May 9, 2007 Kathleen Kennedy 2519 Woodgreen Dr. Belden, MS 38826 Severance Agreement Dear Kathleen:
EXHIBIT 10.45
May 9, 2007
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xx.
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xx.
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Dear Xxxxxxxx:
Effective with the close of business on Wednesday, May 9, 2007, your “Severance Date”) your
employment with Xxxxxxx Fabrics, Inc. (the “Company”) is terminated.
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Severance Agreement and for, and in consideration of
the release and other obligations contained in this letter, you will be entitled to $95,000.00 of
separation pay and other benefits, all as described in more detail in Schedule A. The separation
pay will be paid at regular payroll intervals as soon as administratively practicable following the
date this letter agreement becomes effective.
By signing this Severance Agreement, you release and forever discharge Xxxxxxx Fabrics, Inc. and
its parent corporations, subsidiaries and affiliates, and their shareholders, officers, employees,
agents, representatives, independent contractors, successors, assigns and benefit plans (the
“Company”) from any and all claims, actions, liabilities and suits, whether known or unknown,
whether existing now or arising, accruing, or maturing later, arising out of anything that has
occurred up through the date you sign this Severance Agreement, or your Severance Date, which ever
is later, including but not limited to any claims that arise from your employment with the Company,
the Severance Agreement for Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx dated March 15, 2006 or your offer letter of
employment as Senior Vice President Marketing dated February 6, 2006, but excluding any claim for
vested benefits from a retirement plan in which you are a participant.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you are agreeing that, by signing this Severance
Agreement, you are releasing and waiving any and all claims that you ever had or may have as of the
date you sign this Severance Agreement for age discrimination under the Age Discrimination in
Employment Act, 29 U.S.C. §§ 621, et seq. You are advised to consult with an attorney before
signing this Severance Agreement; that the consideration you receive in exchange for signing this
Severance Agreement is in addition to amounts to which you were already entitled; and that you may,
before signing this Severance Agreement, consider this Severance Agreement for a period of
21 calendar days. You may revoke this Severance Agreement within 7 calendar days from the date of
the signing of this Severance Agreement. This Severance Agreement is not effective until 7
calendar days following its signing.
By signing this Severance Agreement, you also agree to provide to the Company, upon request,
(i) information concerning your employment with the Company, and (ii) reasonable assistance
relating to your previous employment with the Company, including but not limited to providing
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truthful testimony in any legal action pursued or defended by the Company in which you have
information or knowledge.
You acknowledge that information, observations and data obtained by you while employed by the
Company (“Confidential Information”) are the property of the Company. By signing this Severance
Agreement, you agree not to disclose to any unauthorized person, or use for your own purpose, any
Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the Company, unless and to the extent
that the aforementioned matters become generally known to and available for use by the public other
than as a result of your acts or omissions.
You acknowledge that all inventions, innovations, improvements, developments, methods, designs,
analyses, drawings, reports and all similar or related information (whether patentable or not)
which relate to the Company’s actual or anticipated business, research and development or existing
or future products or services and which are conceived, developed or made by you while employed by
the Company (“Work Products”) belong to the Company. You shall promptly disclose such Work
Products to the Company and perform all actions reasonably requested by the Company (whether during
of after employment) to establish and confirm such ownership.
Notwithstanding the obligations set forth in the above two paragraphs, after termination of your
employment with the Company, you are free to use Residuals of the Company’s Confidential
Information and Work Products for any purpose subject only to the obligations with respect to
disclosure set forth herein and any copyrights of patents of the Company. The term “Residuals”
means information in non-tangible form that may be retained in your unaided memory derived form the
Company’s Confidential Information and Work Product to which you had access during your employment
with the Company. You may not retain or use the documents and any other tangible materials
containing the Company’s Confidential Information or Work Product after the termination of your
employment with the Company.
By signing this Severance Agreement, you agree that for the duration of the Severance Period, you
will not directly or indirectly own any interest in, manage, control, participate in, work for,
consult with or render any services for any Material Competitor of the Company. “Material
Competitor” is defined as a retailer of both fabrics and home décor items on a national or
multi-state scale. Examples of such competitors include, but are not limited to Xx-Xxx Stores,
Hobby Lobby and Michaels. Nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit you from being a passive owner
of not more than 2% of the outstanding stock of any class of a corporation which is publicly traded
so long as you have no active participation in the business of such corporation. The Company
reserves the right to enforce this provision in any state in which it is enforceable.
By signing this Severance Agreement, you agree that for the duration of the Severance Period, you
will not directly or indirectly through another entity 1) induce or attempt to induce any employee
of the Company to leave the employ of the Company or in any way interfere with the relationship
between the Company and any employee thereof, 2) hire any person who was an employee of the Company
at any time of his/her employment history, or 3) induce or attempt to induce any customer,
supplier, licensee, licenser, franchisee or other business relation of the Company to cease doing
business with the Company or in any way interfere with the relationship between such supplier,
licensee, licenser, franchisee or other business relation and the Company
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(including, without limitation, making negative statements or communications about the Company).
This Severance Agreement contains the entire understanding between you and the Company concerning
the termination of your employment and may only be amended by a written instrument signed by both
parties.
You have 21 days from the date of receipt to sign this Severance Agreement in the space provided
below and return it to the Company. After such 21-day period, the offer contained in this letter
is withdrawn. You may revoke this Severance Agreement within 7 calendar days from the date of the
signing of this Severance Agreement. This Severance Agreement is not effective until 7 calendar
days following its signing.
Sincerely,
Xxx Xxxxx
VP-Human Resources
VP-Human Resources
I hereby agree to and accept the terms contained in this Severance Agreement.
Date
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Signature | |||||
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SCHEDULE A
SEVERANCE BENEFITS
You will receive the following amounts as described below:
1. Severance and Other Payments.
(a) Severance Payment. You will receive separation pay at your regular base pay at regular
payroll intervals for a period of 26 weeks, less applicable taxes and withholdings. The total
gross amount of these payments is $95,000.00. The number of weeks will be referred to in this
Schedule A and in the Severance Agreement as your “Severance Period.” The Severance Period begins
on the Severance Date of Wednesday, May 9, 2007 and ends November 7. 2007.
(b) Vacation and Bonus Benefit. You will receive a one-time lump-sum payment, less applicable
taxes and withholdings, equal to the value of (i) your total earned, unused and outstanding
vacation days, and (ii) your bonuses earned, all determined as of your Severance Date.
(c) Life Insurance Benefit. Subject to the terms of the underlying plans and any applicable
insurance policies, you may continue your group life insurance benefits during your Severance
Period.
(d) Restricted Stock Award. To the extent that you have a grant(s) of restricted stock under
the Xxxxxxx Fabrics, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan and are not vested as of the end of your Severance
Date in shares of that stock, the Company will pay you the cash equivalent of the fair market value
of your unvested, outstanding, restricted stock grants that would have vested as of the end of the
Severance Period had your employment continued. Payment will be in an amount equal to the per
share closing price for each share of unvested restricted stock on your Severance Date. The
Company will pay this amount in a single lump-sum payment.
2. Health Benefit.
(a) COBRA Coverage. You will have the opportunity to elect continuation coverage of your
medical and dental benefits for yourself, your spouse and/or eligible dependents if you are
participating in the Company’s plans for those benefits as of your Severance Date, in accordance
with the provisions of COBRA. If elected in a timely manner, COBRA coverage generally will end on
the last day of the 18th month following your Severance Date (unless an earlier end date
or an extension is required under COBRA).
(b) Company Subsidy of COBRA Coverage. If and to the extent you timely elect COBRA
continuation coverage, you and the Company will share the cost of COBRA coverage for yourself, your
spouse and/or eligible dependents during your Severance Period. During that period, you will be
responsible for paying the same amount for coverage as a similarly-situated active employee. The
Company will pay the remaining costs on your behalf. To the extent you continue COBRA continuation
coverage after your Severance Period, you will be responsible for
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paying the full cost of the COBRA continuation coverage in accordance with the procedures of
the Company generally applicable to all qualified beneficiaries receiving COBRA continuation
coverage.