AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT
This
AGREEMENT is made as of December 1, 2006, by and among XXXXXXXXX-XXXX COMPANY,
a
New Jersey corporation (the “Company”), XXXXXXXXX-XXXX COMPANY LIMITED, a
Bermuda company (“IR Limited”) and ________________ (the “Employee”). Unless
otherwise indicated, terms used herein and defined in Schedule A hereto shall
have the meanings assigned to them in said Schedule.
The
Company, IR Limited and the Employee are already parties to an agreement that
is
currently in effect, which they desire to hereby terminate as of 12:00 a.m.
on
December 1, 2006 and agree as follows:
1. TERM/OPERATION
OF AGREEMENT.
This
Agreement shall begin and be effective at 12:01 a.m. on December 1, 2006 and
shall continue thereafter from year to year prior to a Change in Control Event
unless terminated as of any anniversary of the date hereof by either party
upon
written notice to the other party given at least 60 days prior to such
anniversary date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may not be
terminated on or after the occurrence of a Change in Control Event and its
terms
shall continue until the later of: the second anniversary of the occurrence
of a
Change in Control Event; or after satisfaction of all obligations
hereunder.
2. EMPLOYEE’S
POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITY.
The
Employee will continue to serve the IR Group upon the occurrence of a Change
in
Control Event in accordance with the terms of this Agreement unless his
employment terminates under the terms hereof prior to the expiration of the
Agreement.
3. COMPENSATION
AND OTHER BENEFITS UPON CHANGE IN CONTROL EVENT.
The
Company and the Employee agree that, upon the occurrence of any Change in
Control Event, the Employee shall continue to receive basic annual salary,
bonus
and fringe and other benefits as follows:
(a) Basic
Annual Salary and Bonus.
The
Employee’s basic annual salary shall continue at a rate not less than the rate
of annual salary, which has been paid to the Employee immediately prior to
the
Change in Control Event, with such annual increases (but not decreases) equal
to
the greater of (i) salary increases as may be contemplated by any applicable
salary adjustment programs of the IR Group (or any member thereof) in effect
immediately prior to the Change in Control Event and applicable to the Employee
and such further increases as shall be determined from time to time by the
Board
or (ii) a percentage equal to the percentage increase (if any) in the “Consumer
Price Index for All Urban Consumers” published by the United States Department
of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics for the then most recently ended 12-month
period. In addition, the Employee shall be entitled to receive an annual bonus
in an amount not less than the highest annual bonus received by, or accrued
on
behalf of, the Employee during the period of (i) the three full Fiscal Years
immediately preceding the Change in Control Event, or, if a lesser period,
(ii)
the number of full Fiscal Years immediately preceding the Change in Control
Event during which the Employee has been employed by the IR Group (or any member
thereof) (whether the bonus is paid to, is accrued on behalf of, or is a
Deferral Amount (as such term is defined, respectively, in the IR Executive
Deferred Compensation Plan and the IR Executive Deferred Compensation Plan
II
(collectively, the “Executive Deferred Plans")).
(b) Compensation
and Benefits; Business Expenses.
The
Employee shall continue to be entitled to receive benefits, including but not
limited to pension (and supplemental pension), savings plan (and supplemental
savings plan), leveraged employee stock ownership plan, stock award, performance
share, stock option, deferred compensation, and welfare plans (as defined in
section 3(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
or otherwise) including, but not limited to, life, medical, prescription drugs,
dental, disability, accidental death and travel accident coverage plans,
post-retirement welfare benefits, and an estate enhancement program on terms
no
less favorable than those in effect under each such plan or program immediately
prior to the Change in Control Event, and at no less than the same benefit
levels (and no more than the same employee contribution levels) then in effect
under each such plan or program of the IR Group (or any member thereof) as
it
exists immediately prior to the Change in Control Event, and to receive all
other compensation, benefits and perquisites (or their equivalent) from time
to
time in effect for the benefit of any executive, management or administrative
group for which the employment position then held by the Employee entitles
the
Employee to participate. The Company shall provide for the payment of, or
reimburse the Employee for, all travel and other out-of-pocket expenses
reasonably incurred by him in the performance of his or her duties
hereunder.
4. PAYMENTS
AND BENEFITS UPON TERMINATION.
Subject
to Section 8(k), the Employee shall be entitled to the following payments and
benefits upon Termination:
(a) Salary
and Bonus.
The
Company shall pay to the Employee, in a cash lump sum on the Termination Date,
an amount equal to the sum of (i) the basic annual salary, and any annual bonus
in respect of a completed fiscal year, which have not yet been paid to the
Employee through the Termination Date; (ii) an amount equal to the last annual
bonus received by, or awarded to, the Employee with respect to the full Fiscal
Year immediately preceding the Termination Date multiplied by a fraction the
numerator of which shall be the number of full months the Employee was employed
by the Company during the Fiscal Year containing the Employee’s Termination Date
and the denominator of which shall be 12; and (iii) an amount equal to the
Employee’s basic annual salary multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of unused vacation days to which the Employee is entitled
as
of the Termination Date and the denominator of which shall be 365, and any
other
amounts normally paid to an employee by the IR Group (or any member thereof)
upon termination of employment. For the purpose of 4(a)(ii), any partial month
during which the Employee is employed shall be deemed a full month.
(b) Severance.
Except
as otherwise provided under paragraph 5(a), the Company shall pay to the
Employee, in a cash lump sum not more than 30 days following the Termination
Date, an amount equal to three times the sum of (i) the basic annual salary
in
effect on the Termination Date, or, if higher, the basic annual salary in effect
immediately prior to reduction of the Employee’s basic annual salary after the
Change in Control Event; and (ii) the Employee’s target bonus for the year of
termination or, if higher, the average of the annual bonus received by, or
accrued on behalf of, the Employee during the period beginning three full Fiscal
Years immediately preceding the Change in Control Event and ending on the
Termination Date (whether the bonus is paid to, is accrued on behalf of, or
is a
Deferral Amount (as such term is defined in the Executive Deferred
Plans)).
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(c)
Employee
Benefit Plans.
For the
three year period following the Termination Date, the IR Group (or any member
thereof) shall continue to cover the Employee under those employee welfare
plans
(including, but not limited to, life, medical, prescription drugs, dental,
accidental death and travel accident coverage, but not including any severance
pay or disability plan, other than that provided pursuant to this Agreement
or
any pension plan) applicable to the Employee on the Termination Date at the
same
benefit levels then in effect (or shall provide their equivalent); provided,
however,
that if
the Employee becomes employed by a new employer and participates in a welfare
plan of such employer that is at least as favorable as the comparable plan
of
the IR Group (or any member thereof), the Employee’s coverage hereunder under
the applicable welfare plan of the IR Group (or any member thereof) (or the
equivalent) shall continue only as secondary coverage to that provided by the
new employer until the three year period following the Termination Date (but
shall become primary coverage on or prior to the expiration of the three year
period following the Termination Date if, for any reason, the Employee ceases
to
participate in the new employer’s plan or if such new employer’s plan becomes
less favorable than the comparable plan of the IR Group (or any member
thereof)).
(d) Executive
Deferred Compensation Plans and Supplemental Employee Savings
Plans.
The
amount and payment of benefits under the IR Executive Deferred Compensation
Plan, the IR Executive Deferred Compensation Plan II (collectively, “EDCP
Plans”), and the Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Company Supplemental Employee Savings Plan
(“ESP”) shall be determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in the
applicable plan document.
(e)
Pension
Benefits.
(i) No
later
than 30 days following the Termination Date, the Company shall pay the Employee
an amount (in one lump sum cash payment and in lieu of the benefit otherwise
provided under the applicable plan, program or agreement) equal to the present
value of the sum of the pension benefits the Employee is entitled to receive
under (A) the Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Company Supplemental Pension Plan (the “Section 415
Excess Plan”), (B) the Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Company Elected Officers Supplemental
Program (the “Elected Officers Supplemental Program” or the “Program”), and, if
applicable, (C) the Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Company Executive Supplementary Retirement
Agreement (the “Ten-Year Annuity”), all as in effect immediately prior to the
Change in Control Event (collectively, the Section 415 Excess Plan, the Program
and the Ten-Year Annuity shall be referred to as the “Pension
Benefit”).
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(ii) In
calculating the portion of the Pension Benefit under the Elected Officers
Supplemental Program for the purpose of determining the amount payable under
this Agreement, the Company shall: (A) credit the Employee with an additional
three Years of Service (as defined in the Program) (but in no event shall the
Employee be credited with more than 35 Years of Service) and an additional
three
years of age but to an age no greater than 65 for purposes of computing the
amount of the Pension Benefit; and (B) define “Final Average Pay” in Section
1.10 of the Program as 1/3 of the severance amount determined pursuant to
paragraph 4(b) of this Agreement. If, after crediting three years of age, the
Employee is less than 55 years old, the portion of his or her Pension Benefit
under the Program shall be reduced to reflect commencement prior to age 55
in
accordance with the applicable provisions of the Program.
(iii) This
paragraph 4(e)(iii) shall apply only in the event that the portion of the Pension
Benefit under the Elected Officers Supplemental Program, after application
of
paragraph 4(e)(ii), is less than zero ($0.00). In
calculating the portion of the Pension Benefit under Section 1.1 of the Section
415 Excess Plan for the purpose of determining the amount payable under this
Agreement, the Company shall credit the Employee with three additional years
of
credited service (within the meaning of the Company’s qualified defined benefit
plan in which the Employee actively participates immediately prior to the Change
in Control Event (the “Qualified Pension Plan”), and
including compensation, vesting and age credit) and three additional years
of
age (provided that age shall not be increased to more than 65) for purposes
of
the Section 415 Excess Plan but not the Qualified Pension Plan.
(iv) In
calculating the portion of the Pension Benefit for the purpose of determining
the amount payable under this Agreement under the Ten-Year Annuity, the Company
shall credit the Employee with three additional years of age but to an age
no
greater than 65. Further, the competition restriction under the Ten-year Annuity
shall be deleted and shall be null and void as of the Termination Date and
replaced, in lieu thereof, with the competition restriction as set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(v) The
present value of the Pension Benefit under the Elected Officers Supplemental
Program, the Ten-Year Annuity and, only in the event that paragraph 4(e)(iii)
applies, the Section 415 Excess Plan, shall be calculated using (A) an interest
rate equal to the 10-year Treasury Note rate as used in the Elected Officers
Supplemental Program’s definition of Actuarial Equivalent, (B) the mortality
rate used to determine lump sum values in the Elected Officers Supplemental
Program, and (C) actual age without the three year addition to age, except
that the Ten-Year Annuity present value shall be calculated using no mortality
assumption and actual age plus the additional three years but to an age no
greater than 65.
(f)
Retiree
Welfare Benefits.
For
purposes of determining the Employee’s eligibility for post-retirement benefits
under any welfare plan maintained by the IR Group (or any member thereof) prior
to the occurrence of a Change in Control Event, the Employee shall be credited
with any combination of additional years of service and age which together
shall
not exceed 10 years, for the purpose of determining eligibility for such
benefits. If, after taking into account such additional age and service, the
Employee is eligible for any such post-retirement welfare benefits (or would
have been eligible under the terms of such plans as in effect prior to the
occurrence of the Change in Control Event), the Employee shall receive,
commencing on the month following the date that is three years after the
Termination Date, post-retirement welfare benefits no less favorable than the
benefits the Employee would have received under the terms and conditions of
the
applicable plans in effect immediately prior to the occurrence of the Change
in
Control Event. For the purpose of determining years of service under this
paragraph, years of service shall be determined in accordance with the
definition of “Year of Vesting Service” as set forth under Section 1.42 of the
Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Pension Plan One (as in effect immediately prior to the Change
in
Control Event) in addition to the additional years provided herein.
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(g)
Performance Share Awards and MIUs.
Upon
Termination following a Change in Control Event, the following provisions shall
apply with respect to the Performance Share Program (“PSP”) and the Management
Incentive Unit Plan of Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Company (“MIU Plan”):
(i)
PSP.
All
unpaid awards in the PSP and all performance objectives shall be deemed fully
earned (fully earned performance objectives mean that 100% of the target award
amount under the PSP shall have been earned). No later than 30 days following
the Termination Date, the Company shall pay the Employee (in one lump sum cash
payment and in lieu of the benefit otherwise provided under the PSP) an amount
determined as follows: (A) three times the number of shares (or share
equivalents) represented by the unpaid awards under the PSP, as determined
in
accordance with the provisions of the PSP, times the price of a share of Company
Stock in the transaction that is the Change in Control Event (or, if the Change
in Control Event is an exchange of Company Stock for a stock (or a combination
of cash and stock) of another company, the value of what was exchanged for
the
Company Stock in such Change in Control Event) (“Company Stock Value”), or, if
greater, (B) three times the average of the amounts of the last three awards
granted and paid to the Employee immediately preceding the Employee’s
Termination Date.
(ii)
MIU
Plan.
All
amounts in the MIU Plan shall be deemed vested, whether or not otherwise vested.
No later than 30 days following the Termination Date, the Company shall pay
the
Employee (in one lump sum cash payment and in lieu of the benefit otherwise
provided under the MIU Plan) an amount equal to the number of common share
equivalents, as described in the MIU Plan, held on behalf of the Employee
multiplied by the Company Stock Value.
(h)
Estate
Enhancement Program.
If the
Employee participates in the Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Company Estate Enhancement Program,
the terms thereof shall apply.
(i)
Outplacement
Expenses.
For the
three year period following the Termination Date, the Company shall reimburse
the Employee for all reasonable expenses (up to 45% of the Employee’s basic
annual salary, but no more than $100,000, during such 3 year period) actually
incurred by the Employee for professional outplacement services by qualified
consultants selected by the Employee.
5
5. PARACHUTE
EXCISE TAX GROSS-UP.
(a) If
an Employee receives, as a result of any payment or benefit provided under
this
Agreement, either alone or together with other payments and benefits, or is
then
entitled to receive, from the IR Group (or any member thereof) an amount of
payment which constitutes a "parachute payment" within the meaning of Section
280G(b)(2)(a) that would cause the Employee to become subject to the excise
tax
imposed under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(“Code”) (together with any income, employment or other taxes, interest and
penalties thereon, an "Excise Tax"), and such amount of payment received by
the
Employee exceeds the limit set forth in Section 280G(b)(2)(a)(ii) by at least
ten percent (10%) of that limit, then the Company shall pay the Employee an
amount sufficient to place the Employee in the same after-tax financial position
that he or she would have been in if he or she had not incurred any Excise
Tax
(together with any taxes, interest and penalties hereon, the "Gross-Up
Payment"). For purposes of determining whether the Employee is subject to an
Excise Tax, (i) any payments or benefits received by the Employee (whether
pursuant to the terms hereof or pursuant to any plan, arrangement or other
agreement with the IR Group (or any member of the IR Group)) shall be deemed
to
be contingent on a change described in Section 280G(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Code
and
shall be taken into account and (ii) the Employee shall be deemed to pay taxes
at the highest marginal applicable rates of such taxation for the calendar
year
in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made, net of the maximum deduction in
federal income taxes which could be obtained from deduction of such state and
local taxes. If, an Employee receives, as a result of any payment or benefit
provided under this Agreement, either alone or together with other payments
and
benefits which the Employee receives, or is then entitled to receive, from
the
IR Group (or any member thereof) an amount of payment which constitutes a
"parachute payment" within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2)(a), and the amount
of such parachute payment does not exceeds the limit set forth in Section
280G(b)(2)(a)(ii) by ten percent (10%) of such limit, then the amount of such
parachute payment to the Employee shall be reduced by an amount necessary to
satisfy the maximum amount allowable under Section 280G(b)(2)(a)(ii) of the
Code. Any reduction of payment necessary to meet the provision of the foregoing
sentence shall first be taken from severance payments provided under Section
4(b).
(b) The
determination of whether the Employee is subject to Excise Tax and the amounts
of such Excise Tax and Gross-Up Payment, as well as other calculations
hereunder, shall be made at the expense of the Company by the independent
auditors of the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control Event
(“Independent Auditors”). If the Independent Auditors determine that the
payments to the Employee described under Section 5(a) do not exceed the
limit set forth in Section 280G(b)(2)(a)(ii) by ten percent (10%) of such
limit
immediately prior to the Change in Control Event, then the Employee shall be
entitled, at the Company’s expense, to another determination
of whether the Employee is subject to Excise Tax and the amounts of such Excise
Tax and Gross-Up Payment, as well as other calculations hereunder, by the
Independent Auditors of the Company immediately prior to the Employee’s
Termination Date. The Independent Auditors shall provide the Company and
Employee with prompt written notice (the “Company Notice”) setting forth their
determinations and calculations that were performed immediately prior to the
Change in Control Event and the Employee’s Termination Date, if applicable.
Within 30 days following the receipt by the Employee of the Company Notice,
the
Employee may notify the Company in writing (the “Employee Notice”) if the
Employee disagrees with such determinations or calculations, setting forth
the
reasons for any such disagreement. If the Company and the Employee do not
resolve such disagreement within 10 business days following receipt by the
Company of the Employee Notice, the Company and the Employee shall agree upon
a
nationally recognized accounting or compensation firm (the “Resolving Firm”) to
make a determination with respect to such disagreement. If the Employee and
the
Company are unable to agree upon the Resolving Firm within 20 business days
following the Employee Notice, the New York office of Towers, Xxxxxx shall
be
the Resolving Firm. Within 30 business days following the Employee Notice,
if
the disagreement is not resolved by such time, each of the Employee and the
Company shall submit its position to the Resolving Firm, which shall make a
determination as to all such disagreements within 30 days following the last
of
such submissions, which determination shall be binding upon the Employee and
the
Company. The Company shall pay all reasonable expenses incurred by either party
in connection with the determinations, calculations, disagreements or
resolutions pursuant to this paragraph, including, but not limited to,
reasonable legal, consulting or other similar fees and expenses.
6
(c) The
Employee shall notify the Company in writing of any claim by the Internal
Revenue Service that, if successful, would require the payment by the Company
of
a Gross-Up Payment. Such notification shall be given as soon as practicable
but
no later than 10 business days after the Employee is informed in writing of
such
claim and shall apprise the Company of the nature of such claim and the date
on
which such claim is requested to be paid. The Employee shall not pay such claim
prior to the expiration of the 30 day period following the date on which the
Employee gives such notice to the Company (or such shorter period ending on
the
date that any payment of taxes with respect to such claim is due). If the
Company notifies the Employee in writing prior to the expiration of such period
that it desires to contest such claim, the Employee shall:
(i) give
the
Company any information reasonably requested by the Company relating to such
claim;
(ii) take
such
action in connection with contesting such claim as the Company shall reasonably
request in writing from time to time, including, without limitation, accepting
legal representation with respect to such claim by an attorney reasonably
selected by the Company and reasonably satisfactory to the
Employee;
(iii) cooperate
with the Company in good faith in order to effectively contest such claim;
and
(iv) permit
the Company to participate in any proceedings relating to such
claim;
provided,
however,
that
the Company shall bear and pay directly all costs and expenses (including,
but
not limited to, additional interest and penalties and related legal, consulting
or other similar fees) incurred in connection with such contest and shall
indemnify and hold the Employee harmless, on an after-tax basis, for any Excise
Tax or other tax (including interest and penalties with respect thereto) imposed
as a result of such representation and payment of costs and
expenses.
7
(d) The
Company shall control all proceedings taken in connection with such contest
and,
at its sole option, may pursue or forego any and all administrative appeals,
proceedings, hearings and conferences with the taxing authority in respect
of
such claim and may, at its sole option, either direct the Employee to pay the
tax claimed and xxx for a refund or contest the claim in any permissible manner,
and the Employee agrees to prosecute such contest to a determination before
any
administrative tribunal, in a court of initial jurisdiction and in one or more
appellate courts, as the Company shall determine; provided,
however,
that if
the Company directs the Employee to pay such claim and xxx for a refund, the
Company shall advance the amount of such payment to the Employee on an
interest-free basis, and shall indemnify and hold the Employee harmless, on
an
after-tax basis, from any Excise Tax or other tax (including interest or
penalties with respect thereto) imposed with respect to such advance or with
respect to any imputed income with respect to such advance; and provided,
further,
that if
the Employee is required to extend the statute of limitations to enable the
Company to contest such claim, the Employee may limit this extension solely
to
such contested amount. The Company’s control of the contest shall be limited to
issues with respect to which a Gross-Up Payment would be payable hereunder
and
the Employee shall be entitled to settle or contest, as the case may be, any
other issue raised by the Internal Revenue Service or any other taxing
authority. In addition, no position may be taken nor any final resolution be
agreed to by the Company without the Employee’s consent if such position or
resolution could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Employee
(including any other tax position of the Employee unrelated to the matters
covered hereby).
(e) As
a
result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of the Code at
the
time of the initial determination by the Company or the Resolving Firm
hereunder, it is possible that Gross-Up Payments which will not have been made
by the Company should have been made (“Underpayment”), consistent with the
calculations required to be made hereunder. In the event that the Company
exhausts its remedies and the Employee thereafter is required to pay to the
Internal Revenue Service an additional amount in respect of any Excise Tax,
the
Company or the Resolving Firm shall determine the amount of the Underpayment
that has occurred and any such Underpayment shall promptly be paid by the
Company to or for the benefit of the Employee.
(f) If,
after
the receipt by Employee of an amount advanced by the Company in connection
with
the contest of Excise Tax claim, the Employee becomes entitled to receive any
refund with respect to such claim, the Employee shall promptly pay to the
Company the amount of such refund actually received (together with any interest
paid or credited thereon after taxes applicable thereto). If, after the receipt
by the Employee of an amount advanced by the Company in connection with an
Excise Tax claim, a determination is made that Employee shall not be entitled
to
any refund with respect to such claim and the Company does not notify the
Employee in writing of its intent to contest the denial of such refund prior
to
the expiration of 30 days after such determination, such advance shall be
forgiven and shall not be required to be repaid and the amount of such advance
shall be offset, to the extent thereof, by the amount of the Gross-Up
Payment.
6. EFFECT
ON
OTHER EMPLOYMENT ARRANGEMENTS.
Except
for any interests or rights relating to benefit provisions (but not severance
payments) such as pension, stock option grants, stock awards, health and welfare
(including retiree medical) and perquisites that the Employee may have under
any
other written employment agreement or arrangement with the Company, or any
member of the IR Group, the provisions of this Agreement contain the entire
understanding of the parties hereto and, in the event of a Termination, shall
supersede and govern in all respects any prior employment or severance agreement
or understanding between the Company, or any member of the IR Group and the
Employee. For the avoidance of doubt, any pension arrangement that the Employee
may have under any employment agreement or arrangement with the Company are
in
addition to the provisions of paragraph 4(e) hereof.
8
7. CONFIDENTIALITY;
COVENANT NOT TO COMPETE.
(a) The
Employee shall not, without the Company’s prior written consent, either directly
or indirectly, (i) at any time during the Employee’s employment with the Company
or any member of the IR Group and for three years after the Employee’s
Termination, disclose any Confidential Information pertaining to the business
of
the Company or the IR Group, except when required to perform his or her duties
to the Company or any member of the IR Group, by law or judicial process; or
(ii) for the one year period after the Employee’s Termination (the “Restricted
Period”) (A) be engaged in or have a financial interest (other than an ownership
position of less than 5% in any company whose shares are publicly traded or
any
non-voting non-convertible debt securities in any company) in any business
which
competes with any business of the Company or any member of the IR Group, (B)
solicit customers or clients of the Company or any member of the IR Group to
terminate their relationship with the Company or any member of the IR Group
or
otherwise solicit such customers or clients to compete with any business of
the
Company or any member of IR Group or (C) solicit or offer employment to, or
otherwise hire, any person who has been employed by the Company or any member
of
the IR Group at any time during the twelve months immediately preceding the
termination of the Employee’s employment. If the Employee is bound by any other
agreement with the Company or any member of the IR Group regarding the use
or
disclosure of confidential information, the provisions of this Section 7 shall
be read in such a way as to further restrict and not to permit any more
extensive use or disclosure of confidential information.
(b) Notwithstanding
clause (a) above, if at any time a court holds that the restrictions stated
in
such clause (a) are unreasonable or otherwise unenforceable under circumstances
then existing, the parties hereto agree that the maximum period, scope or
geographic area determined to be reasonable under such circumstances by such
court will be substituted for the stated period, scope or area.
(c) For
purposes of this Agreement, “Confidential Information” shall mean all non-public
information concerning trade secret, know-how, software, developments,
inventions, processes, technology, designs, the financial data, strategic
business plans or any proprietary or confidential information, documents or
materials in any form or media, including any of the foregoing relating to
research, operations, finances, current and proposed products and services,
vendors, customers, advertising and marketing, and other non-public,
proprietary, and confidential information of the Company or any member of the
IR
Group.
8. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Legal
Expenses; Severability.
The
Company shall pay all costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, of the
Company and, at least quarterly, the Employee, in connection with any legal
proceedings, whether or not instituted by the IR Group (or any member thereof),
relating to the interpretation or enforcement of this Agreement. In the event
that the provisions of this paragraph shall be determined to be invalid or
unenforceable in any respect, such declaration shall not affect the remaining
provisions of this Agreement, which shall continue in full force and
effect.
9
(b) Mitigation.
All
payments or benefits required by the terms of this Agreement shall be made
or
provided without offset, deduction, or mitigation on account of income the
Employee may receive from other employment or otherwise and the Employee shall
not have any obligation or duty to seek any other employment or otherwise earn
any amounts to reduce or mitigate any payments required hereunder.
(c) Death
of the Employee.
In the
event of the Employee’s death subsequent to Termination, all payments called for
hereunder shall be paid to the Employee’s designated beneficiary or
beneficiaries, or to his or her estate if he or she has not designated a
beneficiary or beneficiaries.
(d) Notices.
Any
notice or other communication provided for in this Agreement or contemplated
hereby shall be sufficiently given if given in writing and delivered by hand,
by
overnight courier (with receipt) or by certified mail, return receipt requested,
and addressed, in the case of the Company, to the Company at:
000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Attention:
President
or
such
other address if the executive offices of the Company have moved;
with
a
copy to IR Limited at:
c/o
Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxx Company
000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Chairman of the Board of Directors
or
such
other address if the executive offices of the Company have moved;
and,
in
the case of the Employee, to the Employee at:
Either
party may designate a different address by giving notice of change in address
in
the manner provided above.
(e) Waiver.
No
waiver or modification in whole or in part of this Agreement, or any term or
condition hereof, shall be effective against any party unless in writing and
duly signed by the party sought to be bound. Any waiver of any breach of any
provision hereof or any right or power by any party on one occasion shall not
be
construed as a waiver of, or a bar to, the exercise of such right or power
on
any other occasion or as a waiver of any subsequent breach.
10
(f) Binding
Effect; Successors.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Company,
IR Limited and the Employee and their respective heirs, legal representatives,
successors and assigns. If the Company and/or IR Limited shall be merged into
or
consolidated with another entity, the provisions of this Agreement shall be
binding upon and inure to the benefit of the entity surviving such merger or
resulting from such consolidation. The Company and/or IR Limited, as applicable,
will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger,
consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or
assets of the Company and/or IR Limited, as applicable, by agreement in form
and
substance satisfactory to the Employee, to expressly assume and agree to perform
this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company and/or
IR Limited would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken
place. The provisions of this paragraph shall continue to apply to each
subsequent employer of the Employee hereunder in the event of any subsequent
merger, consolidation or transfer of assets of such subsequent
employer.
(g) Calculations.
Other
than the calculations performed by the Independent Auditors under Section 5
herein, calculation of all benefits and amounts payable hereunder shall be
made,
at the expense of the Company, by the Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts office
of
Xxxxxx Xxxxx & Company (or the Company’s then actuary immediately prior to
the Change in Control Event).
(h) Plan
Limitations.
In the
event the Company is unable to provide any benefit required to be provided
under
this Agreement through a plan sponsored by the IR Group (or any member thereof),
the Company shall, at its own cost and expense, take appropriate actions to
insure that alternative arrangements are made so that equivalent benefits can
be
provided to the Employee, including to the extent appropriate purchasing for
the
benefit of the Employee (and if applicable the Employee’s dependents) individual
policies of insurance providing benefits, which on an after-tax basis, are
equivalent to the benefits required to be provided hereunder.
(i) Payment
Obligations.
In the
event the Company is unable to, or for any reason does not, pay or provide
to
the Employee all or any portion of the payments and benefits required to be
paid
and provided under this Agreement (whether such payments and benefits are
attributable to compensation (including but not limited to basic annual salary
and bonus), benefits under any plan, program or arrangement, a Gross-Up Payment,
or legal, business or outplacement expenses, or any other payment or benefit),
IR Limited shall guarantee, to the same extent that the Company is or would
be
liable for such payments and benefits, that it will pay such amounts or provide
such benefits to the Employee in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
Any such payments shall be made and any such benefits shall be provided within
10 days following the date such payments or benefits should have been paid
or
provided by the Company.
(j) Controlling
Law; Jurisdiction.
This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of
the
State of New Jersey applicable to contracts made and to be performed therein,
without regard to conflicts of laws principles. Any suit, action or proceeding
related to this Agreement, or any judgment entered by any court related to
this
Agreement, may be brought only in any court of competent jurisdiction in the
State of New Jersey, and the parties hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction
of such courts. The parties (and any Affiliates of the Company or beneficiary
of
the Employee, or any successor to the Company or the Company’s Affiliate)
irrevocably waive any objections which they may now or hereafter have to the
laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding brought in any court of
competent jurisdiction in the State of New Jersey, and hereby irrevocably waive
any claim that any such action, suit or proceeding has been brought in an
inconvenient forum.
11
(k) Compliance
with Code Section 409A.
This
Agreement is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code and will be so
interpreted. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) if, at the
time of Employee’s termination of employment with the Company, the Employee is a
“specified employee” as defined in Section 409A of the Code, and if the deferral
of the commencement of any payments or benefits otherwise payable hereunder
as a
result of such termination of employment is necessary to prevent the imposition
of any accelerated or additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, then the
Company will defer the commencement of the payment of any such payments or
benefits hereunder (without any reduction in such payments or benefits
ultimately paid or provided to Employee) until the date that is six months
following Employee’s Termination Date (or the earliest date as is permitted
under Section 409A of the Code) and (ii) if any other payments of money or
other
benefits due to Executive hereunder could cause the application of an
accelerated or additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, the parties agree
to restructure the payments or benefits to comply with Section 409A of the
Code
in a manner which does not diminish the value of such payments and benefits
to
the Employee. If, after payment of any amounts or benefits under this Agreement,
the Internal Revenue Service determines that the payment of such amounts or
benefits does not comply with Section 409A of the Code, and the Internal Revenue
Service imposes upon the Employee accelerated or additional tax, penalties,
interest or other charges under Section 409A of the Code, the Company shall
pay
to the Employee before the due date that the Employee is required to make
payment to the Internal Revenue Service, an amount such that, after payment
of
all taxes, penalties, or interest in respect thereof, the Employee will have
remaining the full amount necessary to satisfy the Employee’s obligation to pay
any accelerated or additional tax, penalties, interest and charges so imposed
by
the Internal Revenue Service.
12
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company, IR Limited and the Employee have executed this
Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
XXXXXXXXX-XXXX
COMPANY
|
||
|
|
|
By:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
EMPLOYEE
|
|
Title:
President and
|
||
Chief
Executive Officer
|
||
XXXXXXXXX-XXXX
COMPANY LIMITED
|
||
|
||
By:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
||
Title:
Chairman, President and
|
||
Chief
Executive Officer
|
13
Schedule
A
CERTAIN
DEFINITIONS
As
used
in this Agreement, and unless the context requires a different meaning, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
“Affiliate”,
used
to indicate a relationship with a specified person, means a person that
directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is
controlled by, or is under common control with, such a specified
person.
“Associate”,
used
to indicate a relationship with a specified person, means (i) any corporation,
partnership, or other organization of which such specified person is an officer
or partner; (ii) any trust or other estate in which such specified person has
a
substantial beneficial interest or as to which such specified person serves
as
trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; (iii) any relative or spouse of
such
specified person, or any relative of such spouse who has the same home as such
specified person, or who is a director or officer of any member of the IR Group;
and (iv) any person who is a director, officer, or partner of such specified
person or of any corporation (other than any member of the IR Group),
partnership or other entity which is an Affiliate of such specified
person.
“Beneficial
Owner”
means
the same as such term is defined by Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange
Act
of 1934, as amended (or any successor provision at the time in effect);
provided,
however,
that
any individual, corporation, partnership, group, association, or other person
or
entity which has the right to acquire any of IR Limited’s Voting Securities at
any time in the future, whether such right is contingent or absolute, pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding or upon exercise of conversion
rights, warrants or options, or otherwise, shall be deemed the Beneficial Owner
of such securities.
“Board”
means
the Board of Directors of IR Limited (or, if IR Limited is then a subsidiary
of
any other company, of the ultimate parent company).
“Cause”
means
(i) any action by the Employee involving willful malfeasance or willful gross
misconduct having a demonstrable adverse effect on any member of the IR Group;
(ii) substantial and continuing refusal by the Employee in willful breach of
this Agreement to perform his or her employment duties hereunder; or (iii)
the
Employee being convicted of a felony under the laws of the United States or
any
state.
Termination
of the Employee for Cause shall be communicated by a Notice of Termination
given
within one year after the Board (i) has knowledge of conduct or an event
allegedly constituting Cause; and (ii) has reason to believe that such conduct
or event could be grounds for Cause. For purposes of this Agreement a “Notice of
Termination” shall mean delivery to the Employee of a copy of a resolution duly
adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters of the entire
membership of the Board at a meeting of the Board called and held for the
purpose (after reasonable notice to the Employee (“Preliminary Notice”) and
reasonable opportunity for the Employee, together with the Employee’s counsel,
to be heard before the Board prior to such vote) of finding, in the good faith
opinion of the Board, that the Employee has engaged in the conduct constituting
Cause and specifying the particulars thereof in detail. Upon the receipt of
the
Preliminary Notice, the Employee shall have 30 days in which to appear with
counsel or take such other action as he or she desires on his or her behalf,
and
such 30-day period is hereby agreed to by the parties as a reasonable
opportunity for the Employee to be heard. The Board shall no later than 45
days
after the receipt of the Preliminary Notice by the Employee communicate its
findings to Employee. A failure by the Board to make its finding of Cause or
to
communicate its conclusion within such 45-day period shall be deemed to be
a
finding that the Employee has not engaged in the conduct described herein.
Any
termination of the Employee’s employment (other than by death or Permanent
Disability) within 45 days after the date that the Preliminary Notice has been
given to the Employee shall be deemed to be a termination for Cause;
provided,
however,
that if
during such period the Employee voluntarily terminates other than for Good
Reason or the Company terminates the Employee other than for Cause, and the
Employee is found (or is deemed to be found) not to have engaged in the conduct
described herein, such termination shall not be deemed to be for
Cause.
“Change
in Control Event”
means
the date (i) any individual, corporation, partnership, group, association or
other person or entity, together with its Affiliates and Associates (each a
“Person”) (other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an
employee benefit plan of the Company or IR Limited), is or becomes the
Beneficial Owner of securities of IR Limited representing 30% or more of the
combined voting power of IR Limited’s Voting Securities; (ii) the Continuing
Directors fail to constitute a majority of the members of the Board; (iii)
of
consummation of any transaction or series of transactions under which IR Limited
is merged or consolidated with any other company in which the shareholders
of IR
Limited that own Voting Securities represent 50% or less of the combined voting
power of IR Limited Voting Securities immediately after consummation of such
transaction or series of transactions; (iv) of any sale, lease, exchange or
other transfer, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of
all,
or substantially all, of the assets of IR Limited, other than any sale, lease,
exchange or other transfer to any Person or entity where IR Limited owns,
directly or indirectly, at least 80% of the combined voting power of the Voting
Securities of such Person or entity or its parent corporation after any such
transfer, or (v) any other event that the Continuing Directors determine to
be a
Change in Control Event; provided,
however,
that in
the case of a transaction described in (i), (iii) or (iv), above, there shall
not be a Change in Control Event if the shareholders of IR Limited immediately
prior to any such transaction own (or continue to own by remaining outstanding
or by being converted into Voting Securities of the surviving entity or parent
entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Voting Securities
of
IR Limited, the surviving entity or any parent of either immediately following
such transaction, in substantially the same proportion to each other as prior
to
such transaction.
“Continuing
Director”
means
a
director who either was a member of the Board on the date hereof or who became
a
member of the Board subsequent to such date and whose election, or nomination
for election by IR Limited’s shareholders, was Duly Approved by the Continuing
Directors on the Board at the time of such nomination or election, either by
a
specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement issued by IR Limited on
behalf of the Board in which such person is named as nominee for director,
without due objection to such nomination, but excluding, for this purpose,
any
such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an
actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal
of
directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents
by
or on behalf of a person or entity other than the Board.
“Duly
Approved by the Continuing Directors”
means
an action approved by the vote of at least two-thirds of the Continuing
Directors then on the Board.
“Fiscal
Year”
means
the fiscal year of the Company.
2
“Good
Reason”
means
(i) a substantial diminution in the Employee’s job responsibilities or a
material adverse change in the Employee’s title or status,
from
those in effect on the date hereof or as enhanced from time to time, which
change continues for a period of at least 15 days after written notice from
the
Employee; (ii) a reduction of the Employee’s base salary or target bonus
(provided however, a reduction of the Employee’s base salary or target bonus
shall not constitute Good Reason if there is a corresponding reduction in base
salary for employees of the acquiring company who are similarly situated) or
the
failure to pay Employee’s salary or bonus when due, or the failure to maintain
on behalf of the Employee (and his or her dependents) benefits which are at
least as favorable in the aggregate to those provided for in paragraph 3(b);
(iii) the relocation of the principal place of the Employee’s employment by more
than 35 miles from the Employee’s principal place of employment immediately
prior to the Change in Control Event, or the imposition of travel requirements
on the Employee not substantially consistent with such travel requirements
existing immediately prior to the Change of Control Event;; (iv) the failure
of
the Company and/or IR Limited, as applicable, to obtain the assumption of,
and
the agreement to perform, this Agreement by any successor as contemplated in
paragraph 8(f); or (v) the failure of the Company and, to the extent applicable,
IR Limited to perform any of their other material obligations under this
Agreement and the continuation of such failure for a period of 15 days after
written notice from the Employee.
“IR
Group”
means
the Company and its Affiliates, including without limitation, IR
Limited.
“Permanent
Disability”,
as
applied to the Employee, means that (i) he or she has been totally incapacitated
by bodily injury or disease so as to be prevented thereby from performing his
or
her duties hereunder; (ii) such total incapacity shall have continued for a
period of six consecutive months; and (iii) such total incapacity will, in
the
opinion of a qualified physician, be permanent and continuous during the
remainder of the Employee’s life.
“Termination”
means
(i) following the occurrence of a Change in Control Event, (A) the termination
of the Employee’s employment without Cause or (B) the resignation by an Employee
for Good Reason, and (ii) prior to the occurrence of a Change in Control Event,
but following the execution of an agreement or the commencement of a tender
offer, proxy contest or other action that, if consummated, would reasonably
be
expected to result in a Change in Control Event and, in each case, does result
in a Change in Control Event, the termination of the Employee’s employment, or a
material adverse change in the Employee’s job responsibilities, title or status,
reduction of the Employee’s base salary or target bonus, the relocation of the
Employee’s principal place of employment by more than 35 miles or the imposition
of travel requirements on the Employee not substantially consistent with the
Employee’s job; provided,
that
such term shall not include any termination of employment for Cause, any
resignation without Good Reason (except as provided in clause (ii), above),
or
any termination of employment on account of an Employee’s death or Permanent
Disability.
“Termination
Date”
means
the effective date of an Employee’s Termination; provided,
that
with respect to a Termination that occurs prior to a Change in Control Event,
the effective date of such Termination shall be deemed to be the date
immediately following the Change in Control Event.
“Voting
Securities”
means
the outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of
directors.
3