SEVERANCE AND GENERAL RELEASE LETTER AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.6
December
2, 2009
Don
Dancer
000 X.
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx.
Xx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
SEVERANCE AND GENERAL
RELEASE LETTER AGREEMENT
Dear
Don:
This
letter will confirm (i) receipt of your notice of termination dated December 2,
2009 and (ii) IR’s agreement that the Employment Agreement Amendment dated
February 17, 2009 between you and IR (the “EAA”) shall terminate as of December
31, 2009 (“Employment Termination Date”).
This
Agreement is made and entered into by and between Don Dancer (sometimes
hereinafter referred to as “Employee”, “You”), on the one hand, and International Rectifier
Corporation on behalf of itself and its divisions, facilities,
subsidiaries and affiliated entities, successors and assigns, or any of its or
their current respective officers, directors, trustees, agents, employees,
attorneys, insurers, representatives, and each of them (hereinafter the
“Company”, “IR”, or “Releasees”), on the other hand.
All
capitalized terms herein shall have the same meanings as those in the EAA
(including those agreements referred to and/or incorporated therein by
reference) unless specifically defined herein.
This
Severance and General Release Letter Agreement (the “Agreement”) also shall,
once fully executed, constitute the release contemplated in section (3) of the
EAA and 1(p) of the Separation Agreement, as amended. In exchange for
and contingent upon your signing and returning this Agreement, including the
release of claims incorporated herein in Paragraph 8 (and not revoking this
Agreement within the revocation period), IR covenants and agrees as
follows:
1.
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Severance
Payment: You will receive the Special Severance Payment
described in and subject to Sections (3)(i) and (4) of the EAA,
specifically one times your annual base salary as in effect on December
31, 2008, and your Target Bonus then in effect (0.75 times such annual
base salary).
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2.
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Benefits/Insurance/Outplacement
Support:
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a.
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You
will be eligible to continue under the Company’s health and dental
insurance programs for a period of eighteen (18) months from the
Employment Termination Date, as contemplated by Section (3)(ii) of the EAA
and Section 2(c) of the Separation Agreement, after which time you will be
eligible to continue your medical and dental insurance through
COBRA.
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b.
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You
also will be eligible to convert your group life insurance coverage to an
individual policy at your sole
expense.
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c.
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You
will also be entitled to job outplacement services for you (at Company
expense and not to exceed $50,000 in the aggregate) until the earlier of
(i) six (6) months after your employment termination date or (ii) the date
on which you accept an offer of new employment. IR
shall select the outplacement service provider and provide any
compensation benefit hereunder directly with and to the service
provider
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3.
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Stock
Options/RSUs:
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a.
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Upon
your Employment Termination Date, all of your then-outstanding stock
options and restricted stock units (RSUs) shall become fully
vested.
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b.
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You
will be eligible to exercise any vested stock options and RSUs you have
been granted for twelve
(12) months after your termination date, as provided by Section
(3)(iii) of the EAA.
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c.
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Any
eligibility to exercise stock options is subject to the terms and
conditions of the applicable plan documents and option agreements,
including without limitation, the Company’s policies with respect to
compliance with laws against xxxxxxx xxxxxxx and any actions taken by the
Company to suspend the execution of option exercises during periods in
which public financial statements are not current. Any vested stock
options shall be subject to all other terms and conditions of the
plan and other documents under which the options were originally granted,
including, without limitation, early termination upon the first to occur
of (i) the maximum year term of such options upon grant or (ii) a change
of control of the Company, in each case on the terms provided for under
the applicable option plan and option
agreement.
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4.
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Confidentiality/Inventions:
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a.
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You
acknowledge that you are still bound by any Inventions and Confidential
Information Agreement (“Confidentiality Agreement”) that you signed during
or shortly before you began your employment with the
Company.
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b.
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You
acknowledge that by reason of your position with the Company you have been
given access to lists of customers, prices, engineering plans, business
plans, strategic plans, technology, roadmaps, developments, inventions,
and similar confidential or proprietary materials or information
respecting the Company’s business, affairs, or
plans.
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c.
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You
represent warrant that
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i.
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you
have held all such information and materials confidential and that you
will continue to do so.
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ii.
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you
will not use such information, materials, and relationships for any
business (which term herein includes a partnership, firm,
corporation or any other entity) at any future time without the prior
written consent of the Company’s General Counsel or
designee.
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5.
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Indemnity
Agreement Obligations; Continuation of Indemnification; Access to
Materials; Cooperation:
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a.
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The
terms of the existing Indemnification Agreement dated September 8, 2008
between you and the Company (the “Indemnification Agreement”) shall remain
in full force and effect, notwithstanding any provision herein to the
contrary.
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b.
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The
parties’ respective obligations in the Indemnification Agreement are not
altered in any way by this agreement nor are such provisions subject to
the releases set forth below, unless expressly indicated in this
Agreement.
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c.
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The
Company also agrees to provide you with reasonable access to materials
necessary for representation of you in pending litigation and regulatory
matters that may or do involve You, directly or indirectly, including
continuing You and your attorneys’ access to hardcopy documents and the
electronic database to which you have previously been granted access,
including any documents in that database to which you have previously had
access, and company documents in electronic form on the database to the
extent permitted by existing protective orders– all during the pendency of
such matters only.
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d.
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In
consideration of the Company commitments in this paragraph, You agree to
reasonably cooperate with the Company and its counsel in any ongoing
litigation or regulatory matters with respect to which you have knowledge,
including investigation by the Company or any of its representatives
related to the activities of employees or other persons or entities
affiliated with the Company.
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6.
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No Other
Benefits: You acknowledge and agree that no other
monetary payments shall be made to you in consideration for entering into
this Agreement apart from those set forth
herein.
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7.
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Sole Agreement/Amendment/No
Inducements/No Admission of Liability: Except for the
Confidentiality Agreement and the Indemnification Agreement referred to
herein, which shall continue in full force and effect, this Agreement
constitutes and contains the entire agreement and understanding concerning
the subject matter referred herein, and supersedes and replaces all prior
negotiations and all proposed agreements, promises, covenants, guarantees,
representations, whether written or oral, express or implied, concerning
any of the subject matters hereof. This Agreement can only be
modified by a later writing signed by you and the Company. You
acknowledge and agree that no promises or representations have been made
to you as an inducement to sign this Agreement other than those expressly
set forth in writing in this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement is, or ever should be deemed to be, an admission by you or the
Company of any liability, fault, wrongdoing or mistake of any
kind. It is contemplated that two duplicate original copies of
this letter will be executed by each of the parties
hereto. Each of the duplicated originals and any photocopies or
facsimile copies thereof shall be deemed to be an original and the same
document for all purposes.
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8.
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Release: Other
than the rights and obligations established by paragraphs 1-7 above, which
survive the release granted by the Employee, Employee hereby expressly
releases and waives any and all claims, liabilities, demands, damages,
penalties, debts, accounts, obligations, actions, grievances, and causes
of action (“Claims”), whether now known or unknown, suspected or
unsuspected, whether in law, in equity or in arbitration, of any kind or
nature whatsoever, which Employee now owns or holds or at any time
heretofore owned or held against IR and/or the Releasees referred to in
the first paragraph of this Agreement, including, but not limited to, any
Claims arising out of or relating in any way to Employee’s employment at
IR and the termination thereof. Without limiting the foregoing,
Employee hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Claims released by this
Agreement include, but are not limited to, any and all claims which arise
or could arise under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age
Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Federal Worker Adjustment
and Retraining Notification Act (or any similar state, local or foreign
law), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, California statutory
or common law, the Orders of the California Industrial Welfare Commission
regulating wages, hours, and working conditions, and federal statutory
law, or any Claim for severance pay, bonus, sick leave, disability,
holiday pay, vacation pay, life insurance, health or medical insurance or
any other fringe benefit. Nothing in this Agreement shall limit in any way
Employee’s right under California Workers’ Compensation laws to file or
pursue any workers’ compensation claim. This release shall not
apply to any claims that may not be waived as a matter of applicable
law.
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a.
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As
part of this general release, Employee expressly releases, waives and
relinquishes all rights under Section 1542 of the California Civil Code
which states:
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“A
GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR
SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS FAVOR AT THE TIME EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN
BY HIM MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS SETTLEMENT WITH THE
DEBTOR.”
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b.
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Employee
acknowledges that he may later discover facts in addition to or different
from those which Employee now knows, or believes to be true, with respect
to any of the subject matters of this Agreement, but that it is
nevertheless Employee’s intention to settle and release any and all Claims
released herein, excepting any rights that exist pursuant to paragraphs
1-7 of this Agreement above.
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c.
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Employee
warrants and represents that there is not now pending any action;
complaint, petition, charge, grievance, or any other form of
administrative, legal or arbitral proceeding by Employee against the
Company and further warrants and represents that no such proceeding of any
kind shall be instituted by or on Employee’s behalf based upon any and all
Claims released herein.
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d.
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Employee
expressly acknowledges, understands and agrees that this Agreement
includes a waiver and release of all claims which employee has or may have
under Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, 29 U.S.C.
§621, et
seq. (“ADEA”). The following terms and conditions apply
to and are part of the waiver and release of ADEA claims under this
Agreement:
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i.
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Employee
is advised to consult an attorney before signing this
Agreement;
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ii.
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Employee
is granted fifty (50) days after he/she is presented with this Agreement
to decide whether or not to sign this
Agreement;
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iii.
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Employee
will have the right to revoke the waiver and release of claims under the
ADEA within seven (7) days of signing this Agreement, and this Agreement
shall not become effective and enforceable until that revocation period
has expired;
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iv.
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Employee
hereby acknowledges and agrees that he/she is knowingly and voluntarily
waiving and releasing Employee’s rights and claims in exchange for
consideration (something of value) in addition to anything of value to
which he/she is already entitled;
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v.
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Employee
has been informed in writing as to any class, unit, or groups of
individuals who are eligible for similar severance, the eligibility
factors for the severance offer and the time limits of that offer. The
group of employees considered eligible, the job titles and ages of all
employees considered eligible or selected, and the ages of all employees
in the same job classification or organizational unit who are not
considered eligible or selected, if any, is described in Exhibit “A”
hereto; and
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vi.
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Nothing
in this Agreement prevents or precludes Employee from challenging or
seeking a determination in good faith of the validity of this waiver under
the ADEA, nor does it impose any condition precedent, penalties or costs
from doing so, unless specifically authorized by federal
law.
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9.
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Release by
IR: Except for those obligations created by or arising
out of this Agreement, and except as provided below, IR hereby
acknowledges full and complete satisfaction of and releases and
discharges, and covenants not to xxx, Employee from and with respect to
any and all claims, agreements, obligations, losses, damages, injuries,
demands and causes of action, known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected,
arising out of or in any way related to Employee’s employment relationship
with or termination from IR, which IR now owns or holds or has at any time
heretofore owned or held against Employee, provided, however, that such
release shall not include claims against Employee which arise out of facts
which constitute willful misconduct, a willful breach of fiduciary duty, a
crime under any federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation,
which are based upon facts which give rise to a recovery by IR under any
applicable policy of insurance as a result of actions or omissions by
Employee and as to which the insurer has a right of subrogation as against
Employee, or which would give rise to a recoupment action under the
Indemnification Agreement or Delaware
law.
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10.
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Arbitration:
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a.
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Any
dispute or controversy between you on the one hand, and the Company (or
any other Releasee), on the other hand, in any way arising out of, related
to, or connected with this Agreement or subject matter thereof, or
otherwise in any way arising out of, related to, or connected with your
employment with the Company or the termination of your
employment with the Company shall be resolved through final binding
arbitration in Los Angeles, California before a sole arbitrator selected
from Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. or its successor
(“JAMS”), or if JAMS is no longer able to supply the arbitrator, such
arbitrator shall be selected from the American Arbitration
Association.
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b.
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Final
resolution of any dispute through arbitration may include any remedy or
relief which the Arbitrator deems just and equitable, including any and
all remedies provided by applicable state or federal
statutes.
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c.
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At
the conclusion of the arbitration, the Arbitrator shall issue a written
decision that sets forth the essential findings and conclusions upon which
the Arbitrator’s award or decision is
based.
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d.
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Any
award or relief granted by the Arbitrator hereunder shall be final and
binding on the parties hereto and may be enforced by any court of
competent jurisdiction.
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e.
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The
parties agree that the Company shall be responsible for payment of all
costs unique to arbitration, including the Arbitrator’s
fee.
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11.
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Severability/Choice of
Law: Should any provision of this Agreement be declared
or be determined by any court to be illegal or invalid, the validity of
the remaining parts, terms or provisions shall not be affected thereby and
said illegal or invalid part, term or provision shall be deemed not to be
part of this Agreement. The terms of this Agreement shall be
governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
California without regard to conflicts of laws
principles.
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12.
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Misc./WARN: Any
payment of severance or benefits under this Agreement is intended to
satisfy, where applicable, the Company’s obligations, if any, under the
Federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (or any similar
state, local or foreign law) (collectively, “WARN”). As such, should the
Company be deemed to hold any obligations to you under WARN, the severance
or benefits paid under this Agreement shall be deemed reduced on a
dollar-for-dollar basis by any payments required to be made to you under
WARN (but, in no case shall the payments under this Agreement be reduced
to less than one week of severance pay) and those amounts reduced shall be
deemed to have been made in lieu of notice under WARN. This
will not affect the amount of the payments you receive from the
Company.
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13.
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Binding
Effects: This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure
to the benefit of Employee and the Company, its successors and
assigns.
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If you
understand and agree to the terms set forth in this letter, please sign and date
the two duplicate originals where indicated below, and return one of them to
me. The other original is for your records.
Further,
you acknowledge and agree that you carefully have read and fully understand this
Agreement, and that you have had full opportunity to seek advice from
independent counsel of your own choice about any questions, concerns or issues
you may have in connection with this Agreement.
INTERNATIONAL
RECTIFIER CORPORATION
Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
VP Human
Resources
I
have read and understand this Agreement, and I consent to all its terms and
provisions.
Dated: _12/18/09_________ ___________________________________________
Don Dancer
Dated: __12/30/09_ By:____________________________________________
Witness