July 26, 2010 Mr. David J. Daly Clarient, Inc. 31 Columbia Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 Dear Dave:
(a) | Base Salary. During the term of Executive’s employment, Executive will receive a base salary of $256,500 per annum, payable in biweekly increments, subject to annual salary and performance review and potential salary increase (but not reductions) at the sole discretion of the Company. |
(b) | Bonus. Executive will be eligible for a performance-based bonus as a participant in the Company’s Management Incentive Plan (“MIP”) (target incentives as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors) with an annual target payment of 50% of base salary, pro-rated for the number of months of services in any given year. Potential exists to receive as much as twice this figure based on achievement of Company and personal objectives. Any bonus that becomes payable under this subsection (b) shall be paid in accordance with the Company’s past practices under the MIP, but in no event after the later of (i) the 15th day of the third month following Executive’s first taxable year in which such bonus is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, and (ii) the 15th day of the third month following the first taxable year of the Company in which such bonus is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, as determined in accordance with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and any Treasury Regulations and other guidance issued thereunder. |
4. Change of Control/Equity Grants. If Executive remains employed by the Company through the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined below), then, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the stock option agreements and restricted stock agreement by and between the Company and Executive identified on Schedule 1 hereto (the “Equity Agreements”), all shares subject to the stock options and all shares of restricted stock granted under the Equity Agreements shall vest and become exercisable immediately prior to the consummation of such Change of Control. To the extent inconsistent with the Equity Agreements, this Section 4 shall constitute an amendment to the Equity Agreements and, except as expressly provided herein, all terms and conditions of the Equity Agreements shall remain in full force and effect. Additional equity grants may be awarded by action of the Company’s Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the Board and, if made, will be made in a manner commensurate with senior executives, the terms and conditions of which shall be as determined under the Company’s 2007 Incentive Award Plan, as amended, and by the Company’s Board of Directors or Compensation Committee thereof. |
5. Fringe Benefits. |
(a) | Executive will be paid a car allowance at the rate of $600 per month, paid on a monthly basis. Without limiting the Company’s obligation pursuant to the preceding sentence, in no event shall the monthly allowance be made later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred. The allowance paid to Executive in one year shall not affect the allowance paid to Executive in any subsequent year and shall not be subject to liquidation in favor of any other benefit. |
(b) | Executive is eligible for group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance in an amount equal to one times the Executive’s annual base salary not to exceed $600,000 (assuming that Executive meets normal insurability requirements). If insurability requirements cannot be met, the maximum amount of group life insurance benefit is $225,000. Executive will be offered the opportunity to purchase voluntary life insurance for himself and his spouse and children, if applicable; and otherwise be eligible to participate in all other benefits programs offered generally by the Company to its other executives, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, short and long term disability insurance, 401(k) Plan, flexible spending account (Section 125) plan and employee assistance program. |
(c) | Executive will also be entitled twenty-three (23) days of vacation per annum which will accrue at the rate of 6.77 hours per pay period. Executive may not accrue more than forty (40) hours above his eligible vacation allowance per year. All vacation accrued will carry over year to year; however, the point at which the total number of vacation hours accrued exceeds the maximum allowable, no additional accruals will be earned until the amount is reduced below the maximum. |
(d) | Executive shall be covered by the Company’s directors and officers liability insurance policies and indemnification policies on the same terms and conditions as apply to the Company’s other senior executives. This provision shall survive termination of this Agreement and shall not be covered by the release contemplated by Section 6(d). |
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a. | For purposes of Section 6(d) of this Letter Agreement “Solicitation” shall mean (A) soliciting, enticing, or inducing any Customer (as defined below) to become a client, customer, OEM, distributor, or reseller of the laboratory services business of any other person, firm or corporation with respect to products or services which are competitive with products or services then sold or under development by the Company’s reference laboratory services business or to cease doing business with the Company or authorizing or knowingly approving the taking of such actions by any other person or (B) soliciting, enticing, or inducing directly or indirectly, or hiring any person who presently is or at any time during the term hereof shall be an employee of the Company to become employed by any other person, firm or corporation or to leave his or her employment with the Company or authorizing or approving any such action by any other person or entity. Providing a reference for an employee of the Company will not, however, constitute Solicitation if the employee has decided to leave the employ of the Company, is seeking other employment, and requests the reference. |
b. | For purposes of this Section 7, “Customer” means any person or entity which at the time of determination, if made prior to termination of employment, or, after termination of employment, at the time of such termination, shall be, or shall have been within one year prior to such time, a client, customer, OEM, distributor, or reseller of the Company. |
c. | Executive acknowledges (i) that his experience and capabilities are such that the conditions in Section 6(d) to his receiving the severance benefits referred to in Section 6 will not prevent him from obtaining employment or otherwise earning a living at the same general economic benefit as reasonably required by him without losing the severance benefits and (ii) that he has, prior to the execution of this Letter Agreement, reviewed this Letter Agreement with his legal counsel. Executive acknowledges that the provisions contained in this Section 7 and in Section 6(d) are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate business interests of the Company and that the Company would not have entered into this Letter Agreement in the absence of such provisions. |
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payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, less (ii) the amount of all federal, state and local income taxes payable with respect to the foregoing calculated at the maximum marginal income tax rate for each year in which the foregoing shall be paid to Executive (based on the rate in effect for such year as set forth in the Code as in effect at the time of the first payment of the foregoing), less (iii) the amount of excise taxes imposed with respect to the payments and benefits described in (i) above by Section 4999 of the Code. The foregoing determination shall be made by a nationally recognized accounting firm (the “Accounting Firm”) selected by the Company and reasonably acceptable to Executive (which may be, but will not be required to be, the Company’s independent auditors). The Accounting Firm shall submit its determination and detailed supporting calculations to both Executive and the Company within fifteen (15) days after receipt of a notice from either the Company or Executive that Executive may receive payments which may be “parachute payments.” If the Accounting Firm determines that such reduction is required by this Section 13, Executive, in Executive’s sole and absolute discretion, may determine which Total Payments shall be reduced to the extent necessary so that no portion thereof shall be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, and the Company shall pay such reduced amount to Executive. If the Accounting Firm determines that no reduction is necessary under this Section 13, it will, at the same time as it makes such determination, furnish Executive and the Company an opinion that Executive shall not be liable for any excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code. Executive and the Company shall each provide the Accounting Firm access to and copies of any books, records, and documents in the possession of Executive or the Company, as the case may be, reasonably requested by the Accounting Firm, and otherwise cooperate with the Accounting Firm in connection with the preparation and issuance of the determinations and calculations contemplated by this Section 13. The fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm for its services in connection with the determinations and calculations contemplated by this Section 13 shall be borne by the Company.
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Sincerely, Clarient, Inc. |
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By: | /S/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Vice Chairman and CEO |
/S/ Xxxxx X. Xxxx
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GENERAL RELEASE AND AGREEMENT
This GENERAL RELEASE AND AGREEMENT (hereinafter the “Release”) is made and entered into as of this day of , 20 , by and between CLARIENT, INC. (the “Company”) and (“Executive”).
1. Background. The parties hereto acknowledge that this Release is being entered into pursuant to the terms of the Letter Agreement, dated November [ ], 2009 (the “Letter Agreement”), between the Company and Executive and in consideration of the payments and other benefits set forth in the Letter Agreement. As used in this Release, any reference to the Company shall include its predecessors and successors and, in their capacities as such, all of its present, past, and future directors, officers, Executives, attorneys, insurers, agents and assigns, as well as all Company affiliates, subdivisions, subsidiaries and parents, including without limitation Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company Affiliates”) and their respective past, present and future directors, officers, Executives, consultants, attorneys, insurers, agents and assigns; and any reference to Executive shall include, in their capacities as such, his attorneys, heirs, administrators, representatives, agents, and assigns.
2. General Release.
(a) Executive, for and in consideration of the separation payments and other benefits offered to him or her by the Company specified in the Letter Agreement that accompanies this Release and intending to be legally bound, does hereby REMISE, RELEASE AND FOREVER DISCHARGE the Company and the Company Affiliates, of and from any and all causes of actions, suits, debts, claims, and demands whatsoever in law or in equity, which he, his heirs, executors or administrators may have, ever had or now have, that arise out of or are in any way related to events, acts, conduct, or omissions occurring from the beginning of the Executive’s employment with the Company and/or the Company Affiliates to the date of this Release , and particularly, but without limitation, any claims arising from or relating in any way to his employment or the separation of his employment relationship with the Company, including, but not limited to, any claims arising under any federal, state, or local laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 2000e et seq., (“Title VII”), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 29 U.S.C. Section 621 et seq. (“the ADEA”), the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq. (“ADA”), the Executive Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, 29 U.S.C. Section 301, et seq., as amended (“ERISA”), and any and all other federal, state or local laws, and any common law claims now or hereafter recognized, including claims for wrongful discharge, slander and defamation, as well as all claims for counsel fees and costs.
(b) By signing this Release, Executive represents that Executive has not commenced any proceeding against the Company or any Company Affiliate in any forum (administrative or judicial) concerning Executive’s employment.
(c) Executive agrees and covenants not to xxx or to bring, or assign to any third person, any claims or charges against the Company or any Company Affiliate with respect to any known matter arising before the date of this Release or covered by the release and not to assert against the Company or any Company Affiliate in any action, grievance, suit, litigation or proceeding any known matter before the date of this Release or covered by the release. Executive and the Company agree that in the event of a breach of any covenant of this Release or the Letter Agreement by Executive or the Company or any Company Affiliate, the party damaged as a result of such breach shall be entitled to recover costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees in an action relating to such breach, in addition to compensatory damages.
(d) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, neither party is released from any of his, her or its obligations under this Release or the Letter Agreement, and each party confirms that such obligations are the only obligations of the Company or its affiliates in connection with the cessation of Executive’s service with the Company.
(e) Executive acknowledges that this Release extends to all causes of action, suits, debts, claims and demands referred to in (a) above, known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected. By signing this Release, Executive expressly waives all rights under Section 1542 of the California Civil Code, which reads in full as follows:
“A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.”
(f) By signing this Release and the Letter Agreement and by making the payments and providing the benefits contemplated by the Letter, the Company does not admit any liability, wrongdoing or fault and expressly denies any such liability, wrongdoing or fault.
3. Confidentiality; Non-Disparagement.
(a) Except to the extent required by law, including SEC disclosure requirements, the Executive agrees that the terms of this Release will be kept confidential by Executive, except that Executive may advise his or her family and confidential advisors.
(b) Executive will not at any time knowingly reveal to any person or entity any of the trade secrets or confidential information of the Company or the Company Affiliates or of any third party which the Company is under an obligation to keep confidential (including, but not limited to, trade secrets or confidential information respecting inventions, products, designs, methods, know-how, techniques, systems, processes, software programs, works of authorship, customer lists, projects, plans, and proposals), and Executive shall keep secret all confidential matters relating to the Company or the Company Affiliates and shall not use or attempt to use any such confidential information in any manner which injures or causes loss or may reasonably be calculated to injure or cause loss whether directly or indirectly to the Company or the Company Affiliates. These restrictions contained in this sub-paragraph (b) shall not apply to: (i) information that at the time of disclosure is in the public domain through no fault of Executive; (ii) information received from a third party outside of the Company that was disclosed without a breach of any confidentiality obligation; (iii) information approved for release by written authorization of the Company or the Company Affiliate; or, (iv) information that may be required by law or an order of the court, agency or proceeding to be disclosed; provided, Executive shall provide the Company notice of any such required disclosure once Executive has knowledge of it and will help the Company at the Company’s expense to the extent reasonable to obtain an appropriate protective order.
(c) Executive represents that Executive has not taken, used or knowingly permitted to be used any memorandum, reports, lists, records, drawings, sketches, specifications, software programs, data, documentation, or other materials of any nature relating to any matter within the scope of the business of the Company, the Company Affiliates, or their partner companies or concerning any of its dealings or affairs otherwise than for the benefit of the Company or the Company Affiliates. Executive shall not, after his or her termination of employment, use or knowingly permit to be used any such memoranda, reports, lists, records, drawings, sketches, specifications, software programs, data, documentation, or other materials, it being agreed that all of the foregoing shall be and remain the sole and exclusive property of the Company, the Company Affiliate or client of the same, as the case may be, and that immediately upon the effectiveness of Executive’s resignation from employment, Executive shall deliver all of the foregoing, and all copies thereof, to the Company at its main office.
(d) In accordance with normal ethical and professional standards, the Company and Executive agree that they shall not in any way engage in any conduct or make any statement that would defame or disparage the other, or make to, or solicit for, the media or others, any comments, statements (whether written or oral), and the like that may be considered to be derogatory or detrimental to the good name or business reputation of either party. It is understood and agreed that the Company’s obligation under this paragraph extends only to the conduct of the Company’s officers and all of its directors. The only exception to the foregoing shall be in those circumstances in which Executive or the Company is obligated to provide information in response to an investigation by a duly authorized governmental entity or in connection with legal proceedings.
4. Indemnity.
(a) This Release shall not release the Company or any of its insurance carriers from any obligation it or they might otherwise have to defend and/or indemnify Executive and hold him harmless from any claims made against him arising out of his activities as director or officer of the Company, to the same extent as the Company or its insurance carriers are or may be obligated to defend and/or indemnify and hold harmless any other director or officer and the Company affirms its obligation to provide indemnification to Executive as a director, officer, former director, or former officer of the Company, as set forth in the Company’s bylaws and charter documents in effect on the date of the Letter Agreement; provided however, to the extent that such obligation of the Company or its insurance carriers has increased in any scope or amount on the date Executive’s employment with the Company ceases, Executive shall benefit from such increase as of such date.
(b) Executive agrees that Executive will personally provide reasonable assistance and cooperation to the Company, at the Company’s expense, in activities related to the prosecution or defense of any pending or future lawsuits or claims involving the Company.
5. General.
(a) Executive acknowledges and understands that Executive has been given twenty-one (21) days from the Termination Date to consider and review the terms of this Agreement prior to signing it, and releasing Executive’s claims. Executive understands that Executive may execute this Agreement in Executive’s sole and absolute discretion, prior to the expiration of said twenty-one (21) day period; however, Executive may not sign this Agreement prior to the Termination Date. Executive also understands that this Release is revocable by Executive for a period of seven (7) days following execution of the Release. This Release shall not become effective or enforceable until this seven (7) day revocation period has ended.
(b) Executive has carefully read and fully understands all the provisions of the Notice and the Release which sets forth the entire agreement between Executive and the Company, and Executive acknowledges that Executive has not relied upon any representation or statement, written or oral, not set forth in this document.
(c) Executive and Company agree that any breach of this Release or corresponding Letter Agreement by Executive or Company will cause irreparable damage to the other party and that in the event of such breach the other party shall have, in addition to any and all remedies of law, the right to an injunction, specific performance or other equitable relief to prevent the violation of the obligations hereunder (d) No term or condition set forth in this Release may be modified, waived or discharged unless such waiver, modification or discharge is agreed to in writing and signed by Executive and a duly authorized officer of the Company.
(e) Any waiver by the Company of a breach of any provision of this Release shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach of such provision or any other provision hereof.
(f) The parties agree that in no way does this Release preclude Executive from enforcing his ownership rights pertaining to any stock options or RSAs which may have been purchased by Executive or granted to Executive by the Company pursuant to a written stock option or RSA grant and/or as memorialized in a written Board Resolution (and as reported periodically in the Company’s proxy statements).
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Release as of the date written above.
Dated: |
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CLARIENT INC. | ||||
Dated: |
By:________________ |