EXHIBIT 99.4
CHANGE IN CONTROL SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is entered into as of this 21st day of March
2002, by and between Staff Leasing, Inc. d/b/a Gevity HR, a Florida corporation
(the "Company"), and Xxxx Xxxx ("Executive").
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Company considers the establishment and
maintenance of a sound and vital management to be essential to protecting and
enhancing the best interests of the Company and its stockholders; and
WHEREAS, the Company recognizes that, as is the case with many
publicly held corporations, the possibility of a change in control may arise and
that such possibility may result in the departure or distraction of management
personnel to the detriment of the Company and its stockholders; and
WHEREAS, the Board (as defined in Section 1) has determined
that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to secure
Executive's continued services and to ensure Executive's continued dedication to
his duties in the event of any threat or occurrence of a Change in Control (as
defined in Section 1) of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Board has authorized the Company to enter into
this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and
the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the Company and Executive
hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following
terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:
(a) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) "Bonus Amount" means the greater of (i) the average
annual incentive bonus earned by Executive from the Company (or its affiliates)
during the last three (3) completed fiscal years of the Company immediately
preceding
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Executive's Date of Termination (annualized in the event Executive was not
employed by the Company (or its affiliates) for the whole of any such fiscal
year), and (ii) the Executive's target annual incentive bonus for the year in
which the Date of Termination occurs.
(c) "Cause" means (i) the willful and continued failure
of Executive to perform substantially his duties with the Company (other than
any such failure resulting from Executive's incapacity due to physical or mental
illness or any such failure subsequent to Executive being delivered a Notice of
Termination without Cause by the Company or delivering a Notice of Termination
for Good Reason to the Company) after a written demand for substantial
performance is delivered to Executive by the Board which specifically identifies
the manner in which the Board believes that Executive has not substantially
performed Executive's duties, or (ii) the willful engaging by Executive in
illegal conduct or gross misconduct which is demonstrably and materially
injurious to the Company or its affiliates. For purpose of this paragraph (c),
no act or failure to act by Executive shall be considered "willful", unless done
or omitted to be done by Executive in bad faith and without reasonable belief
that Executive's action or omission was in the best interests of the Company or
its affiliates. Any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant
to a resolution duly adopted by the Board, based upon the advice of counsel for
the Company or upon the instructions of the Company's chief executive officer or
another senior officer of the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done,
or omitted to be done, by Executive in good faith and in the best interests of
the Company. Cause shall not exist unless and until the Company has delivered to
Executive a copy of a resolution duly adopted by three-quarters (3/4) of the
entire Board (excluding Executive if Executive is a Board member) at a meeting
of the Board called and held for such purpose (after reasonable notice to
Executive and an opportunity for Executive, together with counsel, to be heard
before the Board), finding that in the good faith opinion of the Board an event
set forth in clauses (i) or (ii) has occurred and specifying the particulars
thereof in detail.
(d) "Change in Control" means the occurrence of any one
of the following events:
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(i) individuals who, on March 22, 2002, constitute the
Board (the "Incumbent Directors") cease for any reason to constitute at
least a majority of the Board, provided that any person becoming a
director subsequent to March 22, 2002, whose election or nomination for
election was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent
Directors then on the Board (either by a specific vote or by approval
of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as
a nominee for director, without written objection to such nomination)
shall be an Incumbent Director; provided, however, that no individual
initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result
of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to directors
or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of
proxies or consents by or on behalf of any person other than the Board
shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director;
(ii) any "person" (as such term is defined in Section
3(a)(9) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and
as used in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) is or
becomes a "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company
representing 25% or more of the combined voting power of the Company's
then outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of the
Board (the "Company Voting Securities"); provided, however, that the
event described in this paragraph (ii) shall not be deemed to be a
Change in Control by virtue of any of the following acquisitions: (A)
by the Company or any Subsidiary, (B) by any employee benefit plan (or
related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any
Subsidiary, (C) by any underwriter temporarily holding securities
pursuant to an offering of such securities, (D) pursuant to a
Non-Qualifying Transaction (as defined in paragraph (iii)), or (E)
unless otherwise approved by the Board, pursuant to any acquisition by
Executive or any group of persons including Executive (or any entity
controlled by Executive or any group of persons including Executive);
(iii) the consummation of a merger, consolidation,
statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction
involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that requires the
approval of the Company's stockholders, whether for such transaction or
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the issuance of securities in the transaction (a "Business
Combination"), unless immediately following such Business Combination:
(A) more than 50% of the total voting power of (x) the corporation
resulting from such Business Combination (the "Surviving Corporation"),
or (y) if applicable, the ultimate parent corporation that directly or
indirectly has beneficial ownership of 100% of the voting securities
eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Corporation (the "Parent
Corporation"), is represented by Company Voting Securities that were
outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination (or, if
applicable, is represented by shares into which such Company Voting
Securities were converted pursuant to such Business Combination), and
such voting power among the holders thereof is in substantially the
same proportion as the voting power of such Company Voting Securities
among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business
Combination, (B) no person (other than any employee benefit plan (or
related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Corporation or
the Parent Corporation), is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly
or indirectly, of 25% or more of the total voting power of the
outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Parent
Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving
Corporation) and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of
directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent
Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) following the consummation of
the Business Combination were Incumbent Directors at the time of the
Board's approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing
for such Business Combination (any Business Combination which satisfies
all of the criteria specified in (A), (B) and (C) above shall be deemed
to be a "Non-Qualifying Transaction"); or
(iv) the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of
complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or a sale of all or
substantially all of the Company's assets.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control of the
Company shall not be deemed to occur solely because any person acquires
beneficial ownership of more than 25% of the Company Voting Securities as a
result of the acquisition of Company Voting Securities by the Company which
reduces the number of Company Voting Securities outstanding;
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provided that, if after such acquisition by the Company such person becomes the
beneficial owner of additional Company Voting Securities that increases the
percentage of outstanding Company Voting Securities beneficially owned by such
person, a Change in Control of the Company shall then occur.
(e) "Date of Termination" means (1) the effective date on
which Executive's employment by the Company terminates as specified in a prior
written notice by the Company or Executive, as the case may be, to the other,
delivered pursuant to Section 10 or (2) if Executive's employment by the Company
terminates by reason of death, the date of death of Executive.
(f) "Disability" means termination of Executive's
employment by the Company due to Executive's absence from Executive's duties
with the Company on a full-time basis for at least one hundred eighty (180)
consecutive days as a result of Executive's incapacity due to physical or mental
illness.
(g) "Good Reason" means, without Executive's express
written consent, the occurrence of any of the following events after a Change in
Control:
(i) (A) any change in the duties or responsibilities
(including reporting responsibilities) of Executive that is
inconsistent in any material and adverse respect with Executive's
position(s), duties, responsibilities or status with the Company
immediately prior to such Change in Control (including any material and
adverse diminution of such duties or responsibilities) or (B) a
material and adverse change in Executive's titles or offices
(including, if applicable, membership on the Board) with the Company as
in effect immediately prior to such Change in Control;
(ii) a reduction by the Company in Executive's rate of
annual base salary or annual target bonus opportunity (including any
material and adverse change in the formula for such annual bonus
target) as in effect immediately prior to such Change in Control or as
the same may be increased from time to time thereafter;
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(iii) any requirement of the Company that Executive (A) be
based anywhere more than fifty (50) miles from the office where
Executive is located at the time of the Change in Control or (B) travel
on Company business to an extent substantially greater than the travel
obligations of Executive immediately prior to such Change in Control;
(iv) the failure of the Company to (A) continue in effect
any employee benefit plan, compensation plan, welfare benefit plan or
material fringe benefit plan in which Executive is participating
immediately prior to such Change in Control or the taking of any action
by the Company which would adversely affect Executive's participation
in or reduce Executive's benefits under any such plan, unless Executive
is permitted to participate in other plans providing Executive with
substantially equivalent benefits in the aggregate (at substantially
equivalent cost with respect to welfare benefit plans), or (B) provide
Executive with paid vacation in accordance with the most favorable
vacation policies of the Company (and its affiliated companies) as in
effect for Executive immediately prior to such Change in Control,
including the crediting of all service for which Executive had been
credited under such vacation policies prior to the Change in Control;
(v) any purported termination of Executive's employment
which is not effectuated pursuant to Section 10(b) (and which will not
constitute a termination hereunder); or
(vi) the failure of the Company to obtain the assumption
agreement from any successor as contemplated in Section 9(b).
An isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent action taken in
good faith and which is remedied by the Company within ten (10) days after
receipt of notice thereof given by Executive shall not constitute Good Reason.
Executive's right to terminate employment for Good Reason shall not be affected
by Executive's incapacities due to mental or physical illness and Executive's
continued employment shall not constitute consent to, or a waiver of rights with
respect to, any event or condition constituting Good Reason; provided, however,
that Executive must provide notice of termination of employment within ninety
(90) days following Executive's knowledge of an event constituting Good Reason
or such event shall not constitute Good Reason under this Agreement.
(h) "Qualifying Termination" means a termination of
Executive's employment (i) by the Company other than for Cause or (ii) by
Executive for Good Reason. Termination of Executive's employment on account of
death, Disability or Retirement shall not be treated as a Qualifying
Termination.
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(i) "Retirement" means Executive's mandatory retirement
(not including any mandatory early retirement) in accordance with the Company's
retirement policy generally applicable to its salaried employees, as in effect
immediately prior to the Change in Control, or in accordance with any retirement
arrangement established with respect to Executive with Executive's written
consent.
(j) "Subsidiary" means any corporation or other entity in
which the Company has a direct or indirect ownership interest of 50% or more of
the total combined voting power of the then outstanding securities or interests
of such corporation or other entity entitled to vote generally in the election
of directors or in which the Company has the right to receive 50% or more of the
distribution of profits or 50% of the assets or liquidation or dissolution.
(k) "Termination Period" means the period of time
beginning with a Change in Control and ending two (2) years following such
Change in Control. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
if (i) Executive's employment is terminated prior to a Change in Control for
reasons that would have constituted a Qualifying Termination if they had
occurred following a Change in Control; (ii) Executive reasonably demonstrates
that such termination (or Good Reason event) was at the request of a third party
who had indicated an intention or taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a
Change in Control; and (iii) a Change in Control involving such third party (or
a party competing with such third party to effectuate a Change in Control) does
occur, then for purposes of this Agreement, the date immediately prior to the
date of such termination of employment or event constituting Good Reason shall
be treated as a Change in Control. For purposes of determining the timing of
payments and benefits to Executive under Section 4, the date of the actual
Change in Control shall be treated as Executive's Date of Termination under
Section 1(e).
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2. Obligation of Executive. In the event of a tender or
exchange offer, proxy contest, or the execution of any agreement which, if
consummated, would constitute a Change in Control, Executive agrees not to
voluntarily leave the employ of the Company, other than as a result of
Disability or an event which would constitute Good Reason if a Change in Control
had occurred, until the Change in Control occurs or, if earlier, such tender or
exchange offer, proxy contest, or agreement is terminated or abandoned.
3. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall be effective
on the date hereof and shall continue in effect until the Company shall have
given three (3) years' written notice of cancellation; provided that,
notwithstanding the delivery of any such notice, this Agreement shall continue
in effect for a period of two (2) years after a Change in Control, if such
Change in Control shall have occurred during the term of this Agreement.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section to the contrary, this Agreement shall
terminate if Executive or the Company terminates Executive's employment prior to
a Change in Control except as provided in Section l(k).
4. Payments Upon Termination of Employment.
(a) Qualifying Termination. If during the Termination
Period the employment of Executive shall terminate pursuant to a Qualifying
Termination, then the Company shall provide to Executive:
(i) within five (5) days following the Date of
Termination, a lump-sum cash amount equal to the sum of (A) Executive's
base salary through the Date of Termination and any bonus amounts which
have become payable, to the extent not theretofore paid or deferred,
(B) a pro rata portion of Executive's annual bonus for the fiscal year
in which Executive's Date of Termination occurs in an amount at least
equal to (1) Executive's Bonus Amount, multiplied by (2) a fraction,
the numerator of which is the number of days in the fiscal year in
which the Date of Termination occurs through the Date of Termination
and the denominator of which is three hundred sixty-five (365), and
reduced by (3) any amounts paid from the Company's annual incentive
plan for the fiscal year in which Executive's Date of Termination
occurs and (C) any accrued vacation pay, in each case to the extent not
theretofore paid; plus
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(ii) within five (5) days following the Date of
Termination, a lump-sum cash amount equal to (i) three (3) times
Executive's highest annual rate of base salary during the 12-month
period immediately prior to Executive's Date of Termination, plus (ii)
three (3) times Executive's Bonus Amount.
(b) If during the Termination Period the employment of
Executive shall terminate pursuant to a Qualifying Termination, the Company
shall continue to provide, for a period of three (3) years following Executive's
Date of Termination, Executive (and Executive's dependents, if applicable) with
the same level of medical, dental, accident, disability and life insurance
benefits upon substantially the same terms and conditions (including
contributions required by Executive for such benefits) as existed immediately
prior to Executive's Date of Termination (or, if more favorable to Executive, as
such benefits and terms and conditions existed immediately prior to the Change
in Control); provided that, if Executive cannot continue to participate in the
Company plans providing such benefits, the Company shall otherwise provide such
benefits on the same after-tax basis as if continued participation had been
permitted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event Executive becomes
reemployed with another employer and becomes eligible to receive welfare
benefits from such employer, the welfare benefits described herein shall be
secondary to such benefits during the period of Executive's eligibility, but
only to the extent that the Company reimburses Executive for any increased cost
and provides any additional benefits necessary to give Executive the benefits
provided hereunder.
(c) If during the Termination Period the employment of
Executive shall terminate other than by reason of a Qualifying Termination, then
the Company shall pay to Executive within thirty (30) days following the Date of
Termination, a lump-sum cash amount equal to the sum of (1) Executive's base
salary through the Date of Termination and any bonus amounts which have become
payable, to the extent not theretofore paid or deferred, and (2) any accrued
vacation pay, in each case to the extent not theretofore paid. The Company may
make such additional payments, and provide such additional benefits, to
Executive as the Company and Executive may agree in writing.
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5. Certain Additional Payments by the Company.
(a) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event it shall be determined that any payment, award,
benefit or distribution (or any acceleration of any payment, award, benefit or
distribution) by the Company (or any of its affiliated entities) or any entity
which effectuates a Change in Control (or any of its affiliated entities) to or
for the benefit of Executive (whether pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or
otherwise, but determined without regard to any additional payments required
under this Section 5) (the "Payments") would be subject to the excise tax
imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), or any interest or penalties are incurred by Executive with respect to
such excise tax (such excise tax, together with any such interest and penalties,
are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Excise Tax"), then the Company
shall pay to Executive an additional payment (a "Gross-Up Payment") in an amount
such that after payment by Executive of all taxes (including any Excise Tax)
imposed upon the Gross-Up Payment, Executive retains an amount of the Gross-Up
Payment equal to the Excise Tax imposed upon the Payments.
(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 5(a), all
determinations required to be made under this Section 5, including whether and
when a Gross-Up Payment is required, the amount of such Gross-Up Payment and the
assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determinations, shall be made by
the public accounting firm that is retained by the Company as of the date
immediately prior to the Change in Control (the "Accounting Firm") which shall
provide detailed supporting calculations both to the Company and Executive
within fifteen (15) business days of the receipt of notice from the Company or
the Executive that there has been a Payment, or such earlier time as is
requested by the Company (collectively, the "Determination"). In the event that
the Accounting Firm is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual,
entity or group effecting the Change in Control, Executive may appoint another
nationally recognized public accounting firm to make the determinations required
hereunder (which accounting firm shall then be referred to as the Accounting
Firm hereunder). All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne
solely by the Company and the Company shall enter into any agreement requested
by the
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Accounting Firm in connection with the performance of the services hereunder.
The Gross-up Payment under this Section 5 with respect to any Payments shall be
made no later than thirty (30) days following such Payment. If the Accounting
Firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable by Executive, it shall furnish
Executive with a written opinion to such effect, and to the effect that failure
to report the Excise Tax, if any, on Executive's applicable federal income tax
return will not result in the imposition of a negligence or similar penalty. The
Determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and
Executive. As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of
the Code at the time of the Determination, it is possible that Gross-up Payments
which will not have been made by the Company should have been made
("Underpayment") or Gross-up Payments are made by the Company which should not
have been made ("Overpayment"), consistent with the calculations required to be
made hereunder. In the event that the Executive thereafter is required to make
payment of any Excise Tax or additional Excise Tax, the Accounting Firm shall
determine the amount of the Underpayment that has occurred and any such
Underpayment (together with interest at the rate provided in Section
1274(b)(2)(B) of the Code) shall be promptly paid by the Company to or for the
benefit of Executive. In the event the amount of the Gross-up Payment exceeds
the amount necessary to reimburse the Executive for his Excise Tax, the
Accounting Firm shall determine the amount of the Overpayment that has been made
and any such Overpayment (together with interest at the rate provided in Section
1274(b)(2) of the Code) shall be promptly paid by Executive (to the extent he
has received a refund if the applicable Excise Tax has been paid to the Internal
Revenue Service) to or for the benefit of the Company. Executive shall
cooperate, to the extent his expenses are reimbursed by the Company, with any
reasonable requests by the Company in connection with any contests or disputes
with the Internal Revenue Service in connection with the Excise Tax.
6. Withholding Taxes. The Company may withhold from all
payments due to Executive (or his beneficiary or estate) hereunder all taxes
which, by applicable federal, state, local or other law, the Company is required
to withhold therefrom.
7. Reimbursement of Expenses. If any contest or dispute
shall arise under this Agreement involving termination of Executive's employment
with the Company or
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involving the failure or refusal of the Company to perform fully in accordance
with the terms hereof, the Company shall pay directly or reimburse Executive, on
a current basis, for all reasonable legal fees and expenses, if any, incurred by
Executive in connection with such contest or dispute (regardless of the result
thereof), together with interest in an amount equal to the prime rate of the
Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., from time to time in effect, but in no event higher
than the maximum legal rate permissible under applicable law, such interest to
accrue from the date the Company receives Executive's statement for such fees
and expenses through the date of payment thereof, regardless of whether or not
Executive's claim is upheld by a court of competent jurisdiction/arbitration
panel.
8. Scope of Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be deemed to entitle Executive to continued employment with the Company or its
Subsidiaries, and if Executive's employment with the Company shall terminate
prior to a Change in Control, Executive shall have no further rights under this
Agreement (except as otherwise provided hereunder); provided, however, that any
termination of Executive's employment during the Termination Period shall be
subject to all of the provisions of this Agreement.
9. Successors: Binding Agreement.
(a) This Agreement shall not be terminated by any
Business Combination. In the event of any Business Combination, the provisions
of this Agreement shall be binding upon the Surviving Corporation, and such
Surviving Corporation shall be treated as the Company hereunder.
(b) The Company will require any successor (whether
direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or
substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company unconditionally
to assume expressly and agree to perform this Agreements in the same manner and
to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such
succession had taken place. As used in this Agreement, "Company" means the
Company has hereinbefore defined, and any successor to its business and/or
assets as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to perform this Agreement by
operation of law, or otherwise. Failure of the Company to obtain such assumption
prior to the effectiveness of any such succession that constitutes a Change in
Control, shall be a breach of this Agreement and shall constitute Good Reason
hereunder and shall entitle
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Executive to compensation and other benefits from the Company in the same amount
and on the same terms as Executive would be entitled hereunder if Executive's
employment were terminated following a Change in Control by reason of a
Qualifying Termination. For purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date on
which any such Business Combination becomes effective shall be deemed the date
Good Reason occurs, and shall be the Date of Termination if requested by
Executive.
(c) This Agreement is personal to the Executive and
without the express prior written consent of the Company shall not be assignable
by the Executive otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution,
and any such purported assignment shall be void. This Agreement shall inure to
the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive's personal or legal
representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees,
devisees and legatees. If Executive shall die while any amounts would be payable
to Executive hereunder had Executive continued to live, all such amounts, unless
otherwise provided herein, shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement to such person or persons appointed in writing by Executive to receive
such amounts or, if no person is so appointed, to Executive's estate.
10. Notice. (a) For purposes of this Agreement, all
notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered or five (5)
days after deposit in the United States mail, certified and return receipt
requested, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If to the Executive:
Xx. Xxxx Xxxx
00 Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
If to the Company:
Staff Leasing, Inc. d/b/a Gevity HR
600 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: General Counsel
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or to such other address as either party may have furnished to the other in
writing in accordance herewith, except that notices of change of address shall
be effective only upon receipt.
(b) A written notice of Executive's Date of Termination
by the Company or Executive, as the case may be, to the other, shall (i)
indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon, (ii)
to the extent applicable, set forth in reasonable detail the facts and
circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of Executive's
employment under the provision so indicated and (iii) specify the termination
date (which date shall be not less than fifteen (15) (thirty (30), if
termination is by the Company for Disability) nor more than sixty (60) days
after the giving of such notice). The failure by Executive or the Company to set
forth in such notice any fact or circumstance which contributes to a showing of
Good Reason or Cause shall not waive any right of Executive or the Company
hereunder or preclude Executive or the Company from asserting such fact or
circumstance in enforcing Executive's or the Company's rights hereunder.
11. Full Settlement; Resolution of Disputes. The
Company's obligation to make any payments provided for in this Agreement and
otherwise to perform its obligations hereunder shall be in lieu and in full
settlement of all other severance payments to Executive under any other
severance or employment agreement between Executive and the Company, and any
severance plan of the Company. The Company's obligations hereunder shall not be
affected by any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other claim, right
or action which the Company may have against Executive or others. In no event
shall Executive be obligated to seek other employment or take other action by
way of mitigation of the amounts payable to Executive under any of the
provisions of this Agreement and, except as provided in Section 4(b), such
amounts shall not be reduced whether or not Executive obtains other employment.
12. Employment with Subsidiaries. Employment with the
Company for purposes of this Agreement shall include employment with any
Subsidiary.
13. Survival. The respective obligations and benefits
afforded to the Company and Executive as provided in Sections 4 (to the extent
that payments or benefits are owed as a result of a termination of employment
that occurs
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during the term of this Agreement), 5 (to the extent that Payments are made to
Executive as a result of a Change in Control that occurs during the term of this
Agreement), 6, 7, 9(c) and 11 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
14. GOVERNING LAW. THE INTERPRETATION, CONSTRUCTION AND
PERFORMANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA WITHOUT REGARD TO THE
PRINCIPLE OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.
15. Severability. The invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the
validity, legality or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement,
which other provisions shall remain in full force and effect. If the effect of a
final and unappealable holding or finding that any such provision is either
invalid, illegal or unenforceable is to modify to the Executive's detriment,
reduce or eliminate any compensation, reimbursement, payment, allowance or other
benefit to the Executive intended by the Company and Executive in entering into
this Agreement, the Company shall promptly negotiate and enter into an agreement
with the Executive containing alternative provisions (reasonably acceptable to
the Executive) that will restore to the Executive (to the extent legally
permissible) substantially the same economic, substantive and income tax
benefits the Executive would have enjoyed had any such provision of this
Agreement been upheld as valid, legal and enforceable.
16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
17. Miscellaneous. (a) No provision of this Agreement may
be modified or waived unless such modification or waiver is agreed to in writing
and signed by Executive and by a duly authorized officer of the Company. No
waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party
hereto of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement to
be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or
dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any prior or subsequent
time.
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(b) Failure by Executive or the Company to insist upon
strict compliance with any provision of this Agreement or to assert any right
Executive or the Company may have hereunder, including without limitation, the
right of Executive to terminate employment for Good Reason, shall not be deemed
to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right of
this Agreement.
(c) Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the
rights of, and benefits payable to, Executive, his estate or his beneficiaries
pursuant to this Agreement are in addition to any rights of, or benefits payable
to, Executive, his estate or his beneficiaries under any other employee benefit
plan or compensation program of the Company.
(d) If any amounts which are required or determined to be
paid or payable or reimbursed or reimbursable to the Executive under this
Agreement (or, following a Change in Control, under any other plan, agreement,
policy or arrangement with the Company) are not so paid promptly at the times
provided hereon or therein, such amounts shall accrue interest at an annual
percentage rate of ten percent (10%) from the date such amounts were required or
determined to have been paid or payable or reimbursed or reimbursable to the
Executive until such amounts and any interest accrued thereon are finally and
fully paid; provided, however, that in no event shall the amount of interest
contracted for, charged or received hereunder exceed the maximum non-usurious
amount of interest allowed by applicable law.
(e) The Executive acknowledges receipt of a copy of this
Agreement (together with any attachments hereto), which has been executed in
duplicate and agrees that, with respect to the subject matter hereof, this is
the entire agreement with the Company. Any other oral or any written
representations, understandings or agreements with the Company or any of its
officers or representatives covering the same subject matter which are in
conflict with this Agreement hereby are merged into and superseded by the
provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Agreement, any payments made or benefits provided under this Agreement shall be
an offset to the payments and/or benefits otherwise payable under the
Executive's employment agreement with the Company, dated as of the date hereof.
17
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to
be executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company and Executive has
executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
STAFF LEASING, INC., d/b/a
GEVITY HR
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Name:
Title:
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XXXX XXXX
