EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.1
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), made effective as of January 4th, 2021, is entered into by Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) and Xxxxx Xxxx (“Executive”).
WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ Executive, and Executive desires to be employed by the Company.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises contained in this Agreement, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by the parties to this Agreement, the parties agree as follows:
3. | Compensation and Benefits. |
3.2 | Bonuses. |
3.3 | Equity Awards. |
5. | Effect of Termination. |
5.3 | Termination in the Event of a Change in Control. |
5.4 | Effect of Termination on Stock Options and Other Equity Compensation. |
12.6 herein.
12. | Miscellaneous. |
12.6 | Section 409A; Withholding. |
[signature page follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year set first forth above.
| THE COMPANY: |
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| By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxx |
| Name: Xxxxx Xxxx |
| Title: Chief Human Resources Officer |
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| EXECUTIVE: |
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| By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxx |
| Name: Xxxxx Xxxx |
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| Address for Notice Purposes: |
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| [Last address in books and records of the Company] |
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RELEASE OF CLAIMS1
FOR AND IN CONSIDERATION OF the payments and benefits (the “Separation Benefits”) to be provided to me in connection with the separation of my employment, in accordance with the Employment Agreement between Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) and me dated January 4th, 2021 (the “Agreement”), which Separation Benefits are conditioned on my signing this Release of Claims (“Release”) and which I will forfeit unless I execute and do not revoke this Release of Claims, I, on my own behalf and on behalf of my heirs and estate, voluntarily, knowingly and willingly release and forever discharge the Company, its subsidiaries, affiliates, parents, and, in their capacities as such, stockholders, together with each of those entities’ respective officers, directors, stockholders, employees, agents, fiduciaries and administrators, each in their capacities as such (collectively, the “Releasees”) from any and all claims and rights of any nature whatsoever which I now have or in the future may have against them up to the date I execute this Release, whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected. This Release includes, but is not limited to, any rights or claims relating in any way to my employment relationship with the Company or any of the other Releasees or the termination thereof, any contract claims (express or implied, written or oral), including, but not limited to, the Agreement, or any rights or claims under any statute, including, without limitation, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Older Workers’ Benefit Protection Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (including Section 504 thereof), Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 (42 U.S.C. § 1981), the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Equal Pay Act, the National Labor Relations Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Fair Pay Act, the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act, the New York State Human Rights Law, the New York City Human Rights Law, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, all as amended, and any other federal, state or local law. This Release specifically includes, but is not limited to, any claims based upon the right to the payment of wages, incentive and performance compensation, bonuses, equity grants, vacation, pension benefits, 401(k) Plan benefits, stock benefits or any other employee benefits, or any other rights arising under federal, state or local laws prohibiting discrimination and/or harassment on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sexual orientation, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, alienage, citizenship, nationality, mental or physical disability, denial of family and medical care leave, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), marital status, military status, gender identity, harassment or any other basis prohibited by law.
As a condition of the Company entering into this Release, I further represent that I have not filed against the Company or any of the other Releasees, any complaints, claims or lawsuits with any arbitral tribunal, administrative agency, or court prior to the date hereof, and that I have not transferred to any other person any such complaints, claims or lawsuits. I understand that by signing this Release, I waive my right to any monetary recovery in connection with a local, state or federal
1 The Executive agrees that the Company may revise this release to satisfy the purpose of providing as full a release of claims (subject to payment of any benefits provided on the applicable termination of employment) as may be legally permissible. The Company may revise it to reflect changes in law for releases and may add language for ADEA compliance.
governmental agency proceeding and I waive my right to file a claim seeking monetary damages in any arbitral tribunal, administrative agency, or court. This Release does not: (i) prohibit or restrict me from communicating, providing relevant information to or otherwise cooperating with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the New York State Division of Human Rights, a local commission on human rights or any other governmental authority with responsibility for the administration of fair employment practices laws (including with respect to SEC Whistleblowing) or my own attorney regarding a possible violation of such laws or responding to any inquiry from such authority, including an inquiry about the existence of this Release or its underlying facts, or (ii) require me to notify the Company of such communications or inquiry. Furthermore, notwithstanding the foregoing, this Release does not include and will not preclude: (a) rights or claims to vested benefits under any applicable retirement and/or pension plans; (b) rights under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”); (c) claims for unemployment compensation; (d) rights to defense and indemnification or under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, if any, from the Company for actions or inactions taken by me in the course and scope of my employment with the Company and its parents, subsidiaries and/or affiliates; (e) any rights I may have to obtain contribution as permitted by law in the event of entry of judgment against the Company as a result of any act or failure to act for which I and the Company are held jointly liable; (f) any rights to vested equity that vested prior to or because of the termination of my employment and rights as a stockholder; and/or (g) any actions to enforce the Agreement.
I acknowledge that, in signing this Release, I have not relied on any promises or representations, express or implied, other than those that are set forth expressly herein or in the Agreement and that are intended to survive separation from employment, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement.
Nondisclosure; Continuing Obligations - I understand and agree that, to the extent permitted by law, the terms and contents of this Release (as modified before signature) and the contents of the negotiations and discussions resulting in this Release shall be maintained as confidential by me and must not be disclosed to anyone other than a member of my immediate family, my attorney, accountant or other advisor (and, even as to such a person, only if the person agrees to honor this confidentiality requirement) except to the extent required by federal or state law or as otherwise agreed to in writing by the Company. I acknowledge and reaffirm my obligation to keep confidential and not disclose any and all non-public information concerning the Company that I acquired during the course of my employment or other relationship with the Company, including any non-public information concerning the Company’s business affairs, business prospects and financial condition, as is stated more fully in any Invention, Non-Disclosure, Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Agreement and that I will comply with such agreement in all other respects.
The Company understands and agrees that the contents of the negotiations and discussions resulting in this Release shall be maintained as confidential and shall not be disclosed to any third parties, except to the extent required or permitted by applicable law or as otherwise agreed to in writing with you.
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1833(b), I understand that I will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret of the
Company that (a) is made (i) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to my attorney and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (b) is made in a complaint or other document that is filed under seal in a lawsuit or other proceeding. If I files a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, I may disclose the trade secret to my attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if I (a) file any document containing the trade secret under seal, and (b) do not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to conflict with 18 U.S.C. § 1833(b) or create liability for disclosures of trade secrets that are expressly allowed by such section.
Mutual Non-Disparagement – I understand and agree that I shall not make any false, disparaging or derogatory statements to any person or entity, including any media outlet, industry group or financial institution, regarding the Company, or any of the other Releasees or about the Company’s business affairs and financial condition. The Company confirms that it has instructed the members of its Board of Directors and its current executive officers to not make any false, disparaging or derogatory statements to any person or entity, including any media outlet, industry group or financial institution, regarding me, my employment with the Company, or my departure from the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein prevents either the Releasees or me from making truthful disclosures to any governmental entity or to enforce the Agreement or this Release. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Release prohibits me from communicating with a government agency, regulator or legal authority concerning any possible violations of federal or state law or regulation. Nothing in this Release, however, authorizes the disclosure of information I obtained through a communication that was subject to the attorney-client privilege, unless disclosure of the information would otherwise be permitted by an applicable law or rule.
Return of Company Property - I confirm that I have returned to the Company in good working order all Company-owned keys, files, records (and copies thereof), equipment (including computer hardware, software and printers, wireless handheld devices, cellular phones, tablets, smartphones, etc.), Company identification, the Company proprietary and confidential information, and any other Company-owned property in my possession or control and I have left intact with, or delivered intact to, the Company all electronic Company documents and internal and external websites, including those that I developed or helped to develop during my employment, and that I have thereafter deleted, and destroyed any hard copies of, all electronic files relating to the Company that are in my possession or control, including any that are located on any of my personal computers or external or cloud storage. I further confirm that I have cancelled all accounts for my benefit, if any, in the Company’s name including, but not limited to, credit cards, telephone charge cards, cellular phone and/or wireless data accounts and computer accounts. Notwithstanding the foregoing, I understand that I shall be permitted to retain my contacts and calendars and personal correspondence and any documents or data related to my compensation or reasonably needed for tax preparation purposes.
Final Compensation – I acknowledge that I have received payment in full for all services rendered in conjunction with my employment by the Company, including payment for all wages, bonuses, and equity for any period before the date of this Release (other than any current salary and benefits due in the ordinary course in a final paycheck or thereafter), and that no other compensation is owed to me, except as provided in the applicable provisions of Section
5 of the Agreement; provided that nothing herein shall affect any claims of entitlement I may have to vested benefits under any 401(k) plan or other ERISA-covered benefit plan (excluding severance) provided by the Company.
Cooperation – I agree to cooperate with, provide assistance to, and make myself reasonably available to the Company and its legal counsel in connection with any litigation (including arbitration or administrative hearings) or investigation or examination relating to the Company or any of its current or former employees, in which, in the reasonable judgment of the Company or its counsel, my assistance or cooperation is needed due to my personal involvement in or knowledge about the circumstances to which the litigation or investigation relates. I will, when the Company or its counsel requests, provide testimony, be available for interviews or other assistance and travel at the Company’s reasonable request in order to fulfill this obligation. In connection with such litigation or investigation, the Company will use its best efforts to accommodate my schedule, will provide me with as much notice as possible in advance of the times during which my cooperation or assistance is needed, and will reimburse me for any reasonable travel and lodging expenses incurred in connection with such matters (at a level of travel consistent with my travel while employed by the Company) and the reasonable fees of any independent counsel retained by me if I reasonably believe separate counsel to be appropriate. I agree not to assist or provide information to any adverse party in any litigation against the Company or any of its current or former employees, except as required under law or formal legal process, unless I provide advance notice to the Company at least 10 days before such assistance or provision of information (or, if I am so required to assist or provide such information within less than 10 days of receipt of such requirement, after I provide timely advance notice to the Company) to allow the Company to take legal action with respect to the matter. Finally, I will undertake to satisfy requests for information from the Company with respect to the above undertaking. Nothing in this Release is intended to restrict or preclude me from, or otherwise influence me in, testifying fully and truthfully in legal, administrative, or any other proceedings involving the Company, as required by law or formal legal process.
Tax Provision – I acknowledge that I am not relying upon advice or representation of the Company with respect to the tax treatment of any of the payments or benefits provided by the Company. The benefits provided to me are intended to be exempt from or compliant with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The Company makes no representation or warranty and shall have no liability to me or to any other person if any of the provisions of the Agreement or this Release are determined to constitute deferred compensation subject to Section 409A but not to satisfy an exemption for, or the conditions of, that section. All payments stated will be reduced by all applicable taxes and withholdings.
Nature of Agreement – I understand and agree that this Release is a severance agreement and does not constitute an admission of liability or wrongdoing on the part of the Company.
Voluntary Assent – I affirm that no other promises or agreements of any kind have been made to or with me by any person or entity whatsoever to cause me to sign this Release, other than as reflected in the Agreement and that I fully understand the meaning and intent of the Release. I acknowledge that, in signing this Release, I have not relied on any promises or representations, express or implied, other than those that are set forth expressly herein or in the Agreement and
that are intended to survive separation from employment, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement. I further state and represent that I have carefully read this Release, understand the contents herein, freely and voluntarily assent to all of the terms and conditions hereof, and sign my name of my own free act.
Validity – Should any provision of this Release be declared or be determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal or invalid, the validity of the remaining parts, terms or provisions shall not be affected thereby and said illegal or invalid part, term or provision shall be deemed not to be a part of this Release.
I further acknowledge that:
(3) | I have carefully read and understand this Release; |
(8) | I have been given at least twenty-one (21) days to consider, and seven (7) days after I sign this Release to revoke it by notifying the Company in writing. The Release will not become effective or enforceable until the seven (7) day revocation period has expired; |
(9) | Any revocation of this release must be made in a signed writing and sent to the following address no later than 5:00 PM on the seventh (7th) day after I have executed this Agreement: |
[Address]
Intending to be legally bound, I have signed this Release as of the date written below.
Signature: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxx | | January 4, 2021 |
| Xxxxx Xxxx | | Date signed |
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