates of grant) of the Common Stock or other
securities for which this option or one or more other Incentive Options
granted to Optionee prior to the Grant Date (whether under the Plan or
any other option plan of the Corporation or any Parent or Subsidiary)
first become exercisable during the same calendar year, exceed One
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) in the aggregate. Should the
applicable One Hundred Thousand Dollar ($100,000) limitation be
exceeded in the calendar year of such Corporate Transaction, the option
may nevertheless be exercised for the excess shares in such calendar
year as a Non-Statutory Option.
(iv) Should Optionee hold, in addition to
this option, one or more other options to purchase Common Stock which
become exercisable for the first time in the same calendar year as this
option, then the foregoing limitations on the exercisability of such
options as Incentive Options shall be applied on the basis of the order
in which such options are granted.
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EXHIBIT I
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
I hereby notify U.S. HomeCare Corporation (the "Corporation")
that I elect to purchase __________ shares of the Corporation's Common Stock
(the "Purchased Shares") at the option exercise price of $__________ per share
(the "Exercise Price") pursuant to that certain option (the "Option") granted to
me under the Corporation's 1995 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan on __________,
199_.
Concurrently with the delivery of this Exercise Notice to the
Corporation, I shall hereby pay to the Corporation the Exercise Price for the
Purchased Shares in accordance with the provisions of my agreement with the
Corporation (or other documents) evidencing the Option and shall deliver
whatever additional documents may be required by such agreement as a condition
for exercise. Alternatively, I may utilize the special broker-dealer sale and
remittance procedure specified in my agreement to effect payment of the Exercise
Price for any Purchased Shares in which I am vested at the time of exercise of
the Option.
, 199
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Date
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Optionee
Address:
-------------------
---------------------------
Print name in exact manner
it is to appear on the
stock certificate:
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Address to which certificate
is to be sent, if different
from address above:
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Social Security Number:
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Employee Number:
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APPENDIX
The following definitions shall be in effect under the
Agreement:
A. AGREEMENT shall mean this Stock Option Agreement.
B. BOARD shall mean the Corporation's Board of Directors.
C. CODE shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
D. COMMON STOCK shall mean the Corporation's common stock.
E. CORPORATE TRANSACTION shall mean any of the following
shareholder-approved transactions to which the Corporation is a party:
(a) a merger or consolidation in which the Corporation
is not the surviving entity, except for a transaction the principal
purpose of which is to change the state in which the Company is
incorporated;
(b) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the Corporation's assets; or
(c) any other transaction in which substantially all of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock are exchanged for securities,
cash or other property of any other corporate or business entity.
F. CORPORATION shall mean U.S. HomeCare Corporation, a New York
corporation.
G. EMPLOYEE shall mean an individual who is in the employ of the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary), subject to the control and direction
of the employer entity as to both the work to be performed and the manner and
method of performance.
H. EXERCISE DATE shall mean the date on which the option shall have
been exercised in accordance with Paragraph 9 of the Agreement.
I. EXERCISE PRICE shall mean the exercise price per share as specified
in the Grant Notice.
J. EXPIRATION DATE shall mean the date on which the option expires as
specified in the Grant Notice.
K. FAIR MARKET VALUE per share of Common Stock on any relevant date
shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions:
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(i) If the Common Stock is at the time traded on the Nasdaq
National Market, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing
selling price per share of Common Stock on the date in question, as the
price is reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers on
the Nasdaq National Market or any successor system. If there is no
closing selling price for the Common Stock on the date in question,
then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price on the
last preceding date for which such quotation exists.
(ii) If the Common Stock is at the time listed on any Stock
Exchange, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price
per share of Common Stock on the date in question on the Stock Exchange
determined by the Plan Administrator to be the primary market for the
Common Stock, as such price is officially quoted in the composite tape
of transactions on such exchange. If there is no closing selling price
for the Common Stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market
Value shall be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for
which such quotation exists.
(iii) If the Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq Electronic
Bulletin Board, the Fair Market Value shall be the average of the
highest bid and lowest asked prices per share of Common Stock on the
date in question, as such prices are quoted by the National Association
of Securities Dealers on the Nasdaq Electronic Bulletin Board or any
successor system. If both bid and asked prices are not available for
the date in question, then the Fair Market Value shall be the average
of the highest bid and lowest asked prices for the last preceding date
for which such quotations exist.
X. XXXXX DATE shall mean the date of grant of the option as specified
in the Grant Notice.
X. XXXXX NOTICE shall mean the Notice of Grant of Stock Option
accompanying the Agreement, pursuant to which Optionee has been informed of the
basic terms of the option evidenced hereby.
N. INCENTIVE OPTION shall mean an option which satisfies the
requirements of Code Section 422.
O. INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION shall mean the termination of Optionee's
Service which occurs by reason of:
(i) Optionee's dismissal or discharge by the Corporation for
reasons other than Misconduct, or
(ii) Optionee's voluntary resignation following (A) a change
in Optionee's position with the Corporation (or Parent or Subsidiary
employing
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Optionee) which materially reduces Optionee's level of responsibility,
(B) a reduction in Optionee's level of compensation (including base
salary, fringe benefits and any non-discretionary and
objective-standard incentive payment or bonus award) by more than
fifteen percent (15%) or (C) a relocation of Optionee's place of
employment by more than fifty (50) miles, provided and only if such
change, reduction or relocation is effected by the Corporation without
Optionee's consent.
P. MISCONDUCT shall mean the commission of any act of fraud,
embezzlement or dishonesty by Optionee, any unauthorized use or disclosure by
Optionee of confidential information or trade secrets of the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary), or any other intentional misconduct by Optionee adversely
affecting the business or affairs of the Corporation (or any Parent or
Subsidiary) in a material manner. The foregoing definition shall not be deemed
to be inclusive of all the acts or omissions which the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary) may consider as grounds for the dismissal or discharge of
Optionee or any other individual in the Service of the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary).
Q. 1934 ACT shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
R. NON-STATUTORY OPTION shall mean an option not intended to satisfy
the requirements of Code Section 422.
S. NOTICE OF EXERCISE shall mean the notice of exercise in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit I.
T. OPTION SHARES shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock
subject to the option as specified in the Grant Notice.
U. OPTIONEE shall mean the person to whom the option is granted as
specified in the Grant Notice.
V. PARENT shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation) in an
unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Corporation, provided each
corporation in the unbroken chain (other than the Corporation) owns, at the time
of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations
in such chain.
W. PERMANENT DISABILITY shall mean the inability of Optionee to engage
in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable
physical or mental impairment which is expected to result in death or has lasted
or can be expected to last for a continuous period of twelve (12) months or
more.
X. PLAN shall mean the Corporation's 1995 Stock Option/Stock Issuance
Plan.
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Y. PLAN ADMINISTRATOR shall mean either the Board or a committee of
Board members, to the extent the committee is at the time responsible for the
administration of the Plan.
Z. SERVICE shall mean the provision of services to the Corporation (or
any Parent or Subsidiary) by a person in the capacity of an Employee, a
non-employee member of the board of directors or a consultant or independent
advisor.
AA. STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean the American Stock Exchange or the New
York Stock Exchange.
AB. SUBSIDIARY shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation)
in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Corporation, provided
each corporation (other than the last corporation) in the unbroken chain owns,
at the time of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more
of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other
corporations in such chain.
A-4.
