FORM OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.7
FORM OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Employment Agreement”), dated as of [●], 2018 (the “Effective Date”), by and between At Home RMS Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and [●] (the “Executive”) (each of the Executive and the Company, a “Party,” and collectively, the “Parties”).
WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ the Executive as [●] of the Company and wishes to acquire and be assured of the Executive’s services on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS, the Executive desires to be employed by the Company as [●] and to perform and to serve the Company on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other valid consideration, the sufficiency of which is acknowledged, the Parties hereto agree as follows:
1.1. Term. Subject to Section 3 hereof, the Company agrees to employ the Executive, and the Executive agrees to be employed by the Company, in each case pursuant to this Employment Agreement, until either Party terminates the Employment Agreement in accordance with Section 3 hereof (the “Term”). The Executive’s period of employment pursuant to this Employment Agreement shall hereinafter be referred to as the “Employment Period.” |
1.2. Duties. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall serve as [●] of the Company and such other positions as an officer or director of the Company and such affiliates of the Company as the Company shall determine from time to time. In the Executive’s position of [●], the Executive shall perform duties customary for the [●] of a company similar to the Company’s size and nature, plus such additional duties, consistent with the foregoing, as the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) may assign. The Executive’s principal place of employment shall be the Company’s headquarters in Plano, Texas. |
1.3. Exclusivity. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall devote substantially all of the Executive’s business time and attention to the business and affairs of the Company, shall faithfully serve the Company, and shall conform to and comply with the lawful directions and instructions given to the Executive by the CEO, consistent with Section 1.2 hereof. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall use the Executive’s best efforts to promote and serve the interests of the Company and shall not engage in any other business activity, whether or not such activity shall be engaged in for pecuniary profit; provided, that the Executive may (a) serve any civic, charitable, educational or professional organization, (b) serve on the board of directors of for-profit business enterprises, provided that such service is approved by the board of directors (the “Board”) of At Home Group Inc. (“Holding”) and (c) manage the Executive’s personal investments, in each case so long as any such activities do not (x) violate the terms of this Employment Agreement (including Section 4) or (y) materially interfere with the Executive’s duties and responsibilities to the Company. |
2.5. Business Expenses. The Company shall pay or reimburse the Executive, upon presentation of documentation, for all commercially reasonable business out-of-pocket expenses that the Executive incurs during the Employment Period in performing the Executive’s duties under this Employment Agreement and in accordance with the expense reimbursement policy of the Company as approved by the CEO and in effect from time to time. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary or otherwise, except to the extent any expense or reimbursement described in this Employment Agreement does not constitute a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and guidance thereunder (“Section 409A”), any expense or reimbursement described in this Employment Agreement shall meet the following requirements: (i) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement provided to the Executive during any calendar year will not affect the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement to the Executive in any other calendar year; (ii) the reimbursements for expenses for which the Executive is entitled to be reimbursed shall be made on or before the last day of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the applicable expense is incurred; (iii) the right to payment or reimbursement or in-kind benefits hereunder may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit; and (iv) the |
reimbursements shall be made pursuant to objectively determinable and nondiscretionary Company policies and procedures regarding such reimbursement of expenses. |
or any state thereof or any similar foreign law to which the Executive may be subject; or (D) any failure to comply with any written rules, regulations, policies or procedures of the Company which, if not complied with, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business or financial condition of the Company, which in the case of a failure that is capable of being cured, is not cured to the satisfaction of the CEO within 30 days after the Executive receives from the Company written notice of such failure; or (E) misconduct that would cause the Company to violate any law relating to sexual harassment or age, sex or other prohibited discrimination, which in the case of a failure that is capable of being cured, is not cured to the satisfaction of the CEO within 30 days after the Executive receives from the Company written notice of such failure. If the Company terminates the Executive’s employment for Cause, the Company shall provide written notice to the Executive of that fact on or before the termination of employment. However, if, within 60 days following the termination, the Company first discovers facts that would have established “Cause” for termination, and those facts were not known by the Company at the time of the termination, then the Company may provide Executive with written notice, including the facts establishing that the purported “Cause” was not known at the time of the termination, in which case the Executive’s termination of employment will be considered a for Cause termination under this Employment Agreement. |
Section 4. |
Unauthorized Disclosure; Non-Competition; Non-Solicitation; Interference with Business Relationships; Proprietary Rights. |
or entity (collectively, a “Governmental Entity”) with respect to possible violations of any U.S. federal, state or local law or regulation, or otherwise make disclosures to any Governmental Entity, in each case, that are protected under the whistleblower or similar provisions of any such law or regulation; provided that in each case such communications and disclosures are consistent with applicable law. Nothing herein shall preclude the Executive’s right to receive an award from a Governmental Entity for information provided under any whistleblower or similar program. The Executive shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made in confidence to a federal, state or local government official or to an attorney solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law. The Executive shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, provided that such filing is made under seal. If the Executive files a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, the Executive may disclose the trade secret to the Executive’s attorney and use the trade secret information in any related court proceeding, provided that the Executive files any document containing the trade secret under seal and does not disclose the trade secret except pursuant to court order. |
material relationship between any member of the Company Group and any of their customers or clients so as to cause harm to any member of the Company Group. |
4.5. Extension of Restriction Period. The Restriction Period shall be tolled for any period during which the Executive is in breach of any of Sections 4.2, 4.3 or 4.4 hereof. |
paragraph shall not prevent the Company from pursuing any other available remedies for any breach or threatened breach hereof, including, without limitation, the recovery of damages from the Executive. The Executive and the Company further agree that the provisions of the covenants contained in this Section 4 are reasonable and necessary to protect the businesses of the Company Group because of the Executive’s access to Confidential Information and the Executive’s material participation in the operation of such businesses. In the event that the Executive willfully and materially breaches any of the covenants set forth in this Section 4, then in addition to any injunctive relief, the Executive will promptly return to the Company any portion of the Severance Amount that the Company has paid to the Executive. |
7.1. Withholding. All amounts paid to the Executive under this Employment Agreement during or following the Employment Period shall be subject to withholding and other employment taxes imposed by applicable law. The Executive shall be solely responsible for the payment of all taxes imposed on the Executive relating to the payment or provision of any amounts or benefits hereunder. |
7.2. Clawbacks. If any law, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or its affiliates (including any rule or requirement of any nationally recognized stock exchange on which the stock of the Company or its affiliates has been listed), or any policy of the Company or its affiliates reasonably designed to comply therewith, requires the forfeiture or recoupment of any amount paid or payable to the Executive hereunder (or under any other agreement between the Executive and the Company or its affiliates or under any plan in which the Executive participates), the Executive hereby consents to such forfeiture or recoupment, in each case in the time and manner determined by the Company in its reasonable good faith discretion. Furthermore, if the Executive engages in any act of embezzlement, fraud or dishonesty involving the Company or its affiliates which results in a financial loss to the Company or its affiliates, the Company shall be entitled to recoup an amount from the Executive determined by the Company in its reasonable discretion to be commensurate with such financial loss. |
At Home RMS Inc.
Xxxxx, XX 00000
e-mail: xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx
Fried, Frank, Harris, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP
e-mail: Xxxxxxx.Xxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
If to the Executive:[●], at the Executive’s principal office and e-mail address at the Company (during the Employment Period), and at all times to the Executive’s principal residence as reflected in the records of the Company.
All such notices, requests, consents and other communications shall be deemed to have been given when received. Either party may change its address to which notices, requests, demands, claims and other communications hereunder are to be delivered by giving the other parties hereto notice in the manner then set forth.
8.5. Governing Law. This Employment Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and the laws of the State of Texas hereto shall govern the rights and obligations of the parties, without giving effect to the conflicts of law principles thereof. |
dealings), both written and oral, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. |
8.8. Counterparts. This Employment Agreement may be executed by facsimile or electronic transmission (e.g., “.pdf”) and in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Employment Agreement as of the date first written above.
AT HOME RMS INC.
By_____________________________
Name:
Title:
EXECUTIVE
____________________________
Name: [●]
[Signature Page to Employment Agreement]
You should consult with an attorney before signing this release of claims.
(A) |
rights of the Executive arising under, or preserved by, this Release or Section 3 of the Employment Agreement; |
(B) |
the right of the Executive to receive COBRA continuation coverage in accordance with applicable law; |
(C) |
claims for benefits under any health, disability, retirement, life insurance or other, similar employee benefit plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) of the Company Affiliated Group; |
(E) |
any matters which expressly survive the execution of this Release as set forth in the Employment Agreement, the terms and conditions of which are incorporated herein by reference; and |
(F) |
rights granted to Executive during the Executive’s employment related to the grant and/or purchase of equity and equity-based compensation of Holding. |
4. The Executive specifically acknowledges that the Executive’s acceptance of the terms of this Release is, among other things, a specific waiver of the Executive’s rights, claims and causes of action under Title VII, ADEA, ADA and any state or local law or regulation in respect of discrimination of any kind; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be deemed, nor does anything contained herein purport, to be a waiver of any right or claim or cause of action which by law the Executive is not permitted to waive. |
6. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Executive has not, with respect to any transaction or state of facts existing prior to the date hereof, filed any complaints, charges or lawsuits against any Company Released Party with any governmental agency, court or tribunal. |
8. The Executive acknowledges that this Release relates only to claims that exist as of the date of this Release. |
9. The Executive acknowledges that the Severance Amount the Executive is receiving in connection with this Release and the Executive’s obligations under this Release are in addition to anything of value to which the Executive is entitled from the Company. |
14. This Release shall be binding upon any and all successors and assigns of the Executive and the Company. |
15. Except for issues or matters as to which federal law is applicable, this Release shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas without giving effect to the conflicts of law principles thereof. |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Release has been signed by or on behalf of each of the Parties, all as of ____________________.
[Signature Page to Release]
Schedule of Substantial Differences
This schedule of substantial differences is not part of the preceding form of employment agreement.
Xx. Xxxxx Xxxxx’x employment agreement is substantially similar to the preceding form except that (i) it provides for payment of a signing bonus, subject to repayment if Xx. Xxxxx resigns or is terminated by the Company without Cause on or before April 12, 2019, and (ii) the definition of “Restricted Enterprise” is as follows: “Restricted Enterprise” shall mean any retail enterprise offering merchandise in home furnishings, home décor and accessories, outdoor furnishings, garden décor, seasonal decorations or similar product categories.
Xx. Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx’x employment agreement is substantially similar to the preceding form except that it provides that if Xx. Xxxxxxxx is required to repay to her previous employer certain relocation expenses paid by her previous employer, the Company will reimburse Xx. Xxxxxxxx for such costs, subject to a cap. If Xx. Xxxxxxxx resigns or her employment is terminated by the Company for Cause within one year of the Effective Date, she is required to repay to the Company all of such payment, and if such termination occurs after one year but on or before the second anniversary of the Effective Date, she is required to repay to the Company a portion of such payment.