This EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is made and
entered into as of June 4, 2008 (the “ Effective
Date ”), by and between WARWICK VALLEY TELEPHONE COMPANY
(the “ Company ”) and KENNETH H. VOLZ (“
Executive ”).
The Company
hereby agrees to employ Executive, and Executive hereby agrees to
be employed by the Company, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Agreement.
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(a)
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The
period of Executive’s employment under this Agreement shall
begin as of the Effective Date and shall continue until
June 3, 2010 (the “ Initial Term ”), and
shall be renewed automatically for successive one-year periods
thereafter (each, a “ Renewal Period ”), unless
Executive or the Company gives written notice of nonrenewal to the
other at least sixty (60) days before the expiration of the
Initial Term or any subsequent Renewal Period.
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(b)
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Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Executive’s employment may be terminated by the Company or by
Executive at any time for any reason.
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(c)
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As
used in this Agreement, the term “ Employment Term
” refers to Executive’s period of employment from the
Effective Date until the date his employment terminates.
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3.
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Duties and
Responsibilities .
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(a)
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The
Company will employ Executive as its Executive Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. In such capacity, Executive
shall perform the customary duties and have the customary
responsibilities of such positions and such other duties as may be
assigned to Executive from time to time by the President and Chief
Executive Officer (the “President”) of the Company.
Executive will exercise his judgment in accordance with the highest
ethical standards.
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(b)
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Executive agrees to faithfully serve
the Company, devote his full working time, attention and energies
to the business of the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliated
entities, and perform the duties under this Agreement to the best
of his abilities.
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(c)
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Executive agrees (i) to comply
with all applicable laws, rules and regulations; (ii) to
comply with the Company’s rules, procedures, policies,
requirements, and directions; and (iii) not to engage in any other
business or employment without the written consent of the Company
except as otherwise specifically provided herein.
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4.
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Compensation
and Benefits .
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(a)
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Base Salary. During the Employment Term, the
Company shall pay Executive a base salary at the annual rate of
$250,000 per year or such higher rate as may be determined annually
by the Company (“ Base Salary ”). Such Base
Salary, less applicable withholdings, shall be paid in accordance
with the Company’s standard payroll practice
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for executives.
The Base Salary set forth in this Agreement shall be retroactive to
January 1, 2008; the difference between the base salary paid from
January 1, 2008 and the Base Salary set forth in this
Agreement will be paid, less applicable withholdings, in the first
pay period following execution of this Agreement unless previously
paid.
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(b)
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Annual Bonus.
During the Employment
Term, Executive will be eligible to receive an Annual Bonus each
year, as determined in accordance with the Applicable Plan approved
by the Company for executives for such year. The Company has the
right to change or eliminate the Applicable Plan at any time. The
Annual Bonus to be paid to Executive in 2009 shall be based on the
Company’s financial performance in 2008, continuing in like
progression with the Annual Bonus to be paid in any year based on
the Company’s prior year’s performance. Such Annual
Bonus, less applicable withholdings, shall be paid within
2.5 months of the end of the taxable fiscal year during which
it was earned. Except as otherwise provided by Section 7, in
order to be eligible to receive payment of any portion of an
Incentive Bonus, Executive must be actively employed by the Company
on the payment date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive
acknowledges that whether any Annual Bonus is to be paid for a
given year and the amount of that Annual Bonus is completely at the
discretion of the Company.
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(c)
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Incentive Compensation.
Executive shall be
eligible to participate in and receive incentive compensation under
the Company’s incentive compensation plans generally made
available to other executives at a level commensurate with his
position and in accordance with and subject to the terms of such
plans. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive acknowledges that
the grant of awards under the Company’s incentive
compensation plans is completely at the discretion of the
Company.
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(d)
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Benefit Plans, Fringe Benefits and
Vacation. Executive shall be eligible to
participate in any 401(k) savings plan generally made available by
the Company to other executives in accordance with the eligibility
requirements of such plans and subject to the terms and conditions
set forth in such plans, except for any pension benefit. Executive
shall be eligible to participate in any health and welfare plans
made available to other executives, including, but not limited to,
any medical and dental benefits plan, life insurance plan,
short-term and long-term disability plans, or other executive
benefit or fringe benefit plan. Executive will also be eligible to
receive at least four (4) weeks of vacation per calendar year,
accrued and earned on a daily basis, as well as other types of paid
time-off (e.g., holidays, personal days, absence due to illness,
etc.) according to the Company’s vacation and paid time-off
policy.
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(e)
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Housing and Travel
Allowance. The Company will provide Executive
with a Housing and Travel Allowance of $4,800 per month (which
includes a gross up to defray tax consequences) for the duration of
his employment under this agreement. The Housing and Travel
Allowance and tax-gross up benefit for a given month shall be paid
to Executive on the first day of such month, or as soon as
administratively practicable thereafter, but in no event later than
the end of that month.
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(f)
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Expense Reimbursement.
The Company shall
promptly reimburse Executive for the ordinary and necessary
business expenses incurred by Executive in the performance of the
duties under this Agreement in accordance with the Company’s
customary practices
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Page 2 of 17
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applicable to
executives, provided that such expenses are incurred and accounted
for in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement
policy. Reimbursement shall be made as soon as administratively
practicable following Executive’s submission of the necessary
documents and receipts required under the Company’s expense
reimbursement policy, but in no event later than December 31st
of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the
expense was incurred.
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(g)
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Concession. Executive will be provided with paid
PDA or mobile phone service for one electronic device, as well as
concession Telephone and Toll Service, DSL Internet Service and in
territory Digital TV service benefits consistent with those
available to other executives.
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(h)
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Indemnification.
Executive will be
covered by the Company’s standard Director’s and
Officer’s Indemnification Agreement, providing for
indemnification consistent with the New York Business Corporation
Law and the Company’s by-laws.
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5.
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Termination
of Employment .
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Executive’s employment may be terminated
by the Company or by Executive at any time for any reason. Upon
termination, Executive shall be entitled to receive the
compensation and benefits described in Section 7.
Executive’s employment will terminate under the following
conditions:
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(a)
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Death. Executive’s employment shall
terminate upon Executive’s death.
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(b)
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Total Disability.
The Company may
terminate Executive’s employment upon his becoming Totally
Disabled. For purposes of this Agreement, Executive shall be
“ Totally Disabled ” if Executive is physically
or mentally incapacitated so as to render Executive incapable of
performing his usual and customary duties under this Agreement
without reasonable accommodation. Executive’s receipt of
disability benefits under the Company’s long-term disability
plan, if any, or receipt of Social Security disability benefits
shall be deemed conclusive evidence of Total Disability for purpose
of this Agreement; provided, however, that in the absence of
Executive’s receipt of such long-term disability benefits or
Social Security benefits, the Company may, in its reasonable
discretion (but based upon appropriate medical evidence), determine
that Executive is Totally Disabled.
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(c)
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Termination by the Company for
Cause.
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(i)
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The
Company may terminate Executive’s employment for Cause at any
time after providing written notice to Executive.
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(ii)
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For
purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Cause ”
shall mean any of the following: (A) conviction of a crime or
a nolo contendere plea involving the alleged commission by
Executive of a felony or of a criminal act involving, in the good
faith judgment and sole discretion of the Board, fraud, dishonesty,
or moral turpitude; (B) deliberate and continual refusal to perform
employment duties reasonably requested by the Board after fifteen
(15) days’ written notice by certified mail of such
failure to perform, specifying that the failure
constitutes
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Page 3 of 17
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cause (other
than as a result of vacation, sickness, illness or injury);
(C) fraud or embezzlement as determined by the Board;
(D) gross misconduct or gross negligence in connection with
the business of the Company or an affiliate which has a substantial
adverse effect on the Company or the affiliate; or (E) breach
of the terms of the confidentiality, non-solicitation and
non-competition provisions of Section 9.
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(iii)
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Regardless of whether
Executive’s employment initially was considered to be
terminated for any reason other than Cause, Executive’s
employment will be considered to have been terminated for Cause for
purposes of this Agreement if the Board subsequently determines
that Executive engaged in an act constituting Cause during the
Employment Period or Executive breached the terms of the terms of
the confidentiality, non-solicitation and non-competition
provisions of Section 9 after his termination.
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(d)
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Termination by the Company Without
Cause. The
Company may terminate Executive’s employment at any time
under this Agreement without Cause after providing written notice
to Executive.
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(e)
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Termination by Executive.
Executive may terminate
his employment under this Agreement after providing thirty
(30) days’ written notice to the Company.
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(f)
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Expiration of Initial Term or
Renewal Period. In the event that either party
gives written notice of non-renewal of the Initial Term or a
Renewal Period, as applicable, pursuant to Section 2,
Executive’s employment shall terminate upon the expiration of
the Initial Term or Renewal Period.
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6.
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Return of
Property and Information.
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Executive
agrees that when his employment with the Company ends, he will
immediately return to the Company all property, data, information
and knowledge which are in his possession or under his control,
including without limitation all documents, forms, correspondence,
financial records and forecasts, operation manuals, notebooks,
reports, proposals, computer programs, software, software
documentation, employee handbooks, supervisor’s manuals,
lists of clients and referral sources, client data, and all copies
thereof, relating in any way to the business of the Company,
whether relating to the Company directly or to a client of the
Company, made or obtained by Executive during his employment with
the Company, whether or not such data, information, or knowledge
constitute confidential or trade secret information.
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7.
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Compensation
Following Termination of Employment .
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(a)
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Termination for Any
Reason. Upon
termination of Executive’s employment for any reason under
this Agreement, Executive (or his designated beneficiary or estate,
as the case may be) shall be entitled to receive the following
compensation:
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(i)
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Earned but Unpaid
Compensation. The Company shall pay Executive any
accrued but unpaid Base Salary for services rendered through the
date of termination, any appropriately documented and accrued but
unpaid expenses
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Page 4 of 17
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required to be
reimbursed under this Agreement, and any unused vacation accrued to
the date of termination.
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(ii)
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Other Compensation and
Benefits. Except as may be provided under
this Agreement, any benefits to which Executive may be entitled
through the date of Executive’s termination pursuant to the
plans, policies and arrangements referred to in Section 4(d) shall
be determined and paid in accordance with the terms of such plans,
policies and arrangements, and except as otherwise provided by this
Agreement, Executive shall have no right to receive any other
compensation, or to participate in any other plan, arrangement or
benefit, with respect to future periods after such termination or
resignation.
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(b)
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Termination by the Company Without
Cause not in Connection With a Change in Control.
In the event
Executive’s employment is terminated without Cause before a
Change in Control (as defined by Section 7(c)(iii)) or more
than twenty-four (24) months after a Change in Control, if
Executive executes the Release and Waiver required by
Section 8 and such Release and Waiver is not revoked on or
before the expiration of the revocation period thereof, and
Executive has complied with the return of property and information
provision set forth in Section 6, then in addition to the
payments to be made pursuant to Section 7(a), the Company
shall also:
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(i)
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Severance Pay.
Pay to Executive
severance pay in an amount equal to 100% of his Base Salary
in effect as of the date of his termination of employment. Payment
of such Severance Pay shall be made in a lump sum as soon as
administratively practicable after the date of Executive’s
termination (or if required by Section 409A, on the six
(6) month anniversary of his termination), but no later than
ninety (90) days thereafter, and not before the expiration of
the revocation period for the Release and Waiver.
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(ii)
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Annual Bonus.
Pay to Executive the
target amount of the Annual Bonus under the Applicable Plan for the
year in which the termination of Executive’s employment
occurs. Payment of such Annual Bonus shall be made in a lump sum as
soon as administratively practicable after the date of
Executive’s termination (or if required by Section 409A,
on the six (6) month anniversary of his termination), but no
later than ninety (90) days thereafter, and not before the
expiration of the revocation period for the Release and
Waiver.
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(iii)
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Benefits Continuation.
Continue to provide
Executive and his family for the one-year period following
Executive’s termination with the health and welfare benefits,
including, but not limited to, benefits under any medical and
dental benefits plan, life insurance plan, short-term and long-term
disability plans, or other executive benefit or fringe benefit
plan, which Executive and his family were receiving as of the date
of Executive’s termination. The Company shall provide such
benefits at the same cost to Executive as the cost, if any, charged
to Executive for those benefits at the time of his termination. To
the extent that the provision of such benefits at the
Company’s expense during the six (6) month period
following Executive’s termination would violate the
requirements of Section 409A, then Executive shall be required
to pay to the Company the
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Page 5 of 17
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Company portion
of the cost of such benefits during such six (6) month period,
and the Company shall reimburse Executive for the amounts so paid
by Executive on the six (6) month anniversary of his
termination, or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter,
but no later than ninety (90) days thereafter.
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(c)
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Termination by the Company Without
Cause or by Executive for Good Reason in Connection With a Change
in Control.
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(i)
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In
the event Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company
without Cause, or by Executive for Good Reason, within the
twenty-four (24) month period following a Change in Control,
if Executive executes the Release and Waiver required by
Section 8 and such Release and Waiver is not revoked on or
before the expiration of the revocation period thereof, and
Executive has complied with the return of property and information
provision set forth in Section 6, then in addition to the
payments to be made pursuant to Section 7(a), but subject to
Section 7(c)(iv), the Company shall also:
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(A)
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Severance Pay.
Pay to Executive
severance pay in an amount equal to 150% of his Base Salary
at its highest level in effect from the date of the Change in
Control through his termination of employment. Payment of such
Severance Pay shall be made in a lump sum as soon as
administratively practicable after the date of Executive’s
termination (or if required by Section 409A, on the six
(6) month anniversary of his termination), but no later than
ninety (90) days thereafter, and not before the expiration of
the revocation period for the Release and Waiver.
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(B)
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Annual Bonus.
Pay to Executive 150% of
the target amount of the Annual Bonus under the Applicable Plan for
the year in which the termination of Executive’s employment
occurs. Payment of such Annual Bonus shall be made in a lump sum as
soon as administratively practicable after the date of
Executive’s termination (or if required by Section 409A,
on the six (6) month anniversary of his termination), but no later
than ninety (90) days thereafter, and not before the
expiration of the revocation period for the Release and
Waiver.
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(C)
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Equity Vesting
Acceleration. Accelerate the vesting of and the
lapsing of restrictions on any unvested or restricted equity
compensation (e.g., stock options, restricted stock,
etc.).
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(D)
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Benefits Continuation.
Continue to provide
Executive and his family for the one-year period following
Executive’s termination with the health and welfare benefits,
including, but not limited to, benefits under any medical and
dental benefits plan, life insurance plan, short-term and long-term
disability plans, or other executive benefit or fringe benefit
plan, which Executive and his family were receiving as of the date
of Executive’s termination. The Company shall provide such
benefits at the same cost to Executive as the cost, if any, charged
to Executive for those benefits at the time of his termination. To
the extent that the provision of such benefits at
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Page 6 of 17
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the
Company’s expense during the six (6) month period
following Executive’s termination would violate the
requirements of Section 409A, then Executive shall be required
to pay to the Company the Company portion of the cost of such
benefits during such six (6) month period, and the Company
shall reimburse Executive for the amounts so paid by Executive on
the six (6) month anniversary of his termination, or as soon as
administratively practicable thereafter, but no later than ninety
(90) days thereafter.
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(ii)
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“Good
Reason.” For purposes of this Agreement, the
term “ Good Reason ” shall mean the occurrence
of any of the following in connection with a Change in Control,
without Executive’s express written consent: (A) the
assignment of duties to Executive materially inconsistent with
Executive’s current authorities, duties, responsibilities and
status; (B) any reduction in Executive’s title,
position, or reporting lines; (C) the relocation of Executive
to an office or location more than seventy-five (75) miles
from the office or location of Executive’s work as of the
date of the Change in Control; (D) requiring Executive to
travel on Company business to a substantially greater extent than
required as of the date of the Change in Control; or (E) the
reduction in Executive’s Base Salary as in effect on the date
of the Change in Control.
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(iii)
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“Change in
Control.” For purposes of this Agreement, the
term “ Change in Control ” shall mean the
happening of any of the following:
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(A)
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Any
individual, entity or gr
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