EXHIBIT 10.45
SETTLEMENT AND RELEASE AGREEMENT
January 10, 2003
Dear Xxxx:
This Settlement and Release Agreement (the "Agreement") sets forth the terms and
conditions of our agreement regarding the termination of your employment with
First Virtual Communications, Inc. (the "Company"). This Agreement is made and
entered into between you and the Company as of the last date on which this
Agreement is executed by you (the "Effective Date"). You and the Company hereby
agree as follows:
1. SEPARATION DATE. Your employment as the Company's Vice President of
Engineering is terminated effective January 10, 2003 (the "Separation Date").
2. ACCRUED SALARY AND VACATION. You agree and acknowledge that the Company
has paid you all accrued salary, and all accrued and unused vacation benefits
earned through the Separation Date, if any, subject to standard payroll
deductions, withholding taxes and other obligations.
3. EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT. Within ten (10) business days of your execution
of this Agreement, you agree that you will submit your final documented expense
reimbursement statement reflecting all business expenses you incurred prior to
and including the Separation Date, if any, for which you seek reimbursement. The
Company shall reimburse your expenses pursuant to Company policy and regular
business practice.
4. SEVERANCE. You acknowledge and agree that, following the Effective
Date, in accordance with the terms of the Employment Agreement between you and
the Company effective as of April 11, 2001 (the "Employment Agreement"), and in
consideration of the release of claims in Sections 11 and 12 herein, the Company
will provide you with the following: (i) continuation of your current base
salary, payable in bi-weekly installments for a six (6) month period, subject to
standard deductions and withholdings; and (ii) to the extent provided by the
federal COBRA law and by the Company's current group health insurance policies,
you will be eligible to continue your health insurance benefits. Later, you may
be able to convert to an individual policy through the provider of the Company's
health insurance, if you wish. You will be provided with a separate notice of
your COBRA rights. In the event that you are eligible for, and elect, continued
coverage under COBRA, the Company, as part of this Agreement, will pay in full
for your COBRA coverage at the same level of coverage that you elected prior to
the Separation Date (if such coverage included your spouse and/or dependents
immediately prior to the Separation Date, your spouse and/or dependents will
also be covered), until the earlier of July 9, 2003 or the date you and your
spouse and/or dependents become covered under another employer's group health
plan that provides you and your spouse and/or dependents with comparable
benefits and levels of coverage (the earlier date being the "Termination Date").
Subsequent to the Termination Date, you will be solely responsible for full
payment of your COBRA insurance premiums.
5. STOCK OPTIONS. You understand and agree that all vesting under any
outstanding stock compensation award you may hold from the Company shall cease
on the Separation Date. Your rights to exercise your outstanding stock options
as to any vested shares remains as set forth under the Company's equity
incentive plans and your Stock Option Agreements.
6. OTHER COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS. Except as expressly provided herein,
you acknowledge and agree that you are not entitled to and will not receive any
additional compensation, severance, stock options, stock or benefits from the
Company.
7. COMPANY PROPERTY. You agree to immediately return to the Company all
Company documents (and all copies thereof) and other Company property in your
possession or your control, including, but not limited to, Company files,
business plans, notes, samples, sales notebooks, drawings, specifications,
calculations, sequences, data, computer-recorded information, tangible property,
including, but not limited to, cellular phones, computers, credit cards, calling
cards, entry cards, keys and any other materials of any nature pertaining to
your work with the Company, and any documents or data of any description (or any
reproduction of any documents or data) containing or pertaining to any
proprietary or confidential material of the Company.
8. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION OBLIGATIONS. You acknowledge your continuing
obligations under your Employee Proprietary Information and Inventions
Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as EXHIBIT A.
9. NON-DISPARAGEMENT. You and the Company's officers and directors agree
not to disparage the other party, nor the other party's officers, directors,
employees, stockholders and agents, in any manner likely to be harmful to them
or their business, business reputation or personal reputation; provided that
both you and the Company may respond accurately and fully to any question,
inquiry or request for information when required by legal process.
10. CONFIDENTIALITY AND PUBLICITY. The provisions of this Agreement shall
be held in strictest confidence by you and the Company and shall not be
publicized or disclosed in any manner whatsoever; provided, however, that: (a)
you may disclose this Agreement, in confidence, to your immediate family; (b)
the parties may disclose this Agreement in confidence to their respective
attorneys, accountants, auditors, tax preparers, and financial advisors; (c) the
Company may disclose this Agreement as necessary to fulfill standard or legally
required corporate reporting or disclosure requirements; and (d) the parties may
disclose this Agreement insofar as such disclosure may be necessary to enforce
its terms or as otherwise required by law.
11. RELEASE OF CLAIMS. In exchange for the consideration provided to you by
this Agreement that you are not otherwise entitled to receive, you hereby
generally and completely release the Company and its directors, officers,
employees, stockholders, partners, agents, attorneys, predecessors, successors,
parent and subsidiary entities, insurers, affiliates, and assigns from any and
all claims, liabilities and obligations, both known and unknown, that arise out
of or are in any way related to events, acts, conduct, or omissions occurring
prior to your signing this
2.
Agreement. This general release includes, but is not limited to: (1) all claims
arising out of or in any way related to your employment with the Company,
including its predecessors, successors, parent and subsidiary entities, or the
termination of that employment; (2) all claims related to your compensation or
benefits from the Company, including salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation pay,
expense reimbursements, severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock options, or
any other ownership interests in the Company; (3) all claims for breach of
contract, wrongful termination, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith
and fair dealing; (4) all tort claims, including claims for fraud, defamation,
emotional distress, and discharge in violation of public policy; and (5) all
federal, state, and local statutory claims, including claims for discrimination,
harassment, retaliation, attorneys' fees, or other claims arising under the
federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended), the federal Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of
1967 (as amended) ("ADEA"), and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act
(as amended).
12. UNKNOWN CLAIMS WAIVER. In giving the release in Sections 11 and 12
above, which includes claims which may be unknown to me at present, I hereby
acknowledge that I have read and understand Section 1542 of the Civil Code of
the State of California which reads as follows:
A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT
KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE
RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS
SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.
I hereby expressly waive and relinquish all rights and benefits under this
section and any law or legal principle of similar effect in any jurisdiction
with respect to claims released hereby.
13. NO ADMISSIONS. The parties hereto hereby acknowledge that this is a
compromise settlement of various matters, and that the promised payments in
consideration of this Agreement shall not be construed to be an admission of any
liability or obligation by either party to the other party or to any other
person whomsoever.
14. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement, including Exhibit A, constitute the
complete, final and exclusive embodiment of the entire Agreement between you and
the Company with regard to the subject matter hereof. It is entered into without
reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those
expressly contained herein. It may not be modified except in a writing signed by
you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Each party has carefully read
this Agreement, has been afforded the opportunity to be advised of its meaning
and consequences by his or its respective attorneys, and signed the same of his
or its free will. Except as specifically provided herein, the Employment
Agreement will no longer have any force or effect as of the Separation Date.
15. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall bind the heirs, personal
representatives, successors, assigns, executors, and administrators of each
party, and inure to the benefit of each party, its agents, directors, officers,
employees, servants, heirs, successors and assigns.
3.
16. APPLICABLE LAW. This Agreement shall be deemed to have been entered
into and shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the
State of California as applied to contracts made and to be performed entirely
within California.
17. ATTORNEYS' FEES. In the event of any litigation arising out of or
relating to this Agreement, its breach or enforcement, including an action for
declaratory relief, the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be
entitled to receive his or its damages, court costs, and all out-of-pocket
expenses, including attorneys fees. Such recovery shall include court costs,
out-of-pocket expenses, and attorneys fees on appeal, if any.
18. SEVERABILITY. If a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any
term or provision of this Agreement is invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in
part, then the remaining terms and provisions hereof shall be unimpaired. Such
court will have the authority to modify or replace the invalid or unenforceable
term or provision with a valid and enforceable term or provision that most
accurately represents the parties' intention with respect to the invalid or
unenforceable term or provision.
19. INDEMNIFICATION. Each party will indemnify and save harmless each other
party hereto from any loss incurred directly or indirectly by reason of the
falsity or inaccuracy of any representation made herein.
20. AUTHORIZATION. Each party warrants and represents that there are no
liens or claims of lien or assignments in law or equity or otherwise of or
against any of the claims or causes of action released herein and, further, that
you are fully entitled and duly authorized to give your complete and final
general release and discharge.
21. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in two counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed an original, all of which together shall constitute one
and the same instrument.
22. SECTION HEADINGS. The section and paragraph headings contained in this
Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the
meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
Please confirm your assent to the foregoing terms and conditions of this
Agreement by signing and returning a copy of this letter to me within seven (7)
days of the date hereof.
Sincerely,
FIRST VIRTUAL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
XXXXXXXX XXXXXX
ACTING PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Attachments:
Exhibit A - Employee Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement
4.
HAVING READ AND REVIEWED THE FOREGOING, I HEREBY AGREE TO AND ACCEPT THE TERMS
AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT AS STATED ABOVE.
Dated: ________________ _______________________________
XXXX XXXXXX
EXHIBIT A
EMPLOYEE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION AND
INVENTIONS AGREEMENT
5.
