EXHIBIT 10(k)
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement ("Agreement") is made as of April 1, 2005 by
and between PAYCHEX, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Xxxxxxxx
X. Judge ("Indemnitee").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve
publicly-held corporations as directors or in other capacities unless they are
provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification
against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their
service to and activities on behalf of the corporation.
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") has determined
that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will
attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability
insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from
certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a
customary and widespread practice among United States based corporations and
other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market
conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only
at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors,
officers, and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises
are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation
relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been
brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The Certificate
of Incorporation of the Company requires indemnification of the officers and
directors of the Company. Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification
pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL"). The Certificate of
Incorporation and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions
set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may
be entered into between the Company and members of the board of directors,
officers and other persons with respect to indemnification.
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification
have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons.
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting
and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company's
stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there
will be increased certainty of such protection in the future.
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company
contractually to obligate itself to indemnity, and to advance expenses on behalf
of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they
will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they
will not be so indemnified.
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant
thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefore, nor to diminish or
abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation and insurance as adequate in the present
circumstances, and may not be willing to serve as an officer or director without
adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such
capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on
additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he be
so indemnified;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the covenants contained
herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve, as
set forth in his Employment Agreement dated October 1, 2004 (as it may be
amended, renewed, or modified), as an officer, director or key employee of
the Company for so long as Indemnitee is so duly elected or appointed, or
until Indemnitee's resignation shall become effective.
2. Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
(a) A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest
to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as
defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner (as defined below), directly
or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%)
or more of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding
securities;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. During any period of two
(2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this
Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the
Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who
has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described
in Sections 2(a)(i), 2(a)(iii) or 2(a)(iv)) whose election by the Board or
nomination for election by the Company's stockholders was approved by a vote of
at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were
directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for
election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least
a majority of the members of the Board;
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger
or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or
consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company
outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to
represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted
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into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 51% of the combined
voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding
immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect at
least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such
surviving entity;
(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the stockholders of the
Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or
disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets;
and
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature
that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A
of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or
form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the
Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
For purposes of this Section 2(a), the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
(A) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(B) "Person" shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and
14(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Person shall exclude (i)
the Company, (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an
employee benefit plan of the Company, and (iii) any corporation owned,
directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially
the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.
(C) "Beneficial Owner" shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule
13d-3 under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Beneficial Owner shall
exclude any Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of the
stockholders of the Company approving a merger of the Company with another
entity.
(b) "Company" shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any
constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in
a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would
have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or
agents, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent
of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such
constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, Indemnitee
shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Agreement with
respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee would have with
respect to such constituent corporation of its separate existence had continued.
(c) "Corporate Status" describes the status of a person who is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other corporation,
partnership or joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise
which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
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(d) "Disinterested Director" means a director of the Company who is not and
was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought
by lndemnitee.
(e) "Enterprise" shall mean the Company and any other corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of
which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director,
officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
(f) "Expenses" shall include all reasonable attorneys' fees, retainers, court
costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses,
duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage,
delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types
customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to
prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or
otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include Expenses
incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including
without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any
cost bond, supersedes bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses,
however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the
amount of judgments or fines against lndemnitee.
(g) Reference to "other enterprise" shall include employee benefit plans;
references to "fines" shall include any excise tax assessed with respect to any
employee benefit plan; references to "serving at the request of the Company"
shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the
Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director,
officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its
participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a
manner he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants
and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a
manner "not opposed to the best interests of the Company" as referred to in this
Agreement.
(h) The term "Proceeding" shall include any threatened, pending or completed
action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism,
investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened
or completed proceeding, including any and all appeals, whether brought in the
right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative nature, in which Indemnitee was, or will be
involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was
a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action taken by him or of
any action on his part while acting as director or officer of the Company, or by
reason of the fact that he is or was serving at the request of the Company as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such
capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which
indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under
this Agreement; except one initiated by a Indemnitee to enforce his rights under
this Agreement.
(i) "Independent Counsel" means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that
is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in
the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or
lndemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect
to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other
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indemnities under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party
to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term "Independent Counsel" shall not include
any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then
prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company
or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee's rights under this
Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the
Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel
against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
3. INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if lndemnitee is,
or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding,
other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment
in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified
against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his behalf in connection with such
Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good
faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal proceeding had
no reasonable cause to believe that such conduct was unlawful.
4. INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY. The Company
shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4
if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in
any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its
favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all
Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection
with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted
in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made
under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which
Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the
Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or
any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application
that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances
of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification.
5. INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY
SUCCESSFUL. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the
extent that Indemnitee is a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on
the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or
matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee
against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection
therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is
successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all
claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on
his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter.
If the Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also
shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in
connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter
on which the Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section and without
limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in
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such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be
a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
6. INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his
Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a
party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably
incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.
7. ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, the Company shall
indemnify lndemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law if Indemnitee is a
party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a
Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor)
against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No
indemnity shall be made under this Section 7(a) on account of Indemnitee's
conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee's duty of loyalty to the
Company or its stockholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which
involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
(b) Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, 5 or 7(a), the Company
shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law if Indemnitee
is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a
Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor)
against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding.
(c) For purposes of Sections 7(a) and 7(b), the meaning of the phrase "to the
fullest extent permitted by law" shall include, but not be limited to:
i. to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that
authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the
corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL, and
ii. to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or
replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase
the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
8. EXCLUSIONS. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company
shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity in connection
with any claim made against lndemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee
under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to
any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity
provision; or
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(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and
purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of
Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar
provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding)
initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any
part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its
directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board of
Directors of the Company authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any
Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the
indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the
Company under applicable law.
9. ADVANCES OF EXPENSES. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to
the contrary, the Company shall advance the expenses incurred by Indemnitee in
connection with any Proceeding within 20 days after the receipt by the Company
of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, whether
prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be
unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to
Indemnitee's ability to repay the expenses and without regard to Indemnitee's
ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this
Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred
pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses
incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the
advances claimed. The Indemnitee shall qualify for advances solely upon the
execution and delivery to the Company of an undertaking providing that the
Indemnitee undertakes to repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately
determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.
This Section 9 shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which
indemnity is excluded pursuant to Section 8.
10. SELECTION OF COUNSEL. In the event the Company shall be obligated under
Section 9 hereof to pay the expenses of any Proceeding against Indemnitee, the
Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense of such
Proceeding, with counsel approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its
election to do so. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by
Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will
not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel
subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same Proceeding,
provided that (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his counsel in any
such Proceeding at Indemnitee's expense; and (ii) if (A) the employment of
counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company, (B)
Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of
interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense,
or (C) the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to assume the
defense of such Proceeding, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee's counsel
shall be at the expense of the Company.
11. PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND DEFENSE OF CLAIM.
(a) Indemnitee shall, as a condition precedent to his right to be indemnified
under this Agreement, give the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable
of any claim made against
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Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought under this
Agreement, provided however, that a delay in giving such notice shall not
deprive Indemnitee of any right to be indemnified under this Agreement unless,
and then only to the extent that, such delay is materially prejudicial to the
defense of such claim. The omission to notify the Company will not relieve the
Company from any liability for indemnification which it may have to Indemnitee
otherwise than under this Agreement. The Secretary of the Company shall,
promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in
writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own
expense.
12. PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the
first sentence of Section 11(a), a determination, if required by applicable law,
with respect to Indemnitee's entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific
case: (i) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel in
a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered
to Indemnitee; or (ii) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred, (A) by a
majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of
the Board, (B) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a
majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of
the Board, (C) if there are no such Disinterested Directors or, if such
Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion
to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (D) if so
directed by the Board, by the stockholders of the Company, and, if it is so
determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee
shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall
cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with
respect to Indemnitee's entitlement to indemnification, including providing to
such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation
or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure
and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such
determination. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys' fees and
disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons
or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective
of the determination as to Indemnitee's entitlement to indemnification) and the
Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold lndemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be
made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent
Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b). If a Change in
Control shall not have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by
the Board of Directors, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee
advising him of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Change
in Control shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by
Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the
Board of Directors, in which event the preceding sentence shall apply), and
Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity
of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the
Company, as the case may be, may, within 10 days after such written notice of
selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the
case may be, a written
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objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be
asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not
meet the requirements of "Independent Counsel" as defined in Section 2 of this
Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual
basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so
selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made
and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as
Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has
determined that such objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after
submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to
Section 11(a) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not
objected to, either the Company or lndemnitee may petition a court of competent
jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the
Company or Indemnitee to the other's selection of Independent Counsel and/or for
the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Court or by
such other person as the Court shall designate, and the person with respect to
whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as
Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any
judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement,
Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further
responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of
professional conduct then prevailing).
13. PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification
hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall
presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if
Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with
Section 11(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof
to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person,
persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the
failure of the Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel)
to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to
this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because
Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual
determination by the Company (including by its directors or independent legal
counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall
be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met
the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12
of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification
shall not have made a determination within sixty (60) days after receipt by the
Company of the request therefore, the requisite determination of entitlement to
indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be
entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a
material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee's
statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for
indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable
law; provided, however, that such 60-day period may be extended for a reasonable
time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons or
entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification
in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of
documentation and/or
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information relating thereto; and provided, further, that the foregoing
provisions of this Section 13(b) shall not apply (i) if the determination of
entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to
Section 12(a) of this Agreement and if (A) within fifteen (15) days after
receipt by the Company of the request for such determination the Board of
Directors has resolved to submit such determination to the stockholders for
their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within seventy five
(75) days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (B) a
special meeting of stockholders is called within fifteen (15) days after such
receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for
such purpose within sixty (60) days after having been so called and such
determination is made thereat, or (ii) if the determination of entitlement to
indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a)
of this Agreement.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter
therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo
contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided
in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to
indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good
faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding,
that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
(d) Reliance as Safe Harbor. For purposes of any determination of good faith,
Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee's action is
based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial
statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the
Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for
the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the
Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or
other expert selected with the reasonable care by the Enterprise. The provisions
of this Section 13 (d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any
way the other circumstances in which the Indemnitee may be deemed to have met
the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) Actions of Others. The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of
any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed
to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under
this Agreement.
14. REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE.
(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of
this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this
Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 9
of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification
shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within 30 days
after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of
indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5 or 6 or the last sentence of
Section 12(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the
Company of a written request therefore, or (v) payment of indemnification
pursuant to Section 3, 4 or 7 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days
after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of
his entitlement to
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such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at
his option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single
arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American
Arbitration Association. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee's right to seek
any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to
Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to
indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to
this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or
arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of
that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced
pursuant to this Section 14 the Company shall have the burden of proving
Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the
case may be.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this
Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be
bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced
pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a
material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee's
statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for
indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable
law.
(d) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding
or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and
presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall
stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is
bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall
(within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request
therefore) advance such expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee
in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or
advance of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any
directors' and officers' liability insurance policies maintained by the Company,
regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such
indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance recovery, as the case may
be.
15. NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION.
(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as
provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to
which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation, the Company's Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of
stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment,
alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or
restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action
taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such
amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Delaware law,
whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or
advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties
hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so
afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be
exclusive of any other right
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or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition
to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at
law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or
remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or
employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) The Company shall, from time to time, make the good faith determination
whether or not it is practicable for the Company to obtain and maintain a policy
or policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies providing the
directors, officers, employees, or agents of the Company with coverage for
losses from wrongful acts, or to ensure the Company's performance of its
indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Among other considerations,
the Company will weigh the costs of obtaining such insurance coverage against
the protection afforded by such coverage. To the extent that the Company
maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for
directors, officers, employees or agents of the Company or of any other
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefits plan or other
enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee
shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their
terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director,
officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the
receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has
director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give
prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in
accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company
shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers
to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such
proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be
subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of
Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary
to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to
enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(d) The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment
of amounts otherwise indemnifiable (or for which advancement is provided
hereunder) hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually
received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or
otherwise.
(e) The Company's obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to
Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director,
officer, employee or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be reduced by any amount
Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of expenses
from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit
plan or other enterprise.
16. DURATION OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate
upon the later of: (a) 10 years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased
to serve as a director or officer of the Company or as a director, officer,
employee or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan or other enterprise which Indemnitee served at the request
of the Company; or (b) one year after the final termination of any
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Proceeding, including any and all appeals, then pending in respect of which
Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses
hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14
of this Agreement relating thereto.
17. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company
and its successors and assigns and shall insure to the benefit of Indemnitee and
his heirs, executors and administrators.
18. SEVERABILITY. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be
held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the
validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this
Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any Section of this
Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not
in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the
fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be
deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give
the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest
extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without
limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such
provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself
invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to
the intent manifested thereby.
19. ENFORCEMENT.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this
Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce
Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company
acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a
director or officer of the Company.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior
agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties
hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
20. EFFECTIVENESS OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall be effective as of the
date set forth on the first page and may apply to acts or omissions of
Indemnitee which occurred prior to such date if Indemnitee was an officer,
director, employee or other agent of the Company, or was serving at the request
of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, at the time such act or
omission occurred.
21. MODIFICATION AND WAIVER. No supplement, modification or amendment of this
Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties thereto. No
waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall
constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any
waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
22. NOTICE BY INDEMNITEE. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in
writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint,
indictment, information or
13
other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to
indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of
Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any
obligation which it may have to the Indemnitee under this Agreement or
otherwise.
23. NOTICES. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under
this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given
(a) if delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or
other communication shall have been directed, or (b) mailed by certified or
registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date
on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the Indemnitee's employment
records, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide to the Company.
(b) If to the Company to
Paychex, Inc.
Attn: Legal Department
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company.
24. CONTRIBUTION. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if
the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee
for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee,
shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments,
fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or
for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event
under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in
light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the
relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the
event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the
relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and
agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).
25. APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. This Agreement and the legal
relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in
accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its
conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by
Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, the Company and
Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or
proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought
only in the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware (the "Delaware Court"), and
not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any
court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction
of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or
in connection with this Agreement, (iii) appoint, to the extent such party is
not otherwise subject to service of process in the State of Delaware,
irrevocably CT Corporation System, 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx
00000 as its agent in the State of Delaware as such party's
14
agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or
proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if
served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any
objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the
Delaware Court, and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that
any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in
an improper or inconvenient forum.
26. IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original
but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one
such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs
to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
27. MISCELLANEOUS. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include
usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate. The headings of the paragraphs
of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to
constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof. IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the
day and year first above written.
PAYCHEX, INC. INDEMNITEE
By: /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Judge
-------------------------- ----------------------------
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Judge
Title: Senior Vice President of Finance, Chief
Financial Officer, Secretary, and Treasurer
15
