AGREEMENT AND RELEASE
Exhibit
10.15
This
Agreement and Release (Agreement) is dated August 30, 2004 (Today), and is
between Xxxx X. Xxxxx, [Address] (you), and Connecticut General Life
Insurance Company, a Connecticut corporation (the Company).
You and
the Company intend to be legally bound by the Agreement, and are entering into
it in reliance on the promises made to each other in the Agreement. Under the
Agreement, your employment will end, and you and the Company agree to settle all
issues concerning your employment and termination of employment. The Company
will pay you certain benefits described in this agreement. In turn, you are
releasing legal claims against the Company.
1. Your
Termination Date. Your
employment with the Company will end by mutual consent on January 14, 2005 (the
Termination Date). However, your job responsibilities will end no later than
November 1, 2004.
2. Pay
and Benefits Until Termination Date.
a. |
From
Today until your Termination Date, the Company will pay you your current
regular salary and you may continue to participate in the Company’s
employee benefits programs. |
b. |
You
agree that you will not be covered by the CIGNA Short-Term Disability Plan
or CIGNA Long-Term Disability Plan after November 1, 2004. If you become
disabled after November 1, 2004 and before the Termination Date, the
Company will continue to pay you your regular salary until the Termination
Date. |
c.
|
If
you die before the Company pays you all amounts due under paragraphs 2 and
3 of the Agreement, the remaining amounts will be paid to your surviving
spouse in a lump sum within 90 calendar days after the date of your death.
If you have no surviving spouse, the payment will be made to your estate.
If you die before January 14, 2005, the date you die will automatically be
your new Termination Date (but the above lump sum payment shall be
calculated as if you had remained employed until January 14,
2005). |
3. Your
Severance Benefits.
a. |
The
Company will make 5 bi-weekly payments (less applicable taxes and
withholding) to you, and each payment will equal 1/26 of your current
annual salary rate. These payments will be made during the period from
January 17, 2005 to March 25, 2005. |
If you
become employed elsewhere and so notify the Company in writing, the bi-weekly
payments shall stop (or shall not begin), and the Company shall pay you any
remaining part in a lump sum as soon as practicable (but not before January 14,
2005). These payments will not be treated as eligible earnings for any benefits
purposes.
b. |
During
the period you receive any bi-weekly installment payments under
sub-paragraph 3.a (the Payment Period), you will be eligible to continue
the Signature Benefits group health care and life insurance coverages you
may have on the same basis as active employees. During the Payment Period,
your Signature Benefits Basic Life Insurance coverage will continue at the
Company’s expense. Under the provision of federal law (COBRA), you may
elect to continue your Company group health care coverage after your
Termination Date. If you elect COBRA coverage, the Company will subsidize
the COBRA rates (that is, you will pay the same rates as if you continued
to be employed) you pay during the Payment Period and will not subsidize
the rates after the Payment Period. You will be billed monthly. You may
convert certain group benefits coverages to individual coverages under the
terms of the Signature Benefits program. |
c. |
Any
benefits you may have earned under the CIGNA Deferred Compensation,
Pension, Supplemental Pension, and 401(k) Plans will be payable to you
under the provisions of those plans. |
d. |
In
March 2005, the Company will pay you a cash bonus for service performed in
2004 in an amount equal to your annual target multiplied by the
performance rating that applies to the Core Medical business for
2004. |
e. |
In
May 2005, the Company will pay you for the Strategic Performance Unit
award related to the 2002 to 2004 performance period. The number of units
associated with the award will be prorated based on the percentage of time
during the performance period that you will have been employed by the
Company (18 of 36 months). The payment will be in cash, in amounts that
are in accordance with the formula under the Strategic Performance Unit
provisions of the CIGNA Long-Term Incentive Plan and that are based on the
same Unit values that apply to other senior
executives. |
f. |
Until
your Termination Date any options on CIGNA Corporation stock, and any
shares of restricted CIGNA Corporation stock, that you hold will continue
to vest under the terms of your applicable grant letter. With advance
approval of the Office of the Corporate Secretary, you may exercise vested
options in accordance with the terms of the grants. Your rights after the
Termination Date as to any shares of restricted stock and any unexercised
and unvested options you then hold will be determined by the terms of the
applicable plan and grant letter. |
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g. |
The
Company will provide you with: |
(1) |
Executive
Financial Services for the remainder of
2004; |
(2) |
Reimbursement
for reasonable tax preparation fees incurred in 2004 for income tax
returns for 2003 income and in 2005 for income tax returns for 2004
income; |
(3) |
Payment
for earned but unused vacation and personal time for 2004;
and |
(4) |
Outplacement
services, including office space and secretarial support, in accordance
with Company’s standard program for executive level
employees. |
h. |
You
will receive no other money from Company except as provided in this
Agreement. |
4. Your
Promises to the Company.
a. |
Terms
used in paragraph 4 are defined as follows: |
(1) |
“CIGNA”
means the Company, its parent CIGNA Corporation, and any other
subsidiaries or affiliates of the Company or CIGNA
Corporation. |
(2) |
“Confidential
Information” means any knowledge, information or materials belonging to
CIGNA about its products, services, know-how, customers, business plans,
or financial, marketing, pricing, compensation and other proprietary
matters, whether or not subject to trademark, copyright, trade secret or
other protection, that has been made known to you as a result of your
Company employment. |
b. |
You
will return to CIGNA any CIGNA property that you now have (for example:
identification card, access card, office keys, computer, company manuals,
office equipment, records and files) and you will remain subject to
CIGNA’s policies and procedures, including its Code of Ethics and
Compliance until your Termination Date. |
c. |
You
agree that, other than in the good faith performance of your services to
the Company before the Termination Date, you will not disclose any
Confidential Information to anyone other than CIGNA employees or use any
Confidential Information for your benefit or the benefit of any other
person, firm, operation or entity unrelated to CIGNA. After an item of
Confidential Information has become public knowledge, you shall have no
further obligation under this paragraph 4.c regarding that publicly known
information so long as you were in no manner responsible, directly or
indirectly, for permitting the information to become public knowledge
without the Company’s consent. |
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d. |
Until
January 14, 2006, you will not, within any part of the United States or
any other country where CIGNA currently conducts any health care business,
solicit in any manner: |
(1) |
any
of CIGNA’s employees, either to terminate employment with CIGNA or to
become employed, as an employee or independent contractor, by you or by
any business that you may become employed by, or affiliated in any way
with, after leaving CIGNA; or |
(2) |
any
of CIGNA’s customers that you have had direct contact with to terminate
their business arrangements with CIGNA, or to enter into any business
arrangements with you or any business which you may become employed by, or
affiliated in any way with, after leaving CIGNA, if such business
arrangements would compete in any way with any health care business that
CIGNA has conducted, or has been planning to conduct, during the 12-month
period ending Today. |
e. |
You
agree that the duration, area and scope of activities restricted under
paragraphs 4.c and 4.d are reasonable and necessary to protect Company's
legitimate business interests and that, if any court or arbitrator
determines that paragraphs 4.c or 4.d or any part of them is unenforceable
because of the duration, area or scope of activities restricted, then the
court or arbitrator shall have the power to reduce the duration, area or
scope to the maximum allowed by applicable law and, in its reduced form,
the provision shall then be enforced and you will abide by the provision
as altered. |
f. |
You
agree that you will not at any time make any verbal or written statement
that disparages in any way CIGNA’s integrity or business reputation.
Likewise, CIGNA will in no way disparage your integrity or
reputation. |
g. |
You
agree to make yourself available to the Company in connection with any
legal proceedings in which you may have knowledge of potentially relevant
facts. The Company shall reimburse you for all reasonable expenses that
you incur (including the costs of travel and meals) in connection with
your making yourself available to it or its counsel to provide information
or to testify. For the first ten days (not necessarily consecutive and
including partial days) that you spend in so providing information or
testifying, you shall not be compensated for such time. Thereafter, the
Company shall pay you $750.00 for each day (or part of a day) as
compensation for your time in providing information or
testifying. |
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5. Your
Release of Claims.
a. |
You
agree that you will not file (or ask or allow anyone to file on your
behalf), any charge, complaint, claim or lawsuit of any kind in connection
with any claim released by this Agreement. This provision shall not apply,
however, to any non-waivable charges or claims brought before any
governmental agency. With respect to any such non-waivable claims, you
agree to waive your right (if any) to any monetary or other recovery
should any governmental agency or other third party pursue any claims on
your behalf, either individually, or as part of any collective action.
Nothing herein shall preclude any claim you may file alleging that your
waiver of claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
(ADEA) was not knowing or voluntary. |
b. |
You
acknowledge full and complete satisfaction of, and release and discharge
all Released Persons from, any Claims. |
c. |
You
are giving this release for yourself as well as for your executors,
administrators, heirs and assigns. |
d. |
“Released
Persons” are the Company, its successors, parents, subsidiaries and
affiliates, and all of their directors, officers, agents and
employees. |
e. |
“Claims”
are any and all claims, demands and causes of action of whatever kind,
including any claims for attorneys fees, that you now have, or at any time
had, against any Released Persons, but only to the extent they arise out
of or relate in any way to your employment or termination of employment
with the Company and its affiliates. “Claims” includes things you may not
even know about or suspect as well as any claims you may have under
ADEA. |
f. |
“Claims”
does not include (and you are not
releasing): |
(1) |
any
claims against the Company for promises it is making to you in this
Agreement, including but not limited to the Severance Benefits set forth
in paragraph 3 hereof, |
(2) |
any
claims for benefit payments to which the Plan Administrator determines you
are entitled under the terms of any retirement, savings, or other employee
benefit programs in which the Company participates (but your Release does
cover any claims you may make for severance benefits beyond those
described or referred to in this Agreement and any claims for benefits
beyond those provided under the terms of the applicable
plan), |
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(3) any claims covered by workers
compensation laws, and
(4) |
any
claims that you did not knowingly and voluntarily waive Claims under
ADEA. |
6. Confidentiality. The terms
of this Agreement are confidential. You agree not to disclose in any way this
Agreement or any of its terms to any person other than your spouse, lawyer or
accountant.
7. No
Admission of Wrongdoing. Just
because the Company is entering into this Agreement and paying you money, the
Company is not admitting that it (or any Released Person) has done anything
wrong or violated any law, rule, order, policy, procedure, or contract, express
or implied, or otherwise incurred any liability.
8. Applicable
Law. This
Agreement is being made in Connecticut. It will be interpreted, enforced and
governed under the laws of Connecticut, but your eligibility for, or the amount
of any, employee benefits shall be subject to the terms of the benefit plans and
the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended (ERISA).
9. Arbitration. Without
in any way affecting the release in paragraph 5, any and all disagreements,
disputes or claims listed below will be resolved exclusively by arbitration in
the Richmond, Virginia area. Arbitration will be conducted in accordance with
the Employment Dispute Resolution Rules of the American Arbitration Association,
as modified by Company. Copies of the Arbitration Policy and Rules and
Procedures can be obtained from your Human Resources representative. A legal
judgment based upon the Arbitrator’s award may be entered in any court having
jurisdiction over the matter. You and the Company agree to arbitrate
anything:
a. |
related
in any way to the validity of this Agreement or how it is interpreted or
implemented (including the validity of your ADEA Waiver);
or |
b. |
that
involves your employment with Company or the termination of that
employment, including any disputes arising under local, state or federal
statues or common law (if for any reason your release and waiver under
paragraph 5 is found to be unenforceable or
inapplicable). |
10. Final
and Entire Agreement. This
Agreement is intended to be the complete, entire and final agreement between you
and the Company. It fully replaces all earlier agreements or understandings;
however, it does not replace the terms of any CIGNA Corporation stock or option
grant you might have received or the terms of any employee benefit plan. Neither
you nor the Company has relied upon any other statement, agreement or contract,
written or oral, in deciding to enter into this Agreement. Any amendment to this
Agreement must be in writing and signed by both you and the
Company.
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11. Your
Understanding. By
signing this Agreement, you admit and agree that:
a. You have
read this Agreement.
b. |
You
understand it is legally binding, and you were advised to review it with a
lawyer of your choice. |
c. |
You
have had (or had the opportunity to take) 21 calendar days to discuss it
with a lawyer of your choice before signing it and, if you sign it before
the end of that period, you do so of your own free will and with the full
knowledge that you could have taken the full
period. |
d. |
You
realize and understand that the release covers all claims, demands, and
causes of action against the Company and any Released Persons, including
those under ADEA, whether or not you know or suspect them to exist at the
present time (but the release does not apply to claims described in
paragraph 5.f). |
e. |
You
understand the terms of this Agreement and that it is not part of an exit
incentive or other employment termination program being offered to a group
or class of employees. |
f. |
You
are signing this Agreement voluntarily and with the full understanding of
its consequences, and you have not been forced or coerced in any
way. |
12. Revoking
the Agreement. You have
seven calendar days from the date you sign this Agreement to revoke and cancel
it. To do that, a clear, written cancellation letter, signed by you, must be
received by Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, CIGNA Corporation, 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx XX00X,
Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX, 00000 before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the seventh calendar
day following the date you sign this Agreement. The Agreement will have no force
and effect until the end of that seventh day.
13. If
Legal Action Is Started. You
understand and agree that Company's main reason for entering into this Agreement
is to avoid lawsuits and other litigation. Therefore, if any legal action
covered by paragraph 5 or 9 (other than arbitration of a dispute described in
paragraph 9.a or b or claims related to whether your release of ADEA claims was
knowing and voluntary) is started by you (or by someone else on your behalf)
against any Released Person, you agree to pay back to the Company within 30 days
of the start of that legal action all the money you receive under paragraphs 2
and 3 above (excluding subparagraph 3.c) as well as any other thing of value
received under this Agreement. You also agree to pay the Company any costs and
attorneys' fees it incurs in that action in such action. (If you claim that your
release of ADEA claims was not knowing and voluntary, the Company reserves its
right to recover from you its attorneys’ fees and/or costs in defending that
claim, at the conclusion of that action.)
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If in any
legal action or arbitration the release in paragraph 5 is found to be
unenforceable for any reason, then this Agreement shall be null and void from
Today on, and any money paid to you by the Company after Today under paragraphs
2 and 3 (excluding subparagraph 3.c) and not previously returned to the Company
(including the value of any Company-subsidy for group health care and life
insurance coverage provided under paragraphs 2 and 3), will be treated as an
overpayment. You will have to repay that overpayment to the Company with
interest, compounded annually at the rate of 6%. However, the repayment
provision in this paragraph does not apply to legal actions in which you claim
that your release of ADEA claims was not knowing and voluntary.
This
paragraph 13 does not apply to any thing of value given to you for which you
actually performed services and by law you are entitled to receive.
14. This
Agreement is not effective or binding on either party until fully signed by both
parties. This Agreement will be binding on and inure to the benefit of any
successors to the Company.
The
persons named below have signed this Agreement on the dates shown
below:
11/10/04
|
/s/
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
|
Date |
Xxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx |
|
on
behalf of |
||
Connecticut
General Life Insurance Company |
||
11/09/04 |
||
Date |
/s/
Xxxx X. Xxxxx |
|
Xxxx
X. Xxxxx |
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