AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit
10.1
AMENDED
AND RESTATED
This
Amended and Restated Employment Agreement (this “Agreement”), by and
among COMFORCE CORPORATION,
a Delaware corporation (“COMFORCE”), COMFORCE OPERATING, INC., a
Delaware corporation wholly owned by COMFORCE (“COI” and, together
with COMFORCE and any of its other subsidiaries that are directly or indirectly
50% or more owned by COMFORCE, collectively, “Employer”), and XXXX X. XXXXXXX, a resident of
the State of Florida (“Employee”), executed
on March 31, 2008 and effective as of such date (the “Effective
Date”).
RECITALS:
A. The
parties to this Agreement entered into that certain Amended and Restated
Employment Agreement dated August 7, 2006 under which Employee provided services
to and on behalf of Employer as an employee of Employer. The parties
now desire to amend and restate Employee’s employment agreement in order to
ensure that the terms conform to the requirements of the final regulations of
the Internal Revenue Service issued under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and to make certain other amendments to
clarify terms and ensure that the Agreement comports with the understandings and
expectations of Employer and Employee; and
B. Employer
wishes to continue to employ Employee, and Employee is willing to continue
employment with Employer, on and after the Effective Date on the terms and
conditions provided for in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the promises and mutual obligations of the parties contained in
this Agreement, and for other valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged the parties hereto agree as
follows:
1. Employment
of Employee. Employer
continues to employ Employee, and Employee continues to accept employment by
Employer, during the Term (as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement), for the
consideration and on the terms and conditions provided in this
Agreement. Employee shall be employed during the Term in such
capacity or capacities, and perform such duties, as may be determined from time
to time by each Employer’s Board of Directors. COMFORCE, COI and/or
any subsidiary shall allocate between each other the uses of Employee and
Employee costs under this Agreement. Subject to the foregoing powers
of the Board of Directors of Employer, Employee shall maintain the title and
position of “Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer” of
Employer.
Employee
shall have full authority and responsibility to undertake and carry out the
functions and activities of the above-named position in all respects, subject
only to directions of, and policies established and communicated to Employee
from time to time by, the Board of Directors.
2. Effective
Date: Term. This
Agreement shall commence and be effective for all purposes as of the Effective
Date and shall remain in effect, unless earlier terminated as
provided
in
Section 7 of this Agreement, until December 31, 2008 (the “Initial Termination
Date”), which date shall be extended to the immediately succeeding
December 31 unless, not less than sixty (60) days prior to the Initial
Termination Date or any subsequent extension thereof, either party has given the
other written notice of termination of this Agreement. For purposes
of this Agreement, the period during which Employee is employed by Employer
pursuant to this Agreement is called the “Term.”
For purposes of this Agreement,
“separation from service” shall mean the Employee’s separation from service, as
defined in regulations promulgated under section 409A of the Code, except that a
separation from service will occur when the Employee’s level of services drops
to 49% or less of the average level of services provided by the Employee over
the immediately preceding 36 month period. If Employee’s status
changes from an employee to an independent contractor (other than as a member of
COMFORCE’s board of directors), the determination of the “separation from
service” will not take into account the services provided as an independent
contractor unless required by regulations promulgated under Section 409A of
the Code.
3. Employee’s
Duties.
During the Term, Employee shall: (i) devote his full working time and attention
to the business and affairs of Employer and to the performance of his duties
under this Agreement; (ii) serve Employer faithfully and to the best of his
ability, and use his best efforts to promote the interests of Employer; and
(iii) follow and implement the policies and directions of the Board of
Directors. Notwithstanding the above, nothing contained in this
Section 3 shall be deemed to prevent Employee from engaging in activities
relating to: (A) making of investments for his own account or for the account of
others; (B) investment banking, venture capital and finance activities; (C)
serving as a member of the board of directors of other corporations; or (D)
engaging in charitable or public service activities; provided, however, that
such investments, services and activities do not interfere or conflict with
Employee’s performance of his duties under this Agreement.
4. Employee’s
Compensation.
(a) Base
Salary.
(i) As
Employee’s base compensation for all services to be performed under this
Agreement for the period commencing April 1, 2007 and ending March 31, 2008,
Employer shall pay Employee a salary (“Base Salary”) at the
per annum rate of Five Hundred Thirty-Five Thousand Dollars ($535,000), payable
in accordance with Employer’s payroll practices for its officers. For
the period commencing April 1, 2008 and (assuming renewal of this Agreement)
ending March 31, 2009, Employer shall pay Employee a Base Salary at the per
annum rate of Five Hundred Eighty-Eight Thousand Five Hundred Dollars
($588,500), payable in accordance with Employer’s payroll practices for its
officers.
(ii) Thereafter,
Employee’s Base Salary will increase annually during the Term on each April
1st,
by the greater of (A) seven percent (7%) or (B) the percentage increase in the
Price Index (as defined below) for the most recently available month at the time
of each such increase over the Price Index
reported for the same month one year prior (such percentage increase calculated
pursuant to this Section 4(a) is referred to in this Agreement as the “CPI
Increase”).
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(iii) The
Base Salary may also be increased from time to time at the discretion of the
Board of Directors or any committee thereof having authority over Employee’s
compensation to account for material changes of circumstances of Employer or of
the responsibilities of Employee, and may be increased by the Board of Directors
or such committee from time to time in its discretion for any other reason
whatsoever.
For purposes of this Agreement,
“Price Index”
shall mean the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
Consumer Price Index U.S. City Averages, all Urban Consumers, All Items, 1982-84
= 100. If the manner in which the Price Index as determined by the
Department of Labor shall be substantially revised, or if the 1982-84 average
shall no longer be used as an index of 100, an adjustment shall be made in such
revised index so that the number used shall be that which would have been
obtained if the Price Index had not been so revised or if said average was still
in use. If the Price Index shall become unavailable for any reason whatsoever,
the parties will substitute therefor a comparable index based upon changes in
the cost of living or purchasing power of the consumer dollar published by
another governmental agency or, if no such index shall then be available, a
comparable index published by a major bank or other financial
institution.
(b) Reimbursement of
Expenses.
(i) During
the Term, Employee shall incur ordinary and necessary business expenses in
connection with the performance of his duties under this
Agreement. Employer shall pay or reimburse Employee for such business
expenses in accordance with Employer’s policies and procedures for accountable
plans.
(ii) In
addition, Employee shall receive $30,000 each calendar year during the Term as a
non-accountable expense allowance, and Employer shall reimburse to Employee such
non-accountable expenses before the close of the calendar year in which such
expenses are incurred by Employee.
(c)
Automobile. To
perform the services under this Agreement, Employee will require the use of a
suitable automobile, and Employer shall supply Employee with an automobile of
Employee’s choice at a cost to Employer of no more than $650 per
month.
(d) Benefit
Plans. Employee shall receive such incidental benefits of
employment, such as medical and dental insurance, and pension plan participation
as are provided generally to Employer’s other executive
officers. Without limiting the foregoing, Employer shall either (i)
pay for health insurance under Employer’s cafeteria plan under Section 125 of
the Code, or (ii) reimburse Employee for the cost of supplemental or other
health insurance costs in lieu of payment under the Employer’s cafeteria plan
(provided that in no event shall the reimbursable amount exceed the costs
Employer would bear under the cafeteria plan pursuant to clause (i)) not later
than two and one-half (2.5) months following the close of the calendar year in
which such health insurance costs are incurred.
(e) Incentive
Compensation. In addition to Employee’s compensation as
provided in this Agreement, Employer shall pay to Employee incentive
compensation for each calendar year during the balance of the Term in an amount
equal to 7.5% of Employer’s pre-tax operating
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income in
excess of $5,000,000 for the fiscal year of such Employer ending in such
calendar year (“Fiscal Year”), but not in excess of $8,000,000, plus 5% of such income in
excess of $8,000,000, but not in excess of $10,000,000, plus 2.5% of any income in
excess of $10,000,000, subject to the terms and conditions provided in Section
4(f) of this Agreement.
For this purpose, “pre-tax operating
income” shall mean the consolidated earnings of Employer,
before:
(i) deduction
of, or allowance or provision for, taxes based on income or loss;
(ii) deduction
of, or allowance or provision for, the incentive compensation payable pursuant
to this Agreement;
and excluding:
(iii) the
effect of any extraordinary gain or loss and any unusual non-recurring
items;
(iv) the
cumulative effect of any change in accounting principles;
(v) the
effect of any write-down of goodwill in accordance with SFAS 142;
and
(vi) the
effect of any gain or loss realized upon the extinguishment of
debt.
(f) Computation and Payment of
Incentive Compensation. The amount of any incentive compensation which
Employee becomes entitled to receive under this Agreement shall be payable as
follows: Within 45 days after the end of each of the first three
quarters in each Fiscal Year, Employer shall make an estimated payment of
incentive compensation to Employee on the basis of Employer’s unaudited pre-tax
operating income in respect of the period from the beginning of the year to the
close of such quarter on an annualized basis. Estimated payments shall be made
in amounts such that at the end of each of the first three quarters of the
Fiscal Year, Employee shall have received an amount equal to fifty percent (50%)
of the incentive compensation to which he would be entitled based upon
Employer’s pre-tax operating income in respect of the period then ended, after
taking into consideration of all prior estimated payments made for such
year. On or before March 15 of each year during the Term, the actual
amount of incentive compensation, if any, which Employee shall be entitled to
receive based upon results for the most recently completed Fiscal Year shall be
computed, and the amount by which such incentive compensation exceeds the
aggregate estimated payments made for such year shall be paid to Employee on or
before March 15 of the calendar year after the year such incentive compensation
is earned. In the event, however, that the aggregate amount of
estimated incentive compensation previously paid exceeds the actual incentive
compensation to which Employee is entitled, Employee shall promptly repay to
Employer the amount of such excess upon receipt of written notice from Employer
advising Employee of same on or before March 15 of the calendar year after the
year such incentive compensation is earned.
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(g) Fringe
Benefits. Employee shall be entitled to participate in all
other fringe benefits generally offered by Employer to its employees during the
Term.
(h) Deferred Plans.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the
COMFORCE Corporation Restated Deferred Compensation Plan and the COMFORCE
Corporation Restated Deferred Vacation Plan shall continue in effect, and the
rights and obligations of Employer and Employee shall be governed by the terms
thereof.
5. Employee’s
Vacation. Employee
shall be entitled to paid vacation annually equal to the greater of (a) five (5)
weeks or (b) the period provided in Employer’s vacation policies for similarly
situated employees.
6. Confidentiality
and Restrictive Provisions.
(a) Confidentiality of
Information.
Employee
recognizes and acknowledges that the business interests of Employer require a
confidential relationship between Employer and Employee and the fullest
protection and confidential treatment of the financial data, lists of customers,
lists of suppliers, special agreements with suppliers, market information,
marketing and/or promotional techniques and methods, pricing information,
purchase information, sales policies, employee lists, policy and procedure
manuals, books and publications, records, advertising methods or schemes,
computer records, trade secrets, know how, plans and programs, sources of
supply, and other knowledge of the business of Employer (all of which are
hereinafter jointly termed “Confidential
Information”) which may in whole or in part be conceived, learned or
obtained by Employee in the course of Employee’s employment with
Employer. Accordingly, Employee agrees to keep secret and treat as
confidential all Confidential Information whether or not copyrightable or
patentable, and agrees not to use or aid others in learning of or using any
Confidential Information except in the ordinary course of business and in
furtherance of Employer’s interests. During the Term and at all times
thereafter, except in respect of any disclosure that is consistent with
Employer’s business interests:
(i) Employee
will not, directly or indirectly, disclose any Confidential Information to
others either within or outside of the business of Employer;
(ii) Employee
will not disclose the contents of documents containing disclosures of
Confidential Information;
(iii) As
to documents which are delivered to Employee or which are made available to him
as a necessary part of the working relationships and duties of Employee within
the business of Employer, Employee will treat such documents confidentially and
will treat such documents as proprietary and confidential, not to be disclosed
or used without appropriate authority of Employer; and
(iv) Employee
will not advise others that the information and/or know how included in
Confidential Information is known to or used by Employer or
Employee.
During
the Term and at all times thereafter, Employee will not in any manner disclose
or use Confidential Information for Employee’s own account and will not aid,
assist or abet others
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in the
use of Confidential Information for their account or benefit, or for the account
or benefit of any person or entity other than Employer.
Employee
shall have no obligations with respect to Confidential Information which at the
time of disclosure is generally available to the public or with respect to which
disclosure is required by law.
(b) Confidentiality of
Customers. Employee
agrees that during the Term and for a period ending two (2) years after
termination of Employee’s employment with Employer:
(i) Employee
will not, directly or indirectly, make known or divulge names, addresses or any
information concerning the customers of Employer existing at the time Employee
entered the employ of Employer or of whom Employee learned or with whom Employee
became acquainted after entering the employ of Employer, to any person,
partnership, firm, company, corporation or other entity; and
(ii) Employee
will not, either directly or indirectly, either for himself or for any other
person, partnership, firm, company, corporation or other entity, contact,
solicit, purchase from, divert, or take away any of the customers of Employer
who were contacted, dealt with or solicited by Employee or with whom Employee
became acquainted, or of whom Employee learned or obtained information about
during the Term or during the previous employment of Employee by Employer or any
predecessor in interest.
(c) Non-Interference with
Contractual Relationships. Employee
agrees that during the Term and for a period ending two (2) years after
termination of Employee’s employment with Employer, Employee will not solicit,
entice or otherwise induce any employee of Employer to leave the employ of
Employer for any reason whatsoever; nor will Employee directly or indirectly
aid, assist or abet any other person or entity in soliciting or hiring any
employee of Employer, nor will Employee otherwise interfere with any contractual
or other business relationships between Employer and its
employees. The only exception to this provision is that upon
termination Employee may solicit and/or offer employment to and subsequently
employ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx.
(d) Disclosure of Business
Opportunities. During
the Term, Employee agrees to promptly and fully disclose to Employer, and not to
divert to Employee’s own use or benefit or the use or benefit of others, any
business opportunities involving any existing or prospective line of business,
supplier, product or activity of Employer or any business opportunities which
otherwise should rightfully be afforded to Employer.
(e) Non-Competition
Provisions. During the Term, Employee shall not engage, either
directly or indirectly, on Employee’s own account or as an agent, stockholder,
owner, employee, employer or otherwise, in a business which is the same as or
substantially similar to that of Employer within the United States or any
country in which the Employer conducts any business. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Employee may, during the period in which this paragraph is in
effect, own stock or other interests in corporations or other entities that
engage in businesses the same or substantially similar to those engaged in by
the Employer so long as Employee does not, directly or indirectly (including
without limitation as the result of ownership
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or
control of another corporation or other entity), individually or as part of a
group (as that term is defined in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder): (i)
control or have the ability to control the corporation or other entity; (ii)
provide to the corporation or entity, whether as an employee, consultant or
otherwise, advice or consultation; (iii) provide to the corporation or entity
any confidential or proprietary information regarding the Employer or its
businesses or regarding the conduct of businesses similar to those of the
Employer; (iv) hold or have the right by contract or arrangement or
understanding with other parties to hold a position on the board of directors or
other governing body of the corporation or entity or have the right by contract
or arrangement or understanding with other parties to elect one or more persons
to any such position; (v) hold a position as an officer of the corporation or
entity; (vi) have the purpose to change or influence the control of the
corporation or entity (other than solely by the voting of his shares or
ownership interest); or (vii) have a business or other relationship, by contract
or otherwise, with the corporation or entity other than as a passive investor in
it; provided, however, that Employee may vote his shares or ownership interest
in such manner as he chooses provided that such action does not otherwise
violate the prohibitions set forth in this sentence.
(f) Remedies. Should a
court of competent jurisdiction determine that this Section 6 or any subsection
of this Agreement are otherwise unenforceable because one or all of them are
vague or over broad, the parties agree that these subsections may and shall be
enforced to the maximum extent permitted by law. It is the intent of
the parties that each of these subsections be a separate and distinct promise
and that the unenforceability of any one subsection shall have no effect on the
enforceability of another.
Employee
agrees that should either party seek to enforce or determine its rights through
legal or judicial proceedings because of an act of Employee which Employer
believes to be in contravention of this Section 6 (“Covenant”), the
Covenant period shall be extended for a time period equal to the period
necessary to obtain judicial enforcement of Employer’s rights under this
Agreement.
The
parties agree that in the event of Employee’s violation of this Section 6 or any
subsection thereunder, that the damage to Employer will be irreparable and that
money damages will be difficult or impossible to
ascertain. Accordingly, in addition to whatever other remedies
Employer may have at law or in equity, Employee recognizes and agrees that
Employer shall be entitled to a temporary restraining order and a temporary and
permanent injunction enjoining and prohibiting any acts not permissible pursuant
to this Section 6.
7. Termination
of Agreement.
(a) Termination for “Just
Cause.” Employer agrees to promptly give Employee written
notice if Employer believes that acts or events constituting “just cause” (as
defined below) exist. Employee has the right to cure within thirty
(30) days of Employer’s giving of such notice, the acts, events or conditions
which led to Employer’s notice, but only if such acts are capable of being
cured. If Employer provides notice to Employee of acts or events
constituting “just cause” that Employee fails to timely cure, Employer shall
have the right to terminate Employee’s employment hereunder effective
immediately upon written notice of termination from Employer to
Employee. Within 90 days after the date of such separation
from
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service,
but no later than March 15 of the year following the separation from service,
Employee shall receive only such amounts as are earned through the date of
separation from service (including earned but unpaid incentive compensation for
any completed calendar years but excluding any proration of incentive
compensation for a partial year), and Employer shall owe no further
consideration or compensation to Employee, except to the extent required by
law. Without limiting the foregoing, Employee shall receive no
further consideration for the non-accountable expense allowance under Section
4(b)(ii) beyond any amounts previously paid or credited to Employee in respect
of such allowance or expenses reimbursed (or previously incurred and
reimbursable) under such allowance, as of the date of separation from service
(which, if any, would be paid in accordance with Section 4(b)(ii)).
For purposes of this Agreement, “just
cause” shall mean: (i) the willful failure or refusal of Employee to implement
or follow the reasonable written policies or directions of Employer’s Board of
Directors, provided that Employee’s failure or refusal is not based upon
Employee’s belief in good faith, as expressed to Employer in writing, that the
implementation thereof would be unlawful; (ii) embezzlement; (iii) material
violation of any of Employee’s covenants or agreements set forth in this
Agreement due to Employee’s willfulness or gross negligence; and (iv) conviction
of Employee of a felony arising from an act or acts which result in material
harm to Employer; provided, however, that after a Change of Control, “just
cause” shall only mean the events described in clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv) of
this sentence.
If Employee terminates his employment
with Employer as a result of a material breach by Employer of its obligations
under this Agreement, which breach, (a) if it is capable of being cured, has not
been cured within 30 days following receipt of written notice of such breach
from Employee to Employer (such notice and opportunity to cure to apply only if
such breach is capable of being cured), and (b) involves a “material negative
change” in the employment relationship within the meaning of such term under
regulations promulgated under Section 409A of the Code, as amended from time to
time, such termination shall be deemed for all purposes of this Agreement as a
termination of Employee’s employment by Employer without “just
cause.”
(b) Termination on
Death. The employment of Employee shall automatically
terminate upon the death of Employee. Within 90 days after the date
of the Employee’s death, Employee’s estate shall receive only such amounts as
are earned (including earned but unpaid incentive compensation determined on an
annualized basis as described in Section 7(h)) as of the date of Employee’s
death, and Employer shall owe no further consideration or compensation to
Employee or to Employee’s estate. For purposes of this paragraph, for
the calendar year in which he dies, Employee shall be deemed to have earned an
amount equal to the non-accountable expense allowance under Section 4(b)(ii)
multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of full
calendar months Employee was employed during the calendar year in which he dies,
as of the date of the Employee’s death, and the denominator of which shall be
12, less any amount previously paid or credited to Employee in respect of such
allowance for such calendar year.
(c) Termination on
Disability. Employer shall have the right to terminate
Employee’s employment hereunder in the event Employee suffers a Disability,
effective immediately upon written notice from Employer to
Employee. For purposes hereof, “Disability” shall
mean the inability of Employee to substantially perform his duties and
responsibilities to
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the
Company by reason of a physical or mental injury, illness disability or
infirmity. Within 90 days after the date of such separation from
service, Employee shall be entitled to receive the compensation set forth below
in this Section 7(c). The amounts determined under clauses (i), (ii),
(iii), (iv) and (vi) shall be paid within 90 days after the date of separation
from service, except to the extent any
portion of such payment will be subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the
Code, in which case such subject portion shall be paid no earlier than the date
that is six (6) months following the date of separation from
service.
(i) Employee
will be entitled to receive an amount equal to his annual Base Salary at the
then current rate.
(ii) Employee
will be entitled to receive an amount equal to the highest amount of cash bonus
and incentive compensation paid (or earned as of the date of termination and
payable) to Employee under Section 4(e) in any one (1) year during the three (3)
years prior to such separation from service.
(iii) Employee
will be entitled to receive an amount equal to the amount contributed by
Employer on behalf of Employee for the calendar year ending immediately prior to
the date of separation from service under the COMFORCE Corporation Restated
Deferred Compensation Plan, but any contributions by Employer on behalf of
Employee under the COMFORCE Corporation Restated Deferred Vacation Plan shall be
excluded.
(iv) Employee
will be entitled to receive an amount equal to the published value in the Xxxxxx
Blue Book on the date of separation from service of any automobile leased
by it for the benefit of Employee, or shall transfer title thereto to Employee
free and clear of any liens.
(v) Employer
shall reimburse Employee for Employee’s cost of coverage under the Consolidated
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”) for a one (1) year period
following separation from service if such coverage is both available and elected
by Employee. If such COBRA coverage is not available for all or any
part of this period, then Employer shall pay to Employee monthly, for the period
COBRA coverage is not available, the lesser of the cost of
(A) other medical insurance Employee elects to obtain by the election deadline
date that is required under COBRA or (B) COBRA insurance (had it been
available).
(vi) Employee
will be entitled to receive an amount equal to the annual non-accountable
expense allowance ($30,000) multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of full calendar months Employee was employed during the
calendar year in which his employment is terminated due to Disability based on
the date of separation from service, and the denominator of which shall be 12,
less any amount previously paid or credited to Employee in respect of such
allowance or for expenses reimbursed (or previously incurred and reimbursable)
under such allowance for such calendar year as of the date of separation from
service.
(d) Termination without “Just
Cause.” If Employer terminates this Agreement without “just cause” or
gives notice to Employee under Section 2 that this Agreement will not be
extended beyond the then current Term, then, subject to the exclusions set forth
in this Section
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7(d),
Employee will be entitled to receive the compensation set forth below, provided
that if the separation from service occurs prior to a Change of Control (as
hereinafter defined), Employee will be entitled to receive 200% of the amounts
determined under clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) and 100% of the amounts determined
under clauses (iv), (v) and (vi). The amounts determined under
clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (vi) shall be paid within 90 days after the
date of separation from service, except to the extent any
portion of such payment will be subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the
Code, in which case such subject portion shall be paid no earlier than the date
that is six (6) months following the date of separation from
service.
(i)
Employee will be entitled to receive his Base Salary at the then current
rate.
(ii) Employee
will be entitled to receive an amount equal to the highest amount of cash bonus
and incentive compensation paid (or earned as of the date of termination and
payable) to Employee under Section 4(e) in any one (1) year during the three (3)
years prior to such separation from service.
(iii) Employee
will be entitled to receive an amount equal to the amount contributed
by Employer on behalf of Employee for the calendar year ending immediately prior
to the date of separation from service under the COMFORCE Corporation Restated
Deferred Compensation Plan, but any contributions by Employer on behalf of
Employee under the COMFORCE Corporation Restated Deferred Vacation Plan shall be
excluded.
(iv) Employee
will be entitled to an amount equal to the published value in the Xxxxxx Blue
Book on the date of separation from service of any automobile leased
by it for the benefit of Employee, or shall transfer title thereto to Employee
free and clear of any liens.
(v) Employer
shall reimburse Employee monthly (and in no event later than the year after the
year the expense is incurred) for Employee’s cost of coverage under the COBRA
for the period through the end of the second calendar year following the
calendar year in which Employee’s separation from service occurs (the “Benefit Period”) if
such coverage is both available and elected by Employee. The amount
of COBRA expenses eligible for reimbursement during one taxable year may not
affect the amount of COBRA expenses eligible for reimbursement in any other
taxable year. If such COBRA coverage is not available for all or any
part of the Benefit Period, then Employer shall pay to Employee monthly, for the
period COBRA coverage is not available, the lesser of the cost of
(A) other medical insurance Employee elects to obtain by the election deadline
date that is required under COBRA or (B) COBRA insurance (had it been
available).
(vi) Employee
will be entitled to receive an amount equal to the full annual non-accountable
expense allowance ($30,000) multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of full calendar months Employee was employed during the
calendar year in which his employment is terminated without “just cause,” based
on the date of separation from service, and the denominator of which shall be
12, less any amount previously paid or credited to Employee in respect of such
allowance or for expenses reimbursed (or previously incurred and reimbursable)
under such allowance for such calendar year as of the date of separation from
service.
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(e) Change of
Control. Upon the occurrence of any change in the ownership or
effective control of COMFORCE, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of
the assets of COMFORCE (as described in the regulations under section 409A of
the Code) (“Change of
Control”):
(i) Employer
will make a lump sum cash payment to Employee within 90 days after the date of
the Change of Control, equal to 300% of the aggregate of following:
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(A)
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the
sum of: (x) Employee’s then-current annual base salary; plus (y) the
highest amount of cash bonus and incentive compensation paid to Employee
in any one (1) year during the three (3) calendar years immediately prior
to the Change of Control; plus (z) the
Employee’s annual non-accountable expense allowance;
and
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(B)
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the
amount contributed by Employer on behalf of Employee for the calendar year
ending immediately prior to the separation from service, without
duplication of amounts accounted for under clause (A) of this subsection,
to any pension, retirement or similar plan of Employer or under the
COMFORCE Corporation Restated Deferred Compensation Plan (but any
contributions by Employer on behalf of Employee under the COMFORCE
Corporation Restated Deferred Vacation Plan shall be
excluded).
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All compensation received by Employee
pursuant to this subsection is collectively referred to in this Agreement as
“Change of Control
Payments.”
(f) Excise
Tax. In the event that Employee becomes entitled to a Change
of Control Payment, then, if any of the Change of Control Payment will be
subject to the tax (the “Excise Tax”) imposed
by Section 4999 of the Code, Employer shall pay to Employee promptly following
determination of the estimated amount due, subject to any adjustments when the
final determination is made that the Excise Tax is due, an additional amount
(the “Gross-Up
Payment”) such that the net amount retained by Employee, after deduction
of Excise Tax on the Change of Control Payment and any federal, state and local
income tax upon the payment provided for by this Section 7(f), shall be equal to
the Change of Control Payment. In no event will any amount of the
Gross-Up Payment be paid later than the end of the calendar year next following
the year in which the related taxes are remitted.
For purposes of determining whether any
payment will be subject to the Excise Tax and the amount of such Excise
Tax:
(i) any
other payments or benefits received or to be received by Employee in connection
with the Change of Control of Employer or the termination of Employee’s
employment (whether pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other plan,
arrangement or agreement with Employer, any person whose actions result in a
Change of Control or any person affiliated with Employer or such person) shall
be treated as “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of
the Code, and “excess parachute payments” within the meaning of Section
280G(b)(1) shall be treated as subject to the Excise Tax, unless in
the
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opinion
of tax counsel selected by Employer and acceptable to Employee such other
payments or benefits (in whole or in part) do not constitute parachute payments,
or such excess parachute payments (in whole or in part) represent reasonable
compensation for services actually rendered within the meaning of Section
280G(b)(4) of the Code;
(ii) the
amount of Change of Control Payment which shall be treated as subject to the
Excise Tax shall be equal to the lesser of (A) the total amount of the Change of
Control Payment or (B) the amount of excess parachute payments within the
meaning of Section 280G(b)(1) and (4) after applying clause (i) above;
and
(iii) the
value of any non-cash benefits or any deferred payment or benefit shall be
determined by Employer’s independent auditors in accordance with the principles
of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code.
For purposes of determining the amount
of the Gross-Up Payment, Employee shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at
the highest marginal rate of federal income taxation in the calendar year in
which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made and state and local income taxes at the
highest marginal rates of taxation in the state and locality that imposes such
tax on the date of termination of Employee’s employment, net of the maximum
reduction in federal income taxes which could be obtained from deduction of such
state and local taxes. In the event that the Excise Tax is
subsequently determined to be less than the amount taken into account under this
Agreement at the time of the termination of Employee’s employment, Employee
shall repay to Employer the portion of the Gross-Up Payment attributable to such
reduction plus interest on the amount of such repayment at the rate provided in
Section 1274(b)(2)(B) of the Code at the time the amount of such reduction
in Excise Tax is finally determined. In the event that the Excise Tax is
determined to exceed the amount taken into account under this Agreement at the
time of the termination of Employee’s employment (including by reason of any
payment the existence or amount of which cannot be determined at the time of the
Gross-Up Payment), Employer shall make an additional gross-up payment in respect
of such excess (plus any interest payable with respect to such excess) after the
amount of such excess is finally determined but in no event later than the end
of the calendar year next following the year in which the related taxes are
remitted.
(g) Voluntary
Termination. If Employee shall voluntarily cease his
employment with Employer for any reason (other than under circumstances in which
a resignation is deemed to be a termination for “just cause” as provided in
Section 7(a)) or Employee is terminated for just cause, Employee shall receive
within 90 days after the separation from service, only such amounts as are
earned (including earned but unpaid incentive compensation determined on an
annualized basis as described in Section 7(h)) prior to Employee’s voluntary
termination. For purposes of this paragraph, for the calendar year in
which he voluntarily terminates, Employee shall be deemed to have earned an
amount equal to the non-accountable expense allowance under Section 4(b)(ii)
multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of full
calendar months Employee was employed during the calendar year in which he
voluntarily terminates his employment, based on the date of separation from
service, and the denominator of which shall be 12, less any amount previously
paid or credited to Employee in respect of such allowance (or expenses
reimbursed under such allowance) for such calendar year as of the date of
separation from service. Employer shall owe no further consideration
or compensation to Employee, and all compensation and benefits payable to
Employee under this Agreement shall
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thereupon,
without further writing or act, cease, lapse and be terminated; provided,
however, that Employee may continue to receive benefits under any group health
care insurance plan, at Employee’s expense, to the extent required by
COBRA. This Section 7(g) does not affect any rights of Employee under
any stock option agreements, the COMFORCE Corporation Restated Deferred
Compensation Plan, or the COMFORCE Corporation Restated Deferred Vacation Plan,
which shall be governed by the express terms of such agreements or
plans.
(h) Calculation of Incentive
Amount upon Death or Voluntary Termination. If Employee
voluntarily terminates his employment under this Agreement or his employment is
terminated due to death on a date other than on December 31, Employee shall be
entitled to receive incentive compensation for the partial year of his
employment, determined as follows: by annualizing the Company’s results through
the end of the month during which he dies or voluntarily terminates (based on
the date of separation from service) and determining the incentive compensation
that would have been payable to him if he had been employed for the entire year;
and then multiplying the amount so determined by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of full calendar months Employee was employed during
such calendar year and the denominator of which shall be
12.
(i) Certain
Reimbursements. Employer will reimburse Employee for any and
all legal and professional fees and expenses reasonably incurred by Employee,
including without limitation all fees and expenses incurred in connection with
efforts to enforce the provisions of this Agreement, which reimbursement shall
be paid promptly but in no event more than two and one-half (2.5) months after
such expenses are incurred by the Employee.
8. Indemnification
and Insurance.
In the
event that during or after the Term, Employee is made a party or is threatened
to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (“proceeding”), by
reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer, employee or agent of
or is or was serving at the request of Employer as a director or officer,
employee or agent or another corporation, or of a partnership, joint venture,
trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit
plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official
capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity
while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, Employee shall be
indemnified and held harmless by Employer to the fullest extent authorized by
the Delaware General Corporation Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be
amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent such
amendment permits Employer to provide broader indemnification rights than said
law permitted Employer to provide prior to such amendment) against all expenses,
liabilities and losses (including attorneys fees, judgments, fines ERISA excise
taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably
incurred or suffered by Employee in connection therewith. Such right
shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by Employer
expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final
disposition; provided, however, that the payment of such expenses incurred by
Employee in his capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity
in which service was or is rendered by Employee while a director or officer,
including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance
of the final disposition of such proceeding will be made only upon delivery to
Employer of an undertaking, by or on behalf of Employee, to
13
repay all
amounts to so advanced if it should be determined ultimately that Employee is
not entitled to be indemnified under this section or otherwise.
Promptly
after receipt by Employee of notice of the commencement of any Proceeding for
which Employee may be entitled to be indemnified, Employee shall notify Employer
in writing of the commencement thereof (but the failure to notify Employer shall
not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 8 unless
and to the extent that it has been prejudiced in a material respect by such
failure or from the forfeiture of substantial rights and
defenses). If any such action, suit or proceeding is brought against
Employee and he notifies Employer of the commencement thereof, Employer will be
entitled to participate therein, and, to the extent it may elect by written
notice delivered to Employee promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from
Employee, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to
Employee, which may be the same counsel as counsel to
Employer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Employee shall have the
right to employ his own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of
such counsel shall be at the expense of Employee unless: (i) the employment of
such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by Employer; (ii) Employer
shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to Employee to take
charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time after notice of
commencement of the action; or (iii) Employee shall have reasonably concluded,
after consultation with counsel to Employee, that a conflict of interest exists
which makes representation by counsel chosen by Employer not advisable (in which
case Employer shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on
behalf of Employee), in any of which events such fees and expenses of one
additional counsel shall be borne by Employer. Anything in this
Section 8 to the contrary notwithstanding, Employer shall not be liable for any
settlement of any claim or action effected without its written
consent.
Employer
agrees that it will maintain Directors and Officers Insurance during the Term
and for a period of three (3) years thereafter covering Employee and the other
officers and directors of Employer in the amount of not less than Ten Million
Dollars ($10,000,000). In the event that such Directors and Officers
Insurance is not commercially available to Employer, Employer will create a
self-insurance reserve for all liabilities which would otherwise be covered by
Directors and Officers Insurance in the amount of Ten Million Dollars
($10,000,000), which reserve shall be maintained in a separate escrow account
and used exclusively for payment of liabilities, judgments, settlements or
claims against officers and directors of Employer, including Employee, which
would otherwise have been the subject of Directors and Officers
Insurance.
9. Effect
of Reorganization.
If
Employer is at any time before or after a Change of Control merged or
consolidated into or with any other corporation or other entity (whether or not
Employer is surviving entity), or if substantially all of the assets thereof are
transferred to another corporation or other entity, the provisions of this
Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the corporation or
other entity resulting from such merger or consolidation or the acquirer of such
assets, voting power or control, and this Section 9 will apply in the event of
any subsequent merger or consolidation or transfer of assets.
14
In the
event of any merger, consolidation, or sale of assets described above, nothing
contained in this Agreement will detract from or otherwise limit Employee’s
right to participate or privilege of participation in any stock option or
purchase plan or any bonus, profit sharing, pension, group insurance,
hospitalization, or other incentive or benefit plan or arrangement which may be
or become applicable to executives of the corporation or other entity resulting
from such merger or consolidation or the corporation or other entity acquiring
such assets of Employer.
In the
event of any merger, consolidation or sale of assets described above, references
to Employer in this Agreement shall unless the context suggests otherwise be
deemed to include the entity resulting from such merger or consolidation or the
acquirer of such assets.
10. No
Duty to Mitigate.
There
shall be no requirement on the part of Employee to seek other employment or
otherwise mitigate damages in order to be entitled to the full amount of any
payments and benefits to which Employee is entitled under this Agreement, and
the amount of such payments and benefits shall not be reduced by any
compensation or benefits received by Employee from other
employment.
11. Miscellaneous.
(a) All
notice under this Agreement to the parties hereto shall be in writing sent by
certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or by
telegram, telex or telecopy, addressed to the respective parties at the
following addresses:
EMPLOYER:
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COMFORCE
Corporation
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000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx
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|
Xxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
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|
EMPLOYEE:
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Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
|
c/o
COMFORCE Corporation
|
|
000
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 0000
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|
Xxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
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Any party
may, by written notice complying with the requirements of this section, specify
another or different person or address for the purpose of notification under
this Agreement. All notices shall be deemed to have been given and
received on the next day following the sending of such telegram, telex or
telecopy, or if mailed, on the third business day following such
mailing.
(b) If
Employer fails to timely make any payment to Employee that is required to be
made under this Agreement, the amount not timely paid shall bear interest from
the date it is due under this Agreement until paid at the per annum rate equal
to 3.0% per annum in excess of the rate published in The Wall Street Journal as
the prime lending rate, as the same may be modified from time to time. All
payments required to be made by Employer under this Agreement to Employee or his
dependents, beneficiaries, or estate will be subject to the
15
withholding
of such amounts relating to tax and/or other payroll deductions as may be
required by law.
(c) This
Agreement contains the entire and only agreement of the parties hereto
respecting the matters set forth in this Agreement, supersedes all prior
agreements and understandings between the parties hereto regarding the matters
hereby contemplated, and may not be changed or terminated orally, nor shall any
change, termination or attempted waiver of any of the provisions contained in
this Agreement be binding unless in writing and signed by the party against whom
the same is sought to be enforced, nor shall this section itself be waived
orally. This Agreement may be amended only by a written instrument
duly executed by or on behalf of the parties hereto.
(d) This
Agreement and all of its provisions, rights and obligations shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors. This Agreement may be assigned by Employer to any person,
firm or corporation or other entity which shall become the owner of
substantially all of the assets of Employer or which shall succeed to the
business of Employer; provided, however, that in the event of any such
assignment Employer shall obtain an instrument in writing from the assignee in
which such assignee assumes the obligations of Employer under this Agreement and
shall deliver an executed copy thereof to Employee.
(e) This
Agreement shall be construed and enforced according to, and the rights and
obligations of the parties shall be governed in all respects by, the laws of the
State of New York. Should any action be brought to interpret or
enforce the terms of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be awarded costs
and reasonable attorneys’ fees.
(f) Any
controversy, dispute or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or
the breach of this Agreement, shall at the option of Employee be resolved by (i)
arbitration in accordance with the then current rules of the American
Arbitration Association and all findings of fact by the arbitrators shall be
conclusive and binding on the parties or (ii) litigation before a federal or
state court of competent jurisdiction located in the State of New
York. If Employee elects to have the matter resolved by arbitration,
the controversy or claim shall be submitted to the American Arbitration
Association through its New York, New York office, and the hearing of such
dispute will be held in New York, New York. The decision of the
arbitrator(s) will be final and binding on all parties to the arbitration and
said decision may be filed as a final judgment in any court.
(g) The
headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of
reference only and shall in no way affect the interpretation of any of the terms
or conditions of this Agreement.
(h) If
any provision or part thereof of this Agreement for any reason shall be validly
held by an official body to be invalid or unenforceable, the valid and
enforceable provisions or parts thereof shall continue to be given effect and
bind Employer and Employee.
(i) Employer
shall pay Employee’s reasonable legal and professional fees and expenses
incurred in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement, no later than two
and
16
one-half
(2.5) months after the close of the year such fees or expenses are incurred by
the Employee.
(j) No
right or interest to or in any payments or benefits under this Agreement shall
be assignable by Employee; provided, however, that this provision shall not
preclude him from designating one or more beneficiaries to receive any amount
that may be payable after his death and shall not preclude the legal
representative of his estate from assigning any right under this Agreement to
the person or persons entitled thereto under his will or, in the case of
intestacy, to the person or persons entitled thereto under the laws of intestacy
applicable to his estate. The term “beneficiaries” as used in this
Agreement shall mean a beneficiary or beneficiary or beneficiaries so designated
to receive any such amount, or if no beneficiary has been so designated, the
legal representative of Employee’s estate.
(k) No
right, benefit, or interest under this Agreement, shall be subject to
anticipation, alienation, sale, assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge,
hypothecation, or set-off in respect of any claim, debt, or obligation, or to
execution, attachment, levy, or similar process, or assignment by operation of
law. Any attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to effect any action
specified in the immediately preceding sentence shall, to the full extent
permitted by law, be null, void, and of no effect.
17
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement on the day and
year first above mentioned.
COMFORCE
CORPORATION
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By:
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Its:
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COMFORCE
OPERATING, INC.
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By:
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Its:
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EMPLOYEE
|
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Xxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
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