EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.1(a)
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) dated as of August 7, 2018 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Precipio, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business at 0 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, 0xx xxxxx, Xxx Xxxxx, XX 00000 (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”), and Xxxx Xxxxxxx residing in 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
(hereinafter referred to as “Executive”).
1. | Employment |
Executive hereby continues employment with the Company on the Effective Date in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Executive is and will be an employee at will, which means that either Executive or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without “Cause”, as defined below, or notice, subject to the provisions of Sections 4 and 5 of this Agreement.
2. | Duties |
2.1 Executive shall, during the term of his employment with the Company, perform the duties of Chief Executive Officer and shall perform such other duties as shall be specified and designated from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors (“Board”). Executive shall report to the Company’s Board, and shall devote his full business time and effort to the performance of his duties hereunder.
2.2 Executive’s employment hereunder shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the Company involving the general conduct of business of the Company in force from time to time and applicable to senior executives of the Company.
2.3 The parties hereto understand and acknowledge that the Company’s headquarters are located in New Haven, CT. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company agrees that the Executive may be required to travel to other locations in the ordinary course of business.
3. | Compensation |
4. | Termination upon Death or Disability |
This Agreement and the Executive’s employment shall terminate upon Executive’s death. If Executive becomes disabled, the Company may terminate this Agreement and Executive’s employment by written notice to Executive. For purposes hereof, “disability” shall be defined to mean Executive’s inability, due to physical or mental incapacity, to substantially perform his duties and responsibilities under this Agreement for a period of 60 consecutive days from the date of such disability as determined by an approved medical doctor selected by the mutual agreement of the parties hereto. In the event that the parties hereto cannot agree on an approved medical doctor, each party shall select a medical doctor and the two doctors shall select a third medical doctor who shall serve as the approved medical doctor hereunder. Upon death or termination of employment by virtue of disability, Executive (or Executive’s estate or beneficiaries in the case of the death of Executive) shall have no right to receive any compensation or benefit hereunder on and after the effective date of the termination of employment other than (i) Annual Salary earned and accrued under this Agreement prior to the effective date of termination, which shall be paid or provided to the Executive on or before the time required by law but in no event more than 30 days after the effective date of termination; (ii) earned, accrued and vested benefits and paid time off under this Agreement prior to the effective date of termination, subject to the terms of the plans applicable thereto (and any applicable laws and regulations); and (iii) reimbursement under this Agreement for expenses incurred prior to the effective date of termination, subject to the terms of this Agreement and the policies applicable thereto (collectively, the “Accrued Benefit”). This Agreement shall otherwise terminate upon the effective date of the termination of employment and Executive shall have no further rights hereunder.
5. | Other Terminations of Employment and Change of Control |
(a) an additional 9 months of an Annual Salary of $200,000 in the form of salary continuation over the 9-month period following the effective date of the termination of employment;
(b) a monthly cash payment equal to the monthly employer contribution the Company would have made to provide Executive group health, dental and all other insurance coverages to Executive and his family, pursuant to COBRA, if eligible and elected, for a period of 9 months, or until the expiration of the Executive’s COBRA continuation period, if earlier; provided that after expiration of the relevant COBRA payment period above, the Company will allow Executive to continue such coverage at his own expense for the remainder of any COBRA continuation period pursuant to applicable law and Executive shall notify the Company immediately upon acceptance of employment with another employer; and
(c) accelerated vesting of all unvested stock options or equity awards;
The amounts due under Sections 5.3(a) and (b) shall not be paid or given unless Executive executes a customary agreement releasing all claims against the Company (in the form acceptable to the Company) (the “Release Agreement”) and the Release Agreement becomes enforceable and irrevocable within 60 days following the date on which the termination of Executive’s employment becomes effective. The salary continuation due under Section 5.3(a) shall commence to be paid to Executive on the first payroll date following the date the Release Agreement becomes enforceable and irrevocable, provided, however, that if the 60-day period in which the Release Agreement is required to become effective and enforceable begins in one calendar year and ends in the following calendar year, the salary continuation shall be paid in the second calendar year; provided further that the initial payment shall include a catch-up payment to cover amounts retroactive to the day immediately following the effective date of termination.
For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean that Executive has complied with the “Good Reason Process” (hereinafter defined) following the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) a material diminution in Executive’s responsibilities, authority or duties; (ii) a material diminution in the Annual Salary except for across-the-board salary reductions based on the Company’s financial performance similarly affecting all or substantially all senior management employees of the Company; (iii) a change of more than 40 miles in Executive’s Office Location, without Executive’s prior written consent; or (iv) the material breach by the Company of this Agreement or any other written agreement between Executive and the Company. “Good Reason Process” shall mean that (A) Executive reasonably determines in good faith that a “Good Reason” condition has occurred; (B) Executive notifies the Company in writing of the first occurrence of the Good Reason condition within 30 days of the first occurrence of such condition; (C) Executive cooperates in good faith with the Company’s efforts, for a period not less than 30 days following such notice (the “Cure Period”), to remedy the condition; (D) notwithstanding such efforts, the Good Reason condition continues to exist; and (E) Executive terminates his employment within 30 days after the end of the Cure Period. If the Company cures the Good Reason condition during the Cure Period, Good Reason shall be deemed not to have occurred.
5.4 | Termination Due to a Change of Control. |
(a) In accordance with the Plan and the Company’s forms of equity award agreements for senior executives, in the event of a Sale Event (as defined in the Company’s 2017 Stock Option and Incentive Plan), Executive shall receive acceleration of all time-based vesting provisions on all equity awards with time-based vesting held by Executive, with such vesting to occur immediately prior to the closing of the Sale Event.
(b) If a Sale Event occurs and the Company, its subsidiaries or a successor entity, as the case may be, terminates this Agreement and the employment of Executive without Cause or Executive terminates this Agreement and his employment for Good Reason, in either case within 12 months following such Sale Event, then in lieu of the payments and benefits provided for in Section 5.3, Executive shall be entitled to receive the Accrued Benefit and the following payments and benefits (the “Change in Control Severance):
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(i) an additional 12 months of Annual Salary at (i) the rate in effect at termination or, (ii) $200,000, payable in a lump sum;
(ii) an additional 12 months of bonus payout earned out at 100% of plan;
(iii) a monthly cash payment equal to the monthly employer contribution the Company would have made to provide Executive group health, dental and all other insurance coverages to Executive and his family, pursuant to COBRA, if eligible and elected, for a period of 12 months, or until the expiration of the Executive’s COBRA continuation period, if earlier; provided that after expiration of the relevant COBRA payment period above, the Company will allow Executive to continue such coverage at his own expense for the remainder ocf any COBRA continuation period pursuant to applicable law and Executive shall notify the Company immediately upon acceptance of employment with another employer;
(iiii) accelerated vesting of all unvested stock options or equity awards.
(c) The Change in Control Severance shall not be paid or given unless Executive executes the Release Agreement and the Release Agreement becomes enforceable and irrevocable within 60 days following the date on which the termination of Executive’s employment becomes effective. The payments under Section 5.4(b)(i) and (ii) shall be paid to Executive in a lump sum on the first payroll date following the date the Release Agreement becomes enforceable and irrevocable, provided, however, that if the 60 day period in which the Release Agreement is required to become effective and enforceable begins in one calendar year and ends in the following calendar year, the Change in Control Severance shall be paid in the second calendar year. The Company shall pay the amounts due under Section 5.4(b)(iii) each month at the time the Company normally pays the insurer of the Company’s group health insurer on behalf of its remaining employees.
5.5 | Additional Limitation. |
(a) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that the amount of any compensation, payment or distribution by the Company to or for the benefit of Executive, whether paid or payable or distributed or distributable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise, calculated in a manner consistent with Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and the applicable regulations thereunder (the “Severance Payments”), would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, the following provisions shall apply:
(i) If the Threshold Amount is less than (x) the Severance Payments, but greater than (y) the Severance Payments reduced by the sum of (A) the Excise Tax and (B) the total of the Federal, state, and local income and employment taxes on the amount of the Severance Payments which are in excess of the Threshold Amount, then the Severance Payments shall be reduced (but not below zero) to the extent necessary so that the sum of all Severance Payments shall not exceed the Threshold Amount. In such event, the Severance Payments shall be reduced in the following order: (A) cash payments not subject to Section 409A of the Code; (B) cash payments subject to Section 409A of the Code; (C) equity-based payments and acceleration; and (D) non-cash forms of benefits. To the extent any payment is to be made over time (e.g., in installments, etc.), then the payments shall be reduced in reverse chronological order.
(ii) Except in the circumstances set forth in (i), Executive shall be entitled to receive his full Severance Payments.
(b) For the purposes of this Section 5.5, “Threshold Amount” shall mean three times Executive’s “base amount” within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder less one dollar ($1.00); and “Excise Tax” shall mean the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, and any interest or penalties incurred by Executive with respect to such excise tax.
(c) The determination as to which of the alternative provisions of Section 5.5(a) shall apply to Executive shall be made by a nationally recognized accounting firm selected by the Company (the “Accounting Firm”), which shall provide detailed supporting calculations both to the Company and Executive within 15 business days of the Date of Termination, if applicable, or at such earlier time as is reasonably requested by the Company or Executive. For purposes of determining which of the alternative provisions of Section 5.5(a) shall apply, Executive shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at the highest marginal rate of federal income taxation applicable to individuals for the calendar year in which the determination is to be made, and state and local income taxes at the highest marginal rates of individual taxation in the state and locality of Executive’s residence on the Date of Termination, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes which could be obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes. Any determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and Executive.
6. | Covenants of Executive. |
(a) Executive agrees that during the term of his employment with the Company and for a period of one year thereafter, Executive shall not, alone or as an employee, officer, director, agent, shareholder (other than an owner of 2% or less of the outstanding shares of any publicly-traded company), consultant, partner, member, owner or in any other capacity, directly or indirectly:
(i) engage in any Competitive Activity (as defined below) within or with respect to any location in the United States or abroad in which Executive performed or directed his services (including but not limited to sales and customer support calls, whether conducted in person, by telephone or online) at any time during the 9-month period immediately preceding the termination of Executive’s employment for any reason (the “Territories”), or assist any other person or organization in engaging in, or preparing to engage in, any Competitive Activity in such Territories;
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(ii) solicit or provide services to any Clients, as defined below, of the Company and/or any of its affiliates, on his own behalf or on behalf of any third party, in furtherance of any Competitive Activity. For purposes of this Section 6, “Client” shall mean any then-current customer of the Company, former customer of the Company (who was a customer of the Company within the 12-month period immediately preceding the termination of Executive’s employment hereunder);
(iii) encourage, participate in or solicit any employee or consultant of the Company and/or any affiliate to engage in Competitive Activity or to accept employment with any third party, whether or not engaged in Competitive Activity. This subsection (iii) shall be limited to employees and consultants who: (A) are current employees or consultants; or (B) left the employment of the Company or whose provision of services to the Company terminated within the 12-month period prior to Executive’s termination of employment with the Company for any reason; and
(iv) for purposes of this Agreement, “Competitive Activity” shall mean any offering, sale, licensing or provision by any entity of any software, application service or system, in direct competition with the Company’s offerings and including electronic or digital document repositories for facilitating transactional due diligence, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, financings, investments, investor relations, research and development, clinical trials or other business processes for which the Company’s products or services are or have been used during the 12-month period preceding termination of Executive’s employment for any reason.
(b) Executive agrees that the foregoing restrictions are reasonable and justified in light of: (i) the nature of the Company’s business and customers; (ii) the confidential and proprietary information to which Executive has had and will have exposure and access during the course of his employment with the Company; and (iii) the need for the adequate protection of the business and the goodwill of the Company. In the event any restriction in this Section 6 is deemed to be invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, Executive agrees to the reduction of said restriction to such period or scope that such court deems reasonable and enforceable.
(c) Executive acknowledges and agrees that any breach of this Section 6 shall cause the Company immediate, substantial and irreparable harm and therefore, in the event of any such breach, Executive agrees that, without prejudice to any other remedies which may be available to the Company, and the Company shall have the right to seek specific performance and injunctive relief, without the need to post a bond or other security.
(d) Without in any way limiting the provisions of this Section 6, Executive further acknowledges and agrees that the provisions of this Section 6 shall remain applicable in accordance with their terms after the date of termination of Executive’s employment, regardless of whether Executive’s termination or cessation of employment is voluntary or involuntary.
(a) to have the Restrictive Covenants specifically enforced (without posting bond and without the need to prove damages) by any court having jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the right to seek an entry against Executive of restraining orders and injunctions (preliminary, mandatory, temporary and permanent) against violations, threatened or actual, and whether or not then continuing, of such covenants;
(b) to require Executive to forfeit his right to receive the balance of any compensation due him which is not yet earned and accrued under this Agreement (whether it be in the form of Annual Salary, expenses or paid time off); and
In addition, without limiting the Company’s remedies for any breach by Executive of the Restrictive Covenants, except as required by law, if (i) the Company files a civil action against Executive based on his alleged breach of the Restrictive Covenants, and (ii) the Company obtains preliminary injunctive relief enjoining the Executive from breaching any of the Restrictive Covenants, or a court of competent jurisdiction issues a final judgment (not subject to appeal, which shall include any order or judgment that finally disposes of the action) that the Executive has breached any of the Restrictive Covenants, then the Executive shall promptly repay to the Company any payments of Severance or Change in Control Severance under Sections 5.3 or 5.4(b) and the Company will have no obligation to pay any amount of Severance or Change in Control Severance that remain payable by the Company under Sections 5.3 or 5.4(b). If, however, a court of competent jurisdiction either denies the Company’s motion, request or application for preliminary injunctive relief or issues a final judgment (not subject to appeal, which shall include any order or judgment that finally disposes of the action) that the Executive has not breached any of the Restrictive Covenants, then Executive shall not be obligated to repay, and the Company shall not be entitled to recoup, any of the Severance or Change in Control Severance payments made to the Executive pursuant to Sections 5.3 or 5.4(b).
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(a) The Severance and Change in Control Severance payable to Executive under Sections 5.3 and 5.4 of this Agreement are intended to be exempt from the coverage of Section 409A of the Code because the payments are either made to Executive within the time periods set forth in Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(b)(4) and/or treated as separation pay due to involuntary separation from service pursuant to the exemption set forth in Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii). Each installment payment under this Agreement is intended to be a separate payment for purposes of Treas. Reg. §1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii). To the extent that any payment or benefit due to Executive under this Agreement provides for the payment of non-qualified deferred compensation benefits in connection with a termination of the Executive’s employment (regardless of the reason for such termination), however, such termination of the Executive’s employment triggering payment of benefits under the terms of this Agreement must also constitute a “separation from service” under Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Code and Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(h) before the Company shall make payment of such benefits. To the extent that termination of the Executive’s employment does not constitute a separation of service under Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Code and Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(h) (as the result of further services that are reasonably anticipated to be provided by him to the Company or any of its affiliates or successors at the time his employment terminates), any benefits payable under this Agreement that constitute non-qualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code shall be delayed until after the date of a subsequent event constituting a separation of service under Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Code and Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(h). For purposes of clarification, this Section 7(a) shall not cause any forfeiture of benefits on the Executive’s part, but shall only act as a delay in payment of such benefits until such time as a separation from service occurs.
(b) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if at the time of Executive’s separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, Executive is also a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, then to the extent any payment or benefit that Executive becomes entitled to under this Agreement on account of Executive’s separation from service would be considered deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, such payment shall not be payable and such benefit shall not be provided until the date that is the earlier of (A) six months and one day after Executive’s separation from service, or (B) Executive’s death. If any such delayed cash payment is otherwise payable on an installment basis, the first payment shall include a catch-up payment covering amounts that would otherwise have been paid during the six-month period but for the application of this provision, and the balance of the installments shall be payable in accordance with their original schedule.
(c) All in-kind benefits provided and expenses eligible for reimbursement under this Agreement shall be provided by the Company or incurred by Executive during the time periods set forth in this Agreement. All reimbursements shall be paid as soon as administratively practicable, but in no event shall any reimbursement be paid after the last day of the taxable year following the taxable year in which the expense was incurred. The amount of in-kind benefits provided or reimbursable expenses incurred in one taxable year shall not affect the in-kind benefits to be provided or the expenses eligible for reimbursement in any other taxable year. Such right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits is not subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.
(d) The parties intend that this Agreement will be administered in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. To the extent that any provision of this Agreement is ambiguous as to its compliance with Section 409A of the Code, the provision shall be read in such a manner so that all payments hereunder comply with Section 409A of the Code. The parties agree that this Agreement may be amended, as reasonably requested by either party, and as may be necessary to fully comply with Section 409A of the Code and all related rules and regulations in order to preserve the payments and benefits provided hereunder without additional cost to either party.
(e) The Company makes no representation or warranty and shall have no liability to Executive or any other person if any provisions of this Agreement are determined to constitute deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code but do not satisfy an exemption from, or the conditions of, such Section.
8. | Other Provisions |
(i) If to the Company:
0 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
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(ii) If to Executive, to:
Xxxx Xxxxxxx
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Any such person may by notice given in accordance with this Section to the other party designate another address or person for receipt by such person of notices hereunder.
8.7 GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW.
8.8 Venue. The parties agree irrevocably to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal courts or, if no federal jurisdiction exists, the state courts, located in New Haven, Connecticut, for the purposes of any suit, action or other proceeding brought by any party arising out of any breach of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby waive, and agree not to assert by way of motion, as a defense or otherwise, in any such suit, action, or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above-named courts, that the suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, that the venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper, or that the provisions of this Agreement may not be enforced in or by such courts.
PRECIPIO, INC. | XXXX XXXXXXX |
S/Xxxx Xxxxxxx | S/Xxxx Xxxxxxx |
Title: CFO | |
Date: August 7, 2018 | Date: August 7, 2018 |
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