March 12, 2008
March
12,
2008
By
Hand
Delivery
Xx.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
The
Small Business
Company
000
Xxx xx Xx
Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX
00000
Re: Resignation
of
Employment and Release Of All Claims Agreement
Dear
Stuart:
You
have agreed to
resign from your position as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief
Financial Officer., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”). Accordingly, the
Company will provide you with the following severance benefits in exchange
for
your resignation and a release of all claims that you may have against the
Company.
This
letter
agreement (the “Letter Agreement”), which is made and entered into by the
parties as of Effective Date (as defined in Section E.2), documents the terms
of
your severance from the Company’s employment.
Now,
therefore, in
consideration of the mutual promises contained in this Letter Agreement, you
and
the Company agree, covenant, and represent as follows:
A. Resignation
and
Termination Of Employment; Consideration.
1. You
agree to resign
from all positions of employment with the Company, including, but not limited
to, your positions as President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial
Officer and Treasurer and the Company will accept your resignation, effective
February 29, 2008 (the “Termination Date”). You shall also resign your position
as Chairman of the Board of Directors. However, notwithstanding Section 5(c)
of
your Employment Agreement (as defined below), the Company will allow you to
maintain your position as a director until the next election of the board of
directors. You and the Company hereby agree to waive any and all continuing
rights and obligations, if any, under your Employment Agreement dated December
26, 2002, and as amended from time to time (“Employment Agreement”), which the
parties agree has expired and is of no further force or effect.
2. The
Company shall
pay to you, as consideration for your agreement to resign and enter into this
Letter Agreement, the total gross amount of $9,727,95, of which $4,727.95 is
for
reimbursement of our of pocket business expenses and $5,000 is for repayment
of
an outstanding loan (the “Termination Payment”). The Termination Payment shall
be paid as follows: $5,000 on the Effective Date and thereafter, in equal
semi-monthly installments of $1,000, which shall be paid on the first of each
month starting April 1, 2008, until the entire Termination Payment has been
made. The Company will withhold from the Termination Payment all applicable
payroll taxes, including federal and state income taxes, as well as other
authorized deductions. You acknowledge that, upon receipt of the final
installation of the Termination Payment, you will have been paid all wages,
all
unreimbursed business expenses, and all accrued but unused vacation pay due
and
owing to you as of the Termination Date of this Agreement, and you waive any
unpaid salary or wage amounts, unreimbursed business expenses, and accrued
but
unused vacation pay.
3. You
will retain
ownership of 6,300,000 shares of the Company’s common stock currently held by
you.
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B.
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The
Company’s Responsibilities.
|
1. The
Company shall
withhold from the Termination Payment all state, federal or other taxes, as
well
as any other authorized deductions.
2. You
and the Company
agree, covenant and represent that you shall not be eligible for, or entitled
to
receive, any severance benefits, stock, stock options, or any other benefits
other than those specifically identified in this Letter Agreement.
C.
|
Your
Duties And Responsibilities.
|
1. You
hereby agree
that you will keep confidential and will not reveal to anyone any information
whatsoever obtained in the course of you employment relating to any aspect
whatsoever of the Company’s business, strategies decision making process,
finances, customers, customer lists, purchasing and trade practices, strategies,
financial information, sources or related information, to any other person,
company, entity group or individual, to the extent that you obtained such
knowledge or information while employed by the Company (“Confidential
Information”), except
that you are
not precluded from responding to any inquiry about the Company, your employment,
or this Letter Agreement to any self regulatory organization, regulatory,
administrative or governmental agency, in response to judicial process or as
may
be necessary with regard to the preparation and filings with the Internal
Revenue Service.
2. To
forestall any
use or disclosure of Confidential Information in breach of this Letter
Agreement, you agree, covenant, and represent that, during the period commencing
with the Termination Date and for one year thereafter, you will not directly
or
indirectly through any person, firm, corporation, or other business entity
engage in any activity in competition with the Company’s product opportunities
during your tenure, make any financial investment (except that you may own
up to
2% of the shares in a publicly traded company that may compete with the
Company’s product opportunities during your tenure, or provide other services to
a business or individual engaged in competition with the Company’s product
opportunities during your tenure. If you violate the terms of this Section
C.2,
the Company’s obligation to pay installments of the Termination Payments Section
A.2.a of this Letter Agreement will immediately cease. However, all other terms
of this Letter Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
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3. You
acknowledge
that the Company’s relationships with its employees, affiliates, consultants,
customers, clients, business associates, and other persons are valuable business
assets. To forestall any interference with these relationships, you agree,
covenant, and represent that during the period commencing with the Termination
Date and for one year thereafter, you will not directly or indirectly through
any person, firm, corporation, or other business entity: (a) divert or attempt
to divert from the Company any business of any kind in which it is engaged,
including, without limitation, the solicitation, initiation of contact with,
or
interference with any of its suppliers or customers; or (b) employ, solicit
for
employment, or recommend for employment any person employed by the Company.
If
you violate the terms of this Section C.3, the Company’s obligation to pay
installments of the Termination Payments Section A.2.a of this Letter Agreement
will immediately cease. However, all other terms of this Letter Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect.
4. You
further agree,
covenant, and represent that you will not take any action or make any comments
that actually or potentially disparage, disrupt, damage, impair, or otherwise
interfere with the Company’s business interests or reputation, except
that you are
not precluded from responding to any inquiry about the Company, your employment,
or this Letter Agreement to any self regulatory organization, regulatory,
administrative or governmental agency, in response to judicial process or as
may
be necessary with regard to the preparation and filings with the Internal
Revenue Service.
D.
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Release
Provisions.
|
1. In
exchange for the
consideration described in this Letter Agreement, including the Termination
Payment, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy
of which are hereby acknowledged, you for yourself and for your heirs, assigns,
executors, administrators, agents and successors, past and present
(collectively, the “Employee Affiliates”), hereby fully and without limitation
release, covenant not to xxx, and forever discharge the Company and its
subsidiaries, parent companies, divisions, affiliated corporations, affiliated
partnerships, trustees, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, agents,
representatives, employees, consultants, insurance carriers, attorneys, heirs,
assigns, executors and administrators, predecessors and successors, past and
present (the “Releasees”), both individually and collectively, from any and all
rights, claims, demands, liabilities, charges, complaints, obligations,
promises, agreements, controversies, debts, actions and causes of action whether
in law or in equity, suits, damages, losses, workers’ compensation claims,
attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses, of whatever nature whatsoever, known or
unknown, fixed or contingent, suspected or unsuspected (“Claims”), that you or
the Employee Affiliates now have, or may ever have, against the Company or
any
of the other Releasees for any acts or omissions by the Company or any of the
other Releasees occurring prior to the Effective Date of this Agreement. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Release applies to any Claims
that you or the Employee Affiliates now have, or may ever have, against the
Company or any of the other Releasees that arise out of, or are in any manner
related to any of the following: (i) your employment by the Company or any
of
the other Releasees; (ii) the termination of your employment with the Company
or
any of the other Releasees; and (iii) any transactions, occurrences, acts
or omissions by the Company or any of the other Releasees occurring prior to
the
Effective Date of this Agreement.
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2. Without
limiting
the generality of the foregoing, you specifically and expressly release any
Claims against the Company and the other Releasees occurring prior to the
Effective Date of this Agreement arising out of or related to violations of
any
federal or state employment discrimination law, including Executive Order 11141,
the Age Discrimination In Employment Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
of
1964, 29 U.S.C. §1981 et.
seq.,
the Americans
With Disabilities Act, the National Labor Relations Act, the Fair Labor
Standards Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1974, the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and any analogous laws under the state
of New York, as well as Claims arising out of or related to violations of the
provisions of state and federal wage and hour laws, breach of contract, express
or implied, any covenant of good faith and fair dealing, express or implied,
fraud, misrepresentation, common counts, unfair competition, unfair business
practices, negligence, defamation, infliction of emotional distress, invasion
of
privacy, assault, battery, false imprisonment, wrongful termination, and any
other state or federal law, rule, or regulation.
3. You
agree,
covenant, and represent that you have not suffered any work-related injuries
while employed by the Company, that you have no intention to file any claim
for
workers’ compensation benefits of any type against the Company, and that you
will not file or attempt to file any claims for workers’ compensation benefits
of any type against the Company. You acknowledge that the Company has relied
upon these covenants and representations, and that the Company would not have
entered into this Letter Agreement but for these covenants and representations.
As a result, you agree, covenant, and represent that the Company may, but is
not
obligated to, submit this Letter Agreement to the Workers’ Compensation Appeals
Board for approval as a compromise and release as to any such new or unasserted
workers’ compensation claims.
4. In
exchange for the
consideration described in this Letter Agreement, and for other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby
acknowledged, the Company, for itself and its subsidiaries, parent companies,
divisions, affiliated corporations, affiliated partnerships, trustees,
directors, officers, shareholders, partners, agents, representatives, employees,
consultants, insurance carriers, attorneys, heirs, assigns, executors and
administrators, predecessors and successors, past and present hereby fully
and
without limitation releases, covenants not to xxx, and forever discharge you
for
yourself and for your heirs, assigns, executors, administrators, agents and
successors, past and present, both individually and collectively, from any
and
all rights, claims, demands, liabilities, charges, complaints, obligations,
promises, agreements, controversies, debts, actions and causes of action whether
in law or in equity, suits, damages, losses, attorneys’ fees, costs, and
expenses, of whatever nature whatsoever, known or unknown, fixed or contingent,
suspected or unsuspected, that the Company now have, or may ever have, against
you for any acts or omissions by you occurring prior to the Effective Date
of
this Agreement.
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E. Older
Worker’s
Benefit Protection Act.
1. This
Agreement is
subject to the terms of the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990 (the
“OWBPA”). The OWBPA provides that an individual cannot waive a right or claim
under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”) unless the waiver is
knowing and voluntary. Pursuant to the terms of the OWBPA, you acknowledge
and
agree that you have executed this Agreement voluntarily, and with full knowledge
of its consequences.
2. In
addition, you
hereby acknowledge and agree that: (a) this Letter Agreement has been
written in a manner which you fully understand; (b) the release provisions
of
this Agreement apply to any rights you may have under the ADEA, including the
right to file a lawsuit against the Company for age discrimination; (c) the
release provisions of this Agreement do not apply to any rights or claims that
you may have under the ADEA that arise after the date that you execute this
Agreement; (d) the Company does not have a preexisting duty to pay the severance
and other payments identified in this Agreement; (e) you have the right to
consult with an attorney prior to executing this Agreement; (f) you will have
a
period of 21 days in which to consider the terms of this Agreement prior to
its
execution; and (g) you will have a period of seven days after execution of
this
Agreement in which to revoke this Agreement. You further understand that this
Agreement shall not become effective until expiration of this seven-day period
(the “Effective Date”).
F. Non-Admission
of
Liability.
You
agree,
covenant, and represent that this Letter Agreement constitutes a compromise
of,
and full accord and satisfaction of, any and all claims that you may have
against the Company or any other Releasee. You further agree, covenant, and
represents that this Agreement shall not be treated as an admission of liability
by the Company, at any time or for any purpose, and may not be used in any
other
proceeding, except a proceeding to enforce or interpret the terms of this Letter
Agreement.
G.
Arbitration.
All
disputes
between you (and your attorneys, successors, and assigns) and the Company and/or
any other Releasee which arise out of or relate in any manner whatsoever to
your
employment with, or the termination of your employment with, the Company
(“Arbitrable Claims”) including, without limitation, all disputes relating to
the validity, interpretation, or enforcement of this Letter Agreement, shall
be
resolved exclusively by arbitration in San Diego, California, by the Judicial
Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”), before one or more
experienced employment arbitrators licensed to practice law in California.
Such
arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the then-existing arbitration
rules of JAMS. The parties to this Agreement, and all who claim thereunder,
shall be (i) conclusively bound by the arbitrator’s decision or award,
which shall not be subject to appeal; and (ii) have the right to have any
decision or award rendered in accordance with this provision entered as a
judgment in a court in the State of California or any other court having
jurisdiction. The arbitrator shall have the authority to award or grant legal,
equitable, and declaratory relief. The parties hereby waive any rights they
may
have to trial by jury. The Federal Arbitration Act will govern the
interpretation and enforcement of this Section. The prevailing party in any
such
arbitration shall be awarded its costs, expenses, and actual attorney’s fees
incurred in connection with the arbitration. You and the Company shall each
be
responsible for payment of one-half of the amount of the arbitrator’s fee(s).
The parties specifically agree that the exclusive venue of such arbitration
shall be San Diego, California.
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H. Severability.
The
parties to this
Agreement agree, covenant and represent that each and every provision of this
Agreement shall be deemed to be contractual, and that they shall not be treated
as mere recitals at any time or for any purpose. Therefore, the parties further
agree, covenant and represent that each and every provision of this Agreement
shall be considered severable, except for the release provisions of Sections
D
of this Agreement. If a court of competent jurisdiction finds the release
provisions of Section D of this Agreement to be unenforceable or invalid, then
this Agreement shall become null and void, and you will repay any and all
settlement payments made by the Company pursuant to this Agreement within a
reasonable period of time not to exceed 30 days. If a court of competent
jurisdiction finds any provision other than the release provisions of Section
D,
or part thereof, to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, that provision,
or part thereof, shall remain in force and effect to the extent allowed by
law,
and all of the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force
and effect and enforceable.
I.
|
General
Provisions.
|
1. You
represent and
warrant that you have not assigned or transferred any interest in any Claims
that you may have against the Company or any of the other Releasees.
Accordingly, you agree to indemnify and hold the Company and the Releasees
harmless from any liability, claims, demands, damages, expenses, and attorneys’
fees incurred by the Company or any Releasee as a result of any person or entity
asserting any such assignment or transfer of any right or claim. You understand
and agree that this Letter Agreement may be pleaded as a defense,
cross-complaint, counter-suit, cross-claim, or third party complaint in any
action involving the Company or any other Releasee.
2. You
and the Company
agree, covenant, and represent that this Letter Agreement and its attachments
and the Consulting Agreement constitute a single, integrated written contract
expressing the entire agreement of the parties hereto, and that this Letter
Agreement supersedes and completely replaces the terms of any other agreement
that you may have ever had with the Company or any other Releasee. There is
no
other agreement, written or oral, express or implied, between you and the
Company with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Letter Agreement may
not
be orally modified, and may only be modified in a written instrument signed
by
all parties.
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3. This
Letter
Agreement has been negotiated and entered into in the State of California,
and
is to be performed in San Diego, California. This Letter Agreement shall be
governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of
California, including all matters of construction, validity, performance, and
enforcement, without regard to California’s conflict of law rules.
4. This
Letter
Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the respective
heirs, assigns, executors, administrators, successors, subsidiaries, divisions
and affiliated corporations and partnerships, past and present, and trustees,
directors, officers, shareholders, partners, agents and employees, past and
present, of you and the Company.
5. The
captions and
section numbers in this Agreement are inserted for the reader’s convenience, and
in no way define, limit, construe, or describe the scope or intent of the
provisions of this Agreement.
6. This
Agreement has
been reviewed by the parties. The parties have had a full opportunity to
negotiate the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Accordingly, the parties
expressly waive any common-law or statutory rule of construction that
ambiguities should be construed against the drafter of this Agreement, and
agree, covenant, and represent that the language in all parts of this Agreement
shall be in all cases construed as a whole, according to its fair
meaning.
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By
your signature
below, you confirm that you accept and agree to all of the provisions contained
in this Letter Agreement, and that you are executing this Letter Agreement
voluntarily, with full understanding of its consequences.
THE SMALL BUSINESS COMPANY | ||
|
|
|
By:
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, Chief Operating
Officer
|
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
AND AGREEMENT
I
HAVE READ THE FOREGOING LETTER AGREEMENT AND ACCEPT AND AGREE TO ALL OF THE
PROVISIONS CONTAINED THEREIN, AND HEREBY EXECUTE IT VOLUNTARILY, WITH FULL
UNDERSTANDING OF ITS CONSEQUENCES. I FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND THAT
THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDES A RELEASE OF ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS.
IF
THIS LETTER AGREEMENT IS SIGNED BEFORE THE 21-DAY REVIEW PERIOD EXPIRES,
YOU
ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU HAVE VOLUNTARILY WAIVED THE REVIEW
PERIOD.
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx |
Date |
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