August 1, 2016 Fred Ahlholm Dear Fred:
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EXHIBIT 10.3
Xxxxxx 0, 0000
Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Dear Xxxx:
This agreement (hereafter "Employment Agreement") will formalize the amended and restated terms and conditions of your employment with Xxxxxxx Neurosciences, Inc. (the "Company").
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000 | Xxxxxxx, XX 00000 | T 617.600.7373 |
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx | xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx |
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6.Benefits.
(a)You shall be eligible to participate in any and all benefit programs that the Company establishes and makes available to similarly situated employees from time to time, provided that you are eligible under (and subject to all provisions of) the plan documents governing those programs. Such benefits may include participation in group medical, dental, and vision insurance programs, and term life insurance. The benefits made available by the Company, and the rules, terms, and conditions for participation in such benefit plans, may be changed by the Company at any time without advance notice.
(b)During the Employment Period, the Company shall reimburse or otherwise provide for payment for reasonable out-of-pocket business expenses incurred by you in furtherance of or in connection with the legitimate business of the Company, subject to such reasonable documentation or policy requirements established by the Company from time to time.
(c)During the Employment Period, in addition to holidays recognized by the Company, you will be entitled to accrue on a pro-rated basis four (4) weeks of paid vacation annually. Pursuant to Company policy, vacation time cannot be carried over from year to year.
(c)Termination by the Company for Cause. The Board may terminate your employment for Cause. "Cause" means that you have (i) been convicted of (x) felony, or (y) a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude (other than a minor traffic violation), (ii) committed an act of fraud or embezzlement against the Company or its Affiliates, (iii) materially breached this Employment Agreement and failed to cure such breach within thirty (30) days following written notice from the Company, (iv) materially violated any written policy of the Company and failed to cure such violation within thirty (30) days following written notice from the Company, (v) materially failed or materially refused to substantially perform your duties (other than by reason of a physical or mental impairment) or to implement the lawful written directives of the CEO and/or Board that are consistent with your position, and such material failure or material refusal has continued after thirty (30) days following written notice from the Company, (vi) willfully engaged in conduct or willfully omitted to take any action, resulting in material injury to the Company or its Affiliates, monetarily or otherwise (including with respect to the Company's ability to comply with its legal or regulatory obligations), or (vii) materially breached your fiduciary duties as an officer or director of the Company. Upon such termination, you will be entitled only to the Accrued Obligations.
(d)Termination by the Company without Cause. The Company may terminate your employment without "Cause" immediately upon written notice. If such termination is without Cause and not by reason of your Disability, then, in addition to the Accrued Obligations, and in lieu of any other severance benefits otherwise payable under any Company policy or plan in effect, you will be entitled to (i) continued payment of your Base Salary for nine (9) months (the “Salary Severance Period”), (ii) should you be eligible for and timely elect COBRA
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coverage, payment of your COBRA premiums, less the amount charged to active employees for health coverage, for up to nine (9) months (the “COBRA Severance Period" (iii) payment of a pro-rata portion of your Annual Bonus (assuming for purposes of this payment that your Annual Bonus is equal to 30% of your Base Salary) and (iv) immediate vesting of any unvested options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, or other equity awards that are outstanding immediately prior to the date of termination and, but for the termination of your employment, would have vested during the nine (9) month period immediately following the date of termination (collectively, the "Severance Benefits").
(e)Termination Without Cause or for Good Reason Following a Change in Control.
(i)If your employment by the Company is terminated by the Company (or its successor or parent) without Cause (and not due to Disability or death) or by you for Good Reason within twelve (12) months immediately following a Change in Control (as defined below), then the Company shall pay or provide you with the Accrued Obligations and all of the benefits described in Section 7(d) above, subject to compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 7(f); provided that: (x) the Salary Severance Period defined in Section 7(d)(i) shall be increased to a total of twelve (12) months following the termination date; (y) the COBRA Severance Period defined in Section 7(d)(ii) shall be increased to a total of twelve (12) months following the termination date; (z) in lieu of the pro-rata bonus described in Section 7(d)(iii), the Company shall pay you the full Annual Bonus for the performance year in which your termination occurs, payable as a lump sum payment on the on the Company’s first ordinary payroll date occurring on or after the Release of Claims effective date (namely, the date it can no longer be revoked); and (xx) in lieu of the vesting acceleration described in Section 7(d)(iv), all outstanding unvested equity awards granted to you shall vest pursuant to Section 6 of the Stock Option Agreement (collectively, the “Change In Control Severance Benefits”).
(ii)For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall mean a change in ownership or control of the Company effected through any of the following means: (a) a merger, consolidation or other reorganization approved by the Company’s stockholders, unless securities representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the voting securities of the successor corporation are immediately thereafter beneficially owned, directly or indirectly and in substantially the same proportion, by the persons who beneficially owned the Company’s outstanding voting securities immediately prior to such transaction, (b) a sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, or (c) the closing of any transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which any person or any group of persons comprising a “group” within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) of the 1934 Act (other than the Company or a person that, prior to such transaction or series of related transactions, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Company) becomes directly or indirectly (whether as a result of a single acquisition or by reason of one or more acquisitions within the twelve (12)-month period ending with the most recent acquisition) the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the 0000 Xxx) of securities possessing (or convertible into or exercisable for securities possessing) more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities (as measured in terms of the power to vote with respect to the election of Board members) outstanding immediately after the consummation of such transaction or series of related transactions, whether such transaction involves a direct issuance from the Company or the acquisition of outstanding securities held by one or more of the Company’s existing stockholders; or (d) a change in the composition of the Board over a period of twelve (12) consecutive months or less such that a majority of the Board members ceases to be comprised of individuals who either (A) have been Board members continuously since the beginning of such period (“Incumbent Directors”) or (B) have been elected or nominated for election as Board members during such period by at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors who were still in office at the time the Board approved such election or nomination; provided that any individual who becomes a Board member subsequent to the beginning of such period and whose election or nomination was approved by two-thirds of the Board members then comprising the Incumbent Directors will be considered an Incumbent Director.
In the event of any interpretation of this definition, the Board of Directors of the Company, upon advice of legal counsel, shall have final and conclusive authority, so long as such authority is exercised in good faith. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control will only be deemed to occur for purposes of this Agreement if it also meets the definition used for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(a)(5), that is, as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).
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(f)Termination by You Without Good Reason. You may terminate your employment for any or no reason subject to your providing 30 days written notice to the Company. The Company shall have the right to elect to terminate your employment immediately or at any other date during the notice period. Upon such termination, you will be entitled only to the Accrued Obligations.
(c)Trade Secrets and Confidential information. You recognize that it is in the legitimate business interest of the Company and its Affiliates to restrict your disclosure or use of Trade Secrets or other Confidential
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Information relating to the Company and its Affiliates for any purpose other than in connection with your performance of your duties to the Company and its Affiliates, and to limit any potential appropriation of such Trade Secrets or other Confidential Information. You therefore agree that all Trade Secrets or other Confidential Information relating to the Company and its Affiliates heretofore or in the future obtained by you shall be considered confidential and the proprietary information of the Company and its Affiliates. Except as required in connection with the performance of your duties, you shall not use or disclose, or authorize any other person or entity to use or disclose, any Trade Secrets or other Confidential. Information. The term "Trade Secrets or other Confidential information," means any information of the Company or its Affiliates that is not generally known by those with whom they compete and includes, by way of example and without limitation, in whatever medium, the whole or any portion or phase of any scientific or technical information, design, process, procedure, formula, machine, invention, improvement, manufacturing, sales or test data, business or financial information which are non-public in nature and which are treated as confidential or trade secret information by the Company. The term "Trade Secrets or other Confidential Information" does not include information that enters the public domain, other than through your breach of your obligations under this Agreement.
(e)No Improper Use of Information of Prior Employers and Others. During your employment by the Company you will not improperly use or disclose any confidential information or trade secrets, if any, of any former employer or any other person to whom you have an obligation of confidentiality, and you will not bring onto the premises of the Company any unpublished documents or any property belonging to any former employer or any other person to whom you I have an obligation of confidentiality unless consented to in writing by that former employer or person.
(g)Disclosure Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1833(b). Notwithstanding the foregoing, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1833(b), you shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that: (1) is made in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government
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official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (2) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.
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11.Publication of Agreement to Future Employers. If you are offered employment or the opportunity to enter into any business venture as owner, partner, consultant or other capacity while the restrictions described in Section 8 of this Agreement are in effect you agree to inform your potential employer, partner, co-owner and/or others involved in managing the business with which you have an opportunity to be associated of my obligations under this Agreement and also agree to provide such person or persons with a copy of this Agreement. You agree to inform the Company of all employment and business ventures which you enter into while the restrictions described in Section 8 of this Agreement are in effect and you also authorize the Company to provide copies of this Agreement to my employer, partner, co-owner and/or others involved in managing the business with which you am employed or associated and to make such persons aware of my obligations under this Agreement.
13.Governing Law; Consent to Personal Jurisdiction. The terms of this Employment Agreement, and any action arising hereunder, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the domestic laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To the extent that any dispute involving this Employment Agreement is not subject to arbitration pursuant to Section 16 below, I hereby expressly consent to the personal jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for any lawsuit filed there against me by Company arising from or related to this Agreement.
14.Waiver. This Employment Agreement may not be released, changed or modified in any manner, except by an instrument in writing signed by you and the Board. The failure of either party to enforce any of the provisions of this Employment Agreement shall in no way be construed to be a waiver of any such provision. No waiver of any breach of this Employment Agreement shall be held to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach.
15.Assignment. This Employment Agreement is personal to you. You shall not assign this Employment Agreement or any of your rights and/or obligations under this Employment Agreement to any other person. The Company may, without your consent, assign this Employment Agreement to a successor to all or substantially all of its stock or assets, provided that the assignee or any successor remains bound by these terms.
16.Dispute Resolution. To benefit mutually from the time and cost savings of arbitration over the delay and expense of the use of the federal and state court systems, all disputes involving this Employment Agreement (except, at the election of either party, for injunctive or declaratory relief with respect to disputes arising out of an alleged breach or threatened breach of the restrictive covenants contained in Section 8), including claims of violations of federal or state discrimination statutes, wage and hour laws, or public policy, shall be resolved pursuant to binding arbitration in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In the event of a dispute, a written request for arbitration shall be submitted to the Boston office of JAMS, Inc. (“JAMS”) or its successor, under JAMS’ then applicable rules and procedures for employment disputes.. The award of the arbitrators shall be final and binding and judgment upon the award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. Except as otherwise provided above, this procedure shall be the exclusive means of settling any disputes that may arise under this Employment Agreement. All fees and expenses of the arbitrators and all other expenses of the arbitration, except for attorneys' fees and witness expenses, shall be allocated as determined by the arbitrators. Each party shall bear its own witness expenses and attorneys' fees, except as otherwise determined by the arbitrators.
18.No Conflicts. You represent and warrant to the Company that your acceptance of employment and the performance of your duties for the Company will not conflict with or result in a violation or breach of, or constitute a default under any contract, agreement or understanding to which you are or were a party or of which you are aware and that there are no restrictions, covenants, agreements or limitations on your right or ability to enter into and perform the terms of this Employment Agreement. You further represent and warrant that you have no knowledge of
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any fact or circumstance that could prevent or materially delay you or the Company (as a result of your employment hereunder) from obtaining or maintaining any registration, license or other authorization or approval required for (i) you to perform your duties hereunder or (ii) the Company to operate its business as currently contemplated.
(a)Each notice or other communication to the Company under this Employment Agreement shall be directed as follows or to such other address as Company may have furnished to you in writing in accordance herewith:
Xxxxxxx Neurosciences, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: General Counsel
Email: xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
With a required copy to:
Xxxxxx LLP
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxx Xxxxx
E-mail: xxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx
(b)Each notice or other communication to you under this Employment Agreement shall be directed to your home address on file with the Company or to such other address as you may have furnished to the Company in writing in accordance herewith.
21.Entire Agreement. Upon the date hereof, this Employment Agreement supersedes all previous and contemporaneous communications, agreements and understandings between you, on the one hand, and the Company or any of its Affiliates, on the other hand, including the Offer Letter, and constitutes the sole and entire agreement between you and the Company pertaining to the subject matter hereof.
(a)If any payment or benefit you would receive from the Company or otherwise in connection with a change in control of the Company or other similar transaction (a “280G Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and (ii) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then any such 280G Payment (a “Payment”) shall be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount
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(i.e., the amount determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in your receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction shall occur in the manner (the “Reduction Method”) that results in the greatest economic benefit for you. If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the “Pro Rata Reduction Method”).
(b)Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A of the Code that would not otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A of the Code, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction Method, as the case may be, shall be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A of the Code as follows: (A) as a first priority, the modification shall preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for you as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events (e.g., being terminated without cause), shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and (C) as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.
(c)Unless you and the Company agree on an alternative accounting firm, the accounting firm engaged by the Company for general tax compliance purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the change of control transaction triggering the Payment shall perform the foregoing calculations. If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the change of control transaction, the Company shall appoint a nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting firm required to be made hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the accounting firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder to provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to you and the Company within 15 calendar days after the date on which your right to a 280G Payment becomes reasonably likely to occur (if requested at that time by you or the Company) or such other time as requested by you or the Company.
(d)If you receive a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of the first paragraph of this Section and the Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, you shall promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of the first paragraph of this Section so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) in the first paragraph of this Section, you shall have no obligation to return any portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.
(a)Notwithstanding any provision of this Employment Agreement to the contrary, all payments and benefits pair of provided for under this Employment Agreement are intended to comply with or be exempt from the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. Accordingly, all provisions herein, or incorporated by reference, shall be construed and interpreted to comply with or be exempt from (as applicable) Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and guidance thereunder. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to "termination of employment" and correlative phrases shall be construed to require a "separation from service" (as defined in Section 1.409A-1(h) of the Treasury regulations after giving effect to the presumptions contained therein). Further, each payment of compensation under this Employment Agreement (including each installment of the Severance Benefits) shall be treated as a separate payment of compensation. Any amounts payable solely on account of an involuntary separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code shall be excludible from the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, either as involuntary separation pay or as short-term deferral amounts to the maximum possible extent. Any reimbursements or in-kind benefits provided under this Employment Agreement shall be made or provided in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, including, where applicable, the requirement that (i) any reimbursement is for expenses incurred during the period of time specified in
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this Employment Agreement, (ii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in kind benefits provided, during a calendar year may not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in kind benefits to be provided, in any other calendar year, (iii) the reimbursement of an eligible expense will be made no later than the last day of the calendar year following the year in which the expense is incurred, and (iv) the right to reimbursement or in kind benefits is not subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit. The welfare benefit continuation provided during the period of time in which you would be entitled to continuation coverage under the Company's group health plan under COBRA is intended to qualify for the exception from deferred compensation as a medical benefit provided in accordance with the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section I .409A-1(b)(9)(v)(B).
(b)Notwithstanding any provision of the Employment Agreement to the contrary, if you are a "specified employee" within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code at the time of termination of employment, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code, any payment required under this Employment Agreement shall be delayed for a period of six (6) months after termination of employment pursuant to Section 409A of the Code, regardless of the circumstances giving rise to or the basis for such payment. Payment of such delayed amount shall be paid in a lump sum on the day immediately following the end of the six (6) month period. If you die during the postponement period prior to the payment of the delayed amount, the amounts delayed on account of Section 409A of the Code shall he paid to the personal representative of your estate within ninety (90) days after the date of your death. For these purposes, a "specified employee" shall mean an employee who, at any time during the 12-month period ending on the identification date, is a "specified employee" under Section 409A of the Code, as determined by the Company. The determination of "specified employees," including the number and identity of persons considered "specified employees" and the identification date, shall be made by the Company in accordance with Treasury regulation Section 1.409A-1(i).
Sincerely yours, |
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XXXXXXX NEUROSCIENCES, INC. |
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By: |
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/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx |
Name: |
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Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx |
Title: |
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President and CEO |
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED ON THIS 1ST DAY OF AUGUST, 2016.
BY: |
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/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx |
Xxxx Xxxxxxx |