EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.46
THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of the 29th day of July, 2020, by and between Rite Aid Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx (“Executive”).
WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ Executive and Executive desires to provide the Company with Executive’s services subject to the conditions set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual representations, warranties, covenants and agreements set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and Executive (individually a “Party” and together the “Parties”), intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:
The term of Executive’s employment under this Agreement shall commence on August 17, 2020 (the “Effective Date”) and, unless earlier terminated pursuant to Section 5 below, shall continue for a period ending on the date that is two (2) years following the Effective Date (the “Original Term of Employment”). The Original Term of Employment shall be automatically renewed for successive one (1) year terms (the “Renewal Terms”) unless at least one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the expiration of the Original Term of Employment or any Renewal Term, either Party notifies the other Party in writing that Executive or it is electing to terminate this Agreement at the expiration of the then current Term of Employment. “Term” shall mean the Original Term of Employment and all Renewal Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, except as otherwise provided herein, the phrases “year during the Term” or similar language shall refer to each twelve (12) month period commencing on the Effective Date or applicable anniversaries thereof.
the board of directors of one other for-profit corporation or the boards of a reasonable number of trade associations and/or charitable organizations, in each case subject to the Company’s approval, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, (ii) engaging in charitable activities and community affairs, and (iii) managing Executive’s personal investments and affairs, provided that Executive’s activities pursuant to clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) do not violate Sections 6 or 7 below or materially interfere with the proper performance of Executive’s duties and responsibilities under this Agreement. Executive shall at all times be subject to, observe and carry out such rules, regulations, policies, directions, and restrictions as the Company may from time to time establish for officers of the Company or employees generally.
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Any termination of Executive’s employment by Executive voluntarily without Good Reason shall be effective upon a thirty (30) day notice to the Company or such earlier date as the Company determines in its discretion and designates in writing. A good faith termination of Executive’s employment by the Company for Cause or by the Executive other than for Good Reason shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement.
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Any termination of employment pursuant to this Section 5.3 shall be effective upon a thirty (30) day notice thereof or the Company may elect in its sole discretion to reduce or eliminate the notice period and pay the Executive’s Base Salary for some or all of the notice period in lieu of notice. A termination of Executive’s employment by the Company other than for Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement. To be eligible for the payment, benefits and stock rights described in Section 5.3(a)(ii) and (iii), (b) and (c) above, Executive must execute within sixty (60) days of the date of termination, not revoke, and abide by a release (which shall be substantially in the form attached hereto as Appendix A) of all claims, cooperate with the Company in the event of litigation and fully comply with Executive’s obligations under Sections 6 and 7 below.
provided, however, that the Executive has provided written notice (which shall set forth in reasonable detail the specific conduct of the Company that constitutes Good Reason and the specific provisions of this Agreement on which Executive relies) to the Company of the existence of any condition described in any one of the subparagraphs (a), (b), or (c) within thirty (30) days of the initial existence of such condition, and the Company has not cured the condition within thirty (30) days of the receipt of such notice. Any termination of employment by the Executive for Good Reason pursuant to Section 5.3 must occur no later than the date that is the three (3) month anniversary of the initial existence of the condition giving rise to the termination right.
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Company is terminated by reason of Executive’s death or Total Disability (as defined below), subject to the requirements of applicable law:
“Total Disability” shall mean any physical or mental disability that has prevented Executive from (a)(i) performing one or more of the essential functions of Executive’s position for a period of not less than ninety (90) days in any twelve (12) month period and (ii) which is expected to be of permanent or indeterminate duration but expected to last at least twelve (12) continuous months or result in death of the Executive as determined (y) by a physician selected
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by the Company or its insurer or (z) pursuant to the Company’s benefit programs; or (b) reporting to work for ninety (90) or more consecutive business days and being unable to engage in any substantial activity.
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Executive acknowledges that during the course of Executive’s employment with the Company and its subsidiaries, Executive will be exposed to documents and other information regarding the confidential affairs of the Company, its subsidiaries, affiliates and strategic partners, including without limitation, information about their past, present and future financial condition, pricing strategy, prices, suppliers, cost information, business and marketing plans, the markets for their products, key personnel, past, present or future actual or threatened litigation, trade secrets and other intellectual property, current and prospective customer lists, operational methods, acquisition plans, prospects, plans for future development and other business affairs and information about the Company and its subsidiaries, affiliates and strategic partners not readily available to the public (the “Confidential Information”). Executive further acknowledges that the services to be performed under this Agreement are of a special, unique, unusual, extraordinary and intellectual character. In recognition of the foregoing, the Executive covenants and agrees as follows:
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activity for a Competitor of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, whether as a principal, agent, partner, officer, director, employee, independent contractor, investor, consultant or stockholder (except as a less than five percent (5%) shareholder of a publicly traded company) or otherwise. A “Competitor” shall mean any individual or entity that engages in the same or substantially similar business as one or more business units of the Company or its subsidiaries. As of the Effective Date, it is understood that the Company’s business units include: (1) pharmacy benefits management (“PBM”), including the administration of pharmacy benefits for businesses, government agencies or health plans; mail order pharmacy; specialty pharmacy and Medicare Part D services; (2) the sale of prescription drugs either at retail or over the internet; and (3) retail health care (“RediClinic”). It is understood and agreed that PBM competitors include, but are not limited to, CVS Health, Express Scripts and Catamaran Corp., as well as health plans or insurers that provide PBM services. It is also understood and agreed that retail pharmacy competitors include any individual or entity that sells or has imminent plans to sell prescription drugs, including but not limited to, drugstore companies such as Walgreens Boots Alliance and CVS Health; mass merchants such as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and Target Corp.; and food/drug combinations such as Kroger Co., Albertsons LLC and Ahold USA. It is understood and agreed that RediClinic competitors include, but are not limited to, Walgreen’s Take Care Clinics, CVS Health’s Minute Clinics and The Little Clinic. During Executive’s employment by the Company or one of its subsidiaries and during the Restricted Period, Executive will not directly, or indirectly knowingly cause any other person to, engage in any activity that involves providing audit review or other consulting or advisory services with respect to any relationship between the Company and any third party. The “Restricted Area” means those states within the United States in which the Company, including its subsidiaries, conducts its business, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Executive shall not be prohibited during the Restricted Period from engaging in the practice of law.
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through any employee, agent or representative, any field and corporate management employee of the Company or any subsidiary or any such person who was employed by the Company or any subsidiary within 180 days of such hiring.
If Executive breaches, or threatens to commit a breach of, any of the provisions of Sections 6 or 7 above (the “Restrictive Covenants”), the Company and its subsidiaries, affiliates, strategic partners, successors or assigns shall have the following rights and remedies, each of which shall be independent of the others and severally enforceable, and each of which shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other rights or remedies available to the Company or its subsidiaries, affiliates, strategic partners, successors or assigns at law or in equity.
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render such provision enforceable), and, in its modified or reduced form, such provision shall then be enforceable.
Executive agrees to indemnify and save harmless the Company from any loss, claim, damage, cost or expense of any kind (including without limitation, reasonable attorney fees) to which the Company may be subjected by virtue of a breach by Executive of the foregoing representations, warranties, and covenants.
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Except as necessary for the Company and its subsidiaries, affiliates, strategic partners, successors or assigns or Executive to specifically enforce or enjoin a breach of this Agreement (to the extent such remedies are otherwise available), the parties agree that any and all disputes that may arise in connection with, arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or any dispute that relates in any way, in whole or in part, to Executive’s employment with the Company or any subsidiary, the termination of that employment or any other dispute by and between the parties or their subsidiaries, affiliates, strategic partners, successors or assigns, shall be submitted to final and binding arbitration in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania according to the National Employment Dispute Resolution Rules and procedures of the American Arbitration Association at the time in effect. The Company shall be responsible for any filing, administrative or arbitrator fees that exceed the amount it would cost to file a claim in a court of competent jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This arbitration obligation extends to any and all claims that may arise by and between the parties or their subsidiaries, affiliates, strategic partners, successors or assigns, and expressly extends to, without limitation, claims or causes of action for wrongful termination, impairment of ability to compete in the open labor market, breach of an express or implied contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, misrepresentation, defamation, slander, infliction of emotional distress, disability, loss of future earnings, and claims under the Pennsylvania Constitution, the United States Constitution, and applicable state and federal fair employment laws, federal and state equal employment opportunity laws, and federal and state labor statutes and regulations, including, but not limited to, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Fair Labor Standards Act, as amended, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, and any other state or federal law. Executive understands that by entering into this Agreement, Executive is waiving Executive’s rights to have a court determine Executive’s rights, including under federal, state or local statutes prohibiting employment discrimination, including sexual harassment and discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other factor prohibited by governing law. Executive further understands that there is no intent herein to interfere with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s right to enforce the laws it oversees or your right to file an administrative charge of employment discrimination or a similar state or local administrative agency.
Neither this Agreement, nor any of Executive’s rights or obligations hereunder, may be assigned or otherwise subject to hypothecation by Executive. The Company may assign its rights and obligations hereunder, and Executive hereby consents to any such assignment, in whole or in part, (i) to any of the Company’s subsidiaries, affiliates, or parent corporations; or (ii) to any other successor or assign in connection with the sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or stock or in connection with any merger, acquisition and/or reorganization involving the Company.
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All notices and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be: (i) in writing; (ii) delivered personally, by fax, by electronic mail, by courier service, or by certified or registered mail, first class postage prepaid and return receipt requested; (iv) deemed to have been received on the date of delivery or, if sent by certified or registered mail, on the third (3rd) business day after the mailing thereof, or if sent by fax, twenty-four (24) hours after transmission of a fax; and (iv) addressed as follows (or to such other address as the Party entitled to notice shall hereafter designate in accordance with the terms hereof):
If to the Company: | Rite Aid Corporation 30 Hunter Lane Camp Hill, Pennsylvania 17011 Attention: EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer Fax: (717) 760-7867 Email: xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx |
If to Executive: | Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, at Executive’s last address shown on the payroll records of the Company. |
Any party may change such party’s address for notices by notice duly given pursuant hereto.
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On the first payroll date after the expiration of the Deferral Period, all payments that would have been made during the Deferral Period (whether in a single lump sum or in installments) shall be paid as a single lump sum to Executive or, if applicable, Executive’s beneficiary. This section shall not apply to any payment which meets the short term deferral exception to 409A or constitutes “separation pay” as described in Treasury Regulation Section 409A-1(b)(9) (in general, payments (i) that are made on an involuntary separation from service which (ii) do not exceed the lesser of two (2) times (x) the Executive’s annualized compensation for the taxable year preceding the year in which the separation from service occurs or (y) the Code Section 401(a)(17) limit on compensation for the year in which separation from service occurs and (iii) are paid in total by the end of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which the separation from service occurs).
For purposes of 409A, each payment and each installment described in this Agreement shall be considered a separate payment from each other payment or installment and to the extent required by 409A, a payment due upon termination of employment will only be paid upon Executive’s separation from service within the meaning of such term under 409A.
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Exhibit 10.46
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Executive and the Company have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
RITE AID CORPORATION
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
By: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Its: EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer
EXECUTIVE
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
APPENDIX A TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
GENERAL RELEASE OF CLAIMS
This General Release of Claims (this “Release”) is made and entered into by [NAME] (“Employee”) pursuant to Section 5.3 of the Employment Agreement between Employee and Rite Aid Corporation (the “Company”), dated as of [●] (the “Employment Agreement”).
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Employee has signed this Release as of the date indicated below.
[NAME] |
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______________________________________ Date: _________________________________ |