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AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

Employee Retention Agreement

AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT | Document Parties: UNUM GROUP You are currently viewing:
This Employee Retention Agreement involves

UNUM GROUP

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Title: AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Governing Law: Delaware     Date: 9/19/2008
Industry: Insurance (Accident and Health)     Sector: Financial

AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, Parties: unum group
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Exhibit 10.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT by and between Unum Group, a Delaware corporation having its principal executive offices in Chattanooga, Tennessee (the “ Company ”), and Thomas R. Watjen (the “ Executive ”) dated as of December 16, 2005.

WHEREAS, the Executive currently serves as a senior executive officer of the Company pursuant to this Agreement as first entered into effective January 1, 2002;

WHEREAS, the Company recognizes the Executive’s substantial contribution to the growth and success of the Company, desires to provide for the continued employment of the Executive and to make certain changes in the Executive’s employment arrangements with the Company, which the Board has determined will reinforce and encourage the continued attention and dedication to the Company of the Executive as a member of the Company’s senior management in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders;

WHEREAS, the Executive is willing to continue to serve the Company on the terms and conditions set forth below;

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

1. Term of Agreement . The Company hereby agrees to continue to employ the Executive, and the Executive hereby agrees to continue in the employ of the Company subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for the period commencing on the date hereof (the “ Effective Date ”) and ending on the second anniversary of the Effective Date (the “ Agreement Term ”). Beginning on the first anniversary of the Effective Date and on each successive anniversary thereof, the Agreement Term shall be automatically extended for successive one-year terms unless either the Company or the Executive shall give (in accordance with Section 11(b)) the other party written notice (a “ Notice of Non-Renewal ”) at least sixty (60) days prior to the extension date of intention not to extend this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, a Notice of Non-Renewal would need to be given at least one year and 60 days prior to the expiration of the then-current Agreement Term. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Notice of Non-Renewal given during the two-year period after a Change in Control (such two-year period being hereafter referred to as the “ CIC Period ”) shall be effective only at the expiration of the CIC Period; and further provided that if the Company enters into an agreement for a transaction that would constitute a Change in Control if consummated (the date of such agreement being a “ Potential Change in Control ”) then any Notice of Non-Renewal provided after such Potential Change in Control or within three (3) months prior to such Potential Change in Control shall not be effective until the expiration of the CIC Period or, if no Change in Control occurs within twelve (12) months of a Potential Change in Control, the expiration of such twelve (12) month period.


2. Terms of Employment .

(a) Position and Duties .

(i) The Executive shall serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, with the appropriate authority, duties and responsibilities attendant to such positions.

(ii) Excluding any periods of vacation and sick leave to which the Executive is entitled, the Executive agrees to devote substantially all of his business attention and time to the business and affairs of the Company and, to the extent necessary to discharge the responsibilities assigned to the Executive hereunder, to use the Executive’s reasonable best efforts to perform such responsibilities. It shall not be a violation of this Agreement for the Executive to (A) serve, with prior approval of the Board, on corporate, civic or charitable boards or committees, (B) deliver lectures, fulfill speaking engagements or teach at educational institutions and (C) manage personal investments, so long as such activities do not significantly interfere with the performance of the Executive’s responsibilities as an employee of the Company in accordance with this Agreement. It is expressly understood and agreed that to the extent that any such activities have been conducted by the Executive prior to the Effective Date, the continued conduct of such activities (or the conduct of activities similar in nature and scope thereto) subsequent to the Effective Date shall not thereafter be deemed to interfere with the performance of the Executive’s responsibilities to the Company.

(b) Compensation .

(i) Annual Base Salary . The Executive shall receive an annual base salary (“ Annual Base Salary ”) of $1,100,000, effective March 1, 2008. Any increase in Annual Base Salary shall not serve to limit or reduce any other obligation to the Executive under this Agreement, and the term Annual Base Salary as utilized in this Agreement shall refer to Annual Base Salary as so increased.

(ii) Annual Bonus . The Executive shall be eligible to receive an annual bonus (“ Annual Bonus ”) with a target level of not less than 150% of Annual Base Salary, or such greater amount as determined from time to time by the Human Capital Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “ Human Capital Committee ”) (the “ Target Bonus Amount ”). Each such Annual Bonus shall be paid no later than two and a half months after the end of the fiscal year for which the Annual Bonus is awarded, unless the Executive shall elect to defer the receipt of such Annual Bonus pursuant to an arrangement established by the Company, if any, that meets the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). It is understood that “Annual Bonus” does not include any special or supplemental bonuses that may be awarded from time to time by the Company.

 

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(iii) Incentive Awards . The Executive shall be eligible for annual equity grants and/or cash-based awards, as determined by the Human Capital Committee based upon competitive market analyses and such other factors it may deem appropriate, including the Executive’s current position in equity of the Company.

(iv) Other Employee Benefit Plans . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in all employee benefit, welfare and other plans, practices, policies and programs (including relocation programs and policies intended to reimburse the Executive in respect of state and local income taxes imposed by jurisdictions where the Executive does not reside and attributable to compensation paid by the Company) (collectively, “ Employee Benefit Plans ”) applicable to senior executive officers of the Company.

(v) Retirement Benefit . The Executive shall be entitled to a minimum annual retirement benefit from the Company payable monthly (the “ Retirement Benefit ”) determined as set forth in Attachment A. In addition, the Executive shall be entitled to post-retirement welfare benefit plan coverage pursuant to the terms of the applicable Company plans to the extent such coverage is provided by the Company. In determining the Executive’s eligibility for and entitlements to post-retirement welfare benefits, the Executive shall receive full credit for all of his years of service with the Company for all purposes; provided, however, that for purposes of the Company’s postretirement medical plans, the Executive shall receive credit for his years of service with the Company pursuant to the terms of such plans.

(vi) Expenses . During the Agreement Term, the Executive shall be entitled to receive reimbursement, as incurred, of all reasonable expenses incurred by the Executive in the course of performing his duties and responsibilities under this Agreement, in accordance with the policies, practices and procedures of the Company to the extent available to other senior executive officers with respect to travel, entertainment and other business expenses. In no event shall the payments by the Company under this Section 2(b)(vi) be made later than the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such expenses were incurred. The amount of such expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any given calendar year shall not affect the expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any other calendar year, and the Executive’s right to have the Company pay such expenses may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit.

(vii) Fringe Benefits . During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be entitled to fringe benefits in accordance with the plans, practices, programs and policies of the Company available to senior executive officers of the Company and any additional benefits as may be granted to the Executive by the Human Capital Committee. The Human Capital Committee of the Board will periodically review and monitor the fringe benefit program for senior executive officers, including the Executive.

 

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3. Termination of Employment .

(a) Death, Retirement or Disability . The Executive’s employment shall terminate automatically upon the Executive’s death or Retirement during the term of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, “ Retirement ” means a voluntary termination of employment that qualifies as normal or early retirement under the Company’s then-current retirement plan, or if there is no such retirement plan, “ Retirement ” shall mean voluntary separation from service, as defined pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 409A, after age 65 with ten years of service. As of the Effective Date, the Company’s retirement plan defines early retirement as voluntary termination after age 55 with five years of service, and normal retirement as voluntary termination after age 65. If the Company determines in good faith that the Disability of the Executive has occurred (pursuant to the definition of Disability set forth below), it may give to the Executive written notice in accordance with Section 11(b) of this Agreement of its intention to terminate the Executive’s employment. In such event, the Executive’s employment with the Company shall terminate effective on the 90th day after receipt of such notice by the Executive (the “ Disability Effective Date ”), provided that, within the 90 days after such receipt, the Executive shall not have returned to full-time performance of the Executive’s duties. For purposes of this Agreement, “ Disability ” means the Executive is (1) unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, as determined by a physician selected by the Company or its insurers and acceptable to the Executive, or (2) by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Company, whichever is more favorable to the Executive.

(b) Cause . The Company may terminate the Executive’s employment for Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “ Cause ” shall mean:

(i) the continued failure of the Executive to perform substantially the Executive’s duties hereunder (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness), after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to the Executive by the Board which specifically identifies the manner in which the Board believes that the Executive has not substantially performed the Executive’s duties, or

(ii) the willful engaging by the Executive in illegal conduct or gross misconduct which is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company, or

(iii) conviction of a felony or a guilty or nolo contendere plea by the Executive with respect thereto.

 

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For purposes of this provision, no act or failure to act, on the part of the Executive, shall be considered “willful” unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive’s action or omission was in the best interests of the Company. Any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board (or any committee of the Board) or based upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. The cessation of employment of the Executive shall not be deemed to be for Cause unless and until there shall have been delivered to the Executive a copy of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the entire membership of the Board at a meeting of the Board called and held for such purpose (after reasonable notice is provided to the Executive and the Executive is given an opportunity, together with counsel, to be heard before the Board) finding that, in the good faith opinion of the Board, the Executive is guilty of the conduct described in subparagraph (i) or (ii) above, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.

(c) Good Reason . The Executive’s employment may be terminated by the Executive for Good Reason. In order to invoke a termination for Good Reason, the Executive shall provide written notice to the Company of one or more of the conditions described in clauses (i) through (vii) below within 90 days following the Executive’s actual knowledge of the initial existence of such condition, specifying in reasonable detail the conditions constituting Good Reason, and the Company shall have 30 days following receipt of such written notice (the “ Cure Period ”) during which it may remedy the condition. In the event that the Company fails to remedy the condition constituting Good Reason during the applicable Cure Period, the Executive’s “separation from service” (within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A) must occur, if at all, within two years following such Cure Period in order for such termination as a result of such condition to constitute a termination for Good Reason. Furthermore, in the event that the party to whom notice is given by Mr. Watjen pursuant to Section 3(c) asserts or wishes to assert that such notice is untimely, the party making such an assertion that the notice is untimely must show that he, she or it was actually prejudiced by the late notice. For purposes of this Agreement, “ Good Reason ” shall mean the following events:

(i) the assignment to the Executive of any duties materially inconsistent with the Executive’s position (including status, offices, titles and reporting requirements), authority, duties or responsibilities as contemplated by Section 2(a)(i) of this Agreement, or any other action by the Company which results in a material diminution in such position, authority, duties or responsibilities or the budget over which the Executive retains authority, excluding for this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent action not taken in bad faith;

(ii) any material failure by the Company to comply with any of the provisions of Section 2(b) of this Agreement (including, but not limited to, any reduction in Annual Base Salary), other than an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith;

 

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(iii) any purported termination by the Company of the Executive’s employment otherwise than as expressly permitted by this Agreement;

(iv) any material failure by the Company to comply with and satisfy Section 9(c) of this Agreement;

(v) any required relocation of the Executive to a location more than 35 miles from the Executive’s location as of immediately prior to the Effective Date, other than if such relocation is to the Company’s headquarters;

(vi) any required relocation of the Executive (whether or not to the Company’s headquarters) of more than 35 miles from the Executive’s location as of immediately prior to the Effective Date, if such required relocation occurs during the CIC Period; or

(vii) any material diminution in the authority, duties, or responsibilities of those to whom the Executive is required to report, including without limitation any requirement that the Executive report to a corporate officer or employee instead of reporting directly to the Board of Directors of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) placing the Executive on a paid leave for up to 30 days, pending the determination of whether there is a basis to terminate the Executive for Cause, shall not constitute a Good Reason event (but if the Executive is subsequently terminated for Cause, then the Executive shall repay any amounts paid by the Company to the Executive during such paid leave period); and (y) a Notice of Termination for Good Reason given by the Executive shall constitute a notice of resignation of all elected positions the Executive may hold with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates (including, but not limited to, all directorships), effective as of the Date of Termination (regardless of whether the Notice of Termination expressly states that the Executive is resigning from such elected positions).

(d) Change in Control . For purposes of this Agreement, “ Change in Control ” shall mean the occurrence of any one of the following events:

(i) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board (the “ Incumbent Directors ”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, provided that any person becoming a director and whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without written objection to such nomination) shall be an Incumbent Director; provided, however, that no individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest (as described in Rule 14a-11 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”)) (“ Election Contest ”) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any “ person ” (as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act and as used in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Act) other than the Board (“ Proxy Contest ”), including by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle any Election or Contest or Proxy Contest, shall be deemed an Incumbent Director;

 

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(ii) any person is or becomes a “ beneficial owner ” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% (30% with respect to deferred compensation subject to Internal Revenue Code Section 409A) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of the Board (the “ Company Voting Securities ”); provided, however, that the event described in this paragraph (ii) shall not be deemed to be a Change in Control of the Company by virtue of any of the following acquisitions: (A) by the Company of any subsidiary, (B) by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any subsidiary, (C) by an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, (D) pursuant to a Non-Qualifying Transaction (as defined in paragraph (iii)) or (E) a transaction (other than one described in (iii) below) in which Company Voting Securities are acquired from the Company, if a majority of the Incumbent Directors approve a resolution providing expressly that the acquisition pursuant to this clause (E) does not constitute a Change in Control of the Company under this paragraph (ii);

(iii) the consummation of a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries that requires the approval of the Company’s stockholders, whether for such transaction or the issuance of securities in the transaction (a “ Reorganization ”), or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to an entity that is not an affiliate of the Company (a “ Sale ”), unless immediately following such Reorganization or Sale: (A) more than 50% of the total voting power of (x) the corporation resulting from such Reorganization or the corporation which has acquired all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (in either case, the “ Surviving Corporation ”), or (y) if applicable, the ultimate parent corporation that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of 100% of the voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Corporation (the “ Parent Corporation ”), is represented by the Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Reorganization or Sale (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which such Company Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Reorganization or Sale), and such voting power among the holders thereof is in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of such Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Reorganization or Sale, (B) no person (other than any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Corporation or the Parent Corporation) is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 20% (30% with respect to deferred compensation subject to Internal Revenue Code Section 409A) or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) following the consummation of the Reorganization or Sale were Incumbent Directors at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the

 

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initial agreement providing for such Reorganization or Sale (any Reorganization or Sale which satisfies all of the criteria specified in (A), (B) and (C) above shall be deemed to be a “ Non-Qualifying Transaction ”); or

(iv) the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control of the Company shall not be deemed to occur solely because any person acquires beneficial ownership of more than 20% (30% with respect to deferred compensation subject to Internal Revenue Code Section 409A) of the Company Voting Securities as a result of the acquisition of Company Voting Securities by the Company which reduces the number of Company Voting Securities outstanding; provided, that if after such acquisition by the Company such person becomes the beneficial owner of additional Company Voting Securities that increases the percentage of outstanding Company Voting Securities beneficially owned by such person, a Change in Control of the Company shall then occur.

(e) Notice of Termination . Any termination by the Company or by the Executive shall be communicated by Notice of Termination to the other party hereto given in accordance with Section 11(b) of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, a “ Notice of Termination ” means a written notice which (i) indicates the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon, (ii) to the extent applicable, sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Executive’s employment under the provision so indicated and (iii) specifies the Date of Termination (as defined below). The failure by the Executive or the Company to set forth in the Notice of Termination any fact or circumstance which contributes to a showing of Good Reason or Cause shall not waive any right of the Executive or the Company, respectively, hereunder or preclude the Executive or the Company, respectively, from asserting such fact or circumstance in enforcing the Executive’s or the Company’s rights hereunder.

(f) Date of Termination . “ Date of Termination ” means (i) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company for Cause, the date of receipt of the Notice of Termination or any later date specified therein within 90 days of such notice, (ii) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by reason of death or Disability, the date of death of the Executive or the Disability Effective Date, as the case may be, (iii) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company other than for Cause, death or Disability, 90 days after giving such notice, (iv) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Executive, 90 days after the giving of such notice by the Executive (or such shorter period as may be specified in the Notice of Termination) provided that the Company may elect to place the Executive on paid leave for all or any part of such up-to 90-day period or accelerate the Date of Termination, and (v) if the Executive’s employment is terminated pursuant to a Notice of Non-Renewal, the date specified in Section 1 as the end of the term in which such notice is provided or any other mutually agreed upon date. The Company and the Executive shall take all steps necessary (including with regard to any post-termination services by the Executive) to ensure that any termination described in this Section 3 constitutes a “separation from service” within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A, and notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the date on which such separation from service takes place shall be the “Date of Termination.”

 

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4. Obligations of the Company upon Termination .

(a) Good Reason; Other Than for Cause or Disability . If, the Company shall terminate the Executive’s employment during the Agreement Term other than for Cause or Disability, or the Executive shall terminate employment for Good Reason, this Agreement shall terminate without further obligation to the Executive other than as follows:

(i) except as otherwise provided below, the Company shall pay to the Executive in a lump sum in cash within ten (10) days, subject to the Executive’s execution and nonrevocation, within thirty (30) days after the Date of Termination, of a general release substantially in the form attached hereto as Attachment B:

A. the product of three (3) times the sum of (x) the average of the annual bonuses paid (or payable but deferred) to the Executive for the three (3) completed calendar years prior to the year in which the Date of Termination occurs (the “ Recent Annual Bonus ”) and (y) the Executive’s Annual Base Salary (disregarding any decrease in Annual Base Salary constituting Good Reason); and

B. the sum of (x) the Executive’s Annual Base Salary through the Date of Termination to the extent not theretofore paid (disregarding any decrease in Annual Base Salary constituting Good Reason), (y) subject to the attainment of any performance goal designed to comply with the requirements of the performance based compensation exception of Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m) (a “Section 162(m) Performance Goal”) that (i) has been established by the Human Capital Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company as of the Date of Termination for any bonus plan in which the Executive is eligible to participate as of the Date of Termination and (ii) is applicable to the Executive, the product of (1) the Recent Annual Bonus multiplied by (2) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs through the Date of Termination and the denominator of which is 365 (such product, the “Pro Rata Bonus”), provided that, if (A) a Section 162(m) Performance Goal has not been established as of the Date of Termination for a bonus plan in which the Executive is eligible to participate as of the Date of Termination, (B) such a performance goal has been established for such a plan but is not intended to apply to the Executive or (C) the Date of Termination occurs on or following a Change of Control, the Executive shall be paid the Pro Rata Bonus, regardless of the attainment of any Section 162(m) Performance Goal (the sum of the amounts described in clauses (x) and (y) shall be hereinafter referred to as the “ Accrued Obligations ”);

 

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C. an amount equal to the excess of (x) the actuarial present value of the Retirement Benefit determined using the actuarial assumptions prescribed under t


 
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