Re: Amendment to Employment Agreement dated May 1, 2008 (the “Employment Agreement”) with Alliance Bankshares and Alliance Bank
EXHIBIT 10.2.1
December 30, 2008
Xx. Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx.
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00000 Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
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Re: Amendment to Employment Agreement dated May 1, 2008 (the “Employment
Agreement”) with Alliance Bankshares and Alliance Bank
Agreement”) with Alliance Bankshares and Alliance Bank
Dear Xxx:
By now, you may be aware that in 2004 in reaction to the Enron debacle, Congress adopted
sweeping new rules governing all forms of deferred compensation provided by employers to their
employees. These new rules — Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code — have been evolving for
several years and are complex, and the deadline for compliance is December 31, 2008. They
have significant implications for many types of deferred compensation and benefit plans and
programs, as well as employment agreements.
We believe that some of the payments provided under your Employment Agreement are subject to
Section 409A. As such, we recommend that your Employment Agreement be amended to avoid potentially
adverse tax consequences to you. (If Section 409A is not complied with, you may be subject to
accelerated income tax on a portion of your unpaid benefits under the Agreement plus a 20%
additional penalty and interest charge.) The proposed amendments are set forth on Schedule
A. We ask that you please countersign this letter on or before December 31, 2008 (and return a
signed copy to us for our files) to reflect our mutual agreement that your Employment Agreement
shall be, and is by virtue of this letter, amended as set forth in Schedule A.
If you do not execute and return the amendment to us, we will assume that you have determined
that the proposed changes are not necessary to comply with Section 409A. (None of Alliance
Bankshares or its respective affiliates or representatives is liable for any adverse tax
consequences resulting from any failure to comply with Section 409A.)
Please feel free to call me if you have any questions.
Sincerely, Alliance Bank Corporation |
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By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Xx. | |||
Its: | Executive Vice President and CFO | |||
Alliance Bankshares Corporation |
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By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Xx. | |||
Its: | Executive Vice President and CFO | |||
Seen and Agreed:
I have received the attached letter and agree to the changes to my Employment Agreement that are
described therein.
Date:
December 30, 2008
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/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx. | |||
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx. |
SCHEDULE A
409A Amendments
(All capitalized terms have the meaning set forth in the Employment Agreement unless otherwise
defined herein.)
1. | Section 4(a) shall be amended by adding the following to the end: | |
Notwithstanding the above, the annual base salary shall be paid in accordance with the Corporation’s normal payroll practices, but not less frequently than monthly. | ||
2. | Section 10(c) shall be amended by adding the following to the end: | |
Such amounts shall be paid within 60 days of Employee’s death. | ||
3. | Section 10(i)(1) shall be amended by replacing it in its entirety with the following: | |
(i)(1) If Employee’s employment is terminated without Cause within one year after a Change of Control shall have occurred or if he resigns for Good Reason within one year after a Change of Control shall have occurred, then the Corporation shall pay to Employee as compensation for services rendered to the Corporation and its Affiliates an aggregate amount (subject to any applicable payroll or other taxes required to be withheld) equal to the excess, if any (the “Change of Control Severance Compensation”), of (i) 299% of Employee’s “annualized includable compensation for the base period”, as defined in Section 280G of the Code over (ii) the total amount payable to Employee under Section 10(d), provided that the aggregate amount of Change of Control Severance Compensation required to be paid hereby shall be paid by the Corporation in equal installments over the thirty-six months succeeding the date of termination. Payments of the above installments of the Change of Control Severance Compensation shall be made at the times Employee’s base salary payments would have been made in accordance with Section 4(a). | ||
4. | Section 10(i)(3) shall be amended by replacing the penultimate sentence of Section 11(j) in its entirety with the following: | |
In the event payments or benefits are to be reduced, the Corporation shall effect the reduction by first reducing or eliminating cash payments and then by reducing or eliminating those payments or benefits which are not payable in cash, in each case in reverse order beginning with payments or benefits which are to be paid the farthest in time. |
5. | Section 23 shall be amended by replacing it in its entirety with the following: |
Section 23. Code Section 409A Compliance.
(a) The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement
comply with Section 409A of the Code and applicable guidance issued thereunder (“Code
Section 409A”) or comply with an exemption from the application of Code Section 409A and,
accordingly, all provisions of this Agreement shall be construed in a manner consistent
with the requirements for avoiding taxes or penalties under Code Section 409A.
(b) Neither Employee nor the Corporation shall take any action to accelerate or delay
the payment of any monies and/or provision of any benefits in any matter which would not be
in compliance with Code Section 409A.
(c) A termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of
any provision of this Agreement providing for the form or timing of payment of any amounts
or benefits that are subject to Code Section 409A and that are paid upon or following a
termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service”
(within the meaning of Code Section 409A) and, for purposes of any such provision of this
Agreement under which (and to the extent) deferred compensation subject to Code Section
409A is paid, references to a “termination” or “termination of employment” or like
references shall mean separation from service. If Employee is deemed on the date of
separation from service with the Corporation to be a “specified employee”, within the
meaning of that term under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B) and using the identification
methodology selected by the Corporation from time to time, or if none, the default
methodology, then with regard to any payment or benefit that is required to be delayed in
compliance with Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B), such payment or benefit shall not be made or
provided prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six-month period measured from
the date of Employee’s separation from service or (ii) the date of Employee’s death. In
the case of benefits, however, Employee may pay the cost of benefit coverage, and thereby
obtain benefits, during such six month delay period and then be reimbursed by the
Corporation thereafter when delayed payments are made pursuant to the next sentence. On
the first day of the seventh month following the date of Employee’s separation from service
or, if earlier, on the date of Employee’s death, all payments delayed pursuant to this
Section 23 (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single sum or in
installments in the absence of such delay) shall be paid or reimbursed to Employee in a
lump sum, and any remaining payments and benefits due under this Agreement shall be paid or
provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein.
(d) With regard to any provision herein that provides for reimbursement of expenses or
in-kind benefits that are subject to Code Section 409A, except as permitted by Code Section
409A, (i) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits is not subject to liquidation or
exchange for another benefit, and (ii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement,
or in-kind benefits, provided during any taxable year shall not affect the expenses
eligible for
reimbursement, or in-kind benefits to be provided, in any other taxable year, provided
that the foregoing clause (ii) shall not be violated with regard to expenses reimbursed
under any arrangement covered by Code Section 105(b) solely because such expenses are
subject to a limit related to the period the arrangement is in effect. All reimbursements
shall be reimbursed in accordance with the Corporation’s reimbursement policies but in no
event later than the calendar year following the calendar year in which the related expense
is incurred.
(e) If under this Agreement, an amount is to be paid in two or more installments, for
purposes of Code Section 409A, each installment shall be treated as a separate payment.
(f) When, if ever, a payment under this Agreement specifies a payment period with
reference to a number of days (e.g., “payment shall be made within ten (10) days following
the date of termination”), the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be
within the sole discretion of the Corporation.
(g) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement, the Corporation shall not
be liable to Employee if any payment or benefit which is to be provided pursuant to this
Agreement and which is considered deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A
otherwise fails to comply with, or be exempt from, the requirements of Code Section 409.