Exhibit 10.1
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT dated as
of October 11, 2008 (the “Agreement”), is by and
between Healthways, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), and Stefen F. Brueckner (the
“Executive”).
WHEREAS , the Company desires that the Executive serve
as President and COO and the Executive desires to hold such
position under the terms and conditions of this Agreement;
and
WHEREAS , the parties desire to enter into this
Agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of the employment
relationship of the Executive with the Company.
NOW, THEREFORE
, intending to be legally bound
hereby, the parties agree as follows:
|
I.
|
EMPLOYMENT
. The Company hereby employs the
Executive and the Executive hereby accepts employment with the
Company, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
herein.
|
|
II.
|
TERM . Subject to termination as stated in Section
VI, the term of employment of the Executive pursuant to this
Agreement (as the same may be extended, the “Term”)
shall commence on October 31, 2008 (the “Effective
Date”), and shall have a continuous term of two (2) years
thereafter.
|
|
III.
|
POSITION . During the Term, the Executive shall serve as
President and COO of the Company performing duties commensurate
with the position and such additional duties as the Company shall
determine. If asked, the Executive agrees to serve, without any
additional compensation, as a director on the Board of Directors of
the Company (the “Board”) and/or the board of directors
of any subsidiary of the Company, and/or in one or more officer
positions with the Company and/or any subsidiary of the Company. If
the Executive’s employment is terminated for any reason,
whether such termination is voluntary or involuntary, the Executive
shall resign as a director and officer of the Company (and any of
its subsidiaries), such resignation to be effective no later than
the date of termination of the Executive’s employment with
the Company.
|
|
IV.
|
DUTIES . During the Term, the Executive shall devote
his full time and attention during normal business hours to the
business and affairs of the Company; provided, however, that it
shall not be a violation of this Agreement for the Executive with
the approval of the Company to devote reasonable periods of time to
charitable and community activities and industry or professional
activities, and/or to manage personal investments, so long as such
activities do not interfere with the performance of the
Executive’s responsibilities under this Agreement.
|
|
|
A.
|
Base Salary
. The Executive’s initial base
salary as of the Effective Date is $475,000.00. Effective January 1
of each calendar year after the Effective Date during the Term of
this Agreement, upon the recommendation of the Chief Executive
Officer (“CEO”), the Board (or a committee of the
Board) shall review the Executive’s base salary and may
increase such amount if and as it may deem advisable. Such initial
base salary, as it may be increased during the Term, is defined as
the “Base Salary.” The Base Salary shall be payable in
substantially equal installments in accordance with the
Company’s normal payroll practices, and is subject to all
proper taxes and withholding. The Base Salary rate at which the
Executive is being compensated on the Date of Termination (as
defined below) shall be the Base Salary rate used in determining
all severance amounts payable to the Executive
hereunder.
|
|
|
B.
|
Bonus Plan
. Such bonus, if any, as shall be
determined upon the recommendation of the CEO by the Board (or any
designated Committee of the Board comprised solely of independent
directors), shall be paid in accordance with the terms and
conditions of the bonus plan established for the Company
(“Bonus Plan”).
|
|
|
C.
|
Long Term Incentive
Awards . During the Term,
upon the recommendation of the CEO, the Board (or any designated
committee of the Board comprised solely of independent directors)
will consider, in its sole discretion, long term incentive awards
to the Executive pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive
plans.
|
|
|
D.
|
Vacation . During each calendar year of this Agreement,
the Executive shall be entitled to vacation in accordance with
Company policy in effect from time to time, but in any event not
less than four (4) weeks per calendar year.
|
|
|
E.
|
Other Benefits
. In addition to the benefits
specifically provided for herein, during the Term the Executive
shall be entitled to participate in all benefit plans maintained by
the Company for officers generally according to the terms of such
plans.
|
|
VI.
|
TERMINATION OF
AGREEMENT . The
Executive’s employment under this Agreement shall not be
terminated except as set forth in this Section. Any reference to
the date of delivery of a notice of termination or resignation by
either the Company or the Executive in this Section VI shall
constitute the “Date of Termination,” unless otherwise
set forth herein. For purposes of this Agreement, the Executive
will be deemed to have terminated employment when the Executive has
a “separation from service” from the Company as
determined in accordance with Treasury Regulation
1.409A-1(h).
|
|
|
A.
|
By Mutual Consent
. The Executive’s employment
pursuant to this Agreement may be terminated at any time by the
mutual written agreement of the Company and the Executive upon such
terms as are agreed upon between the parties.
|
|
|
B.
|
Death . If
Executive dies during the Term of this Agreement, the Company shall
pay his Base Salary due through the date of his death to the
Executive’s designated beneficiary plus a pro-rata portion of
any Bonus Plan or other compensation to which he is otherwise
entitled as of the time of his death, which Bonus Plan amount will
be determined after the end of the fiscal year for which the Bonus
Plan was in place. The amount of Base Salary due through the date
of the Executive’s death shall be paid to his designated
beneficiary within thirty (30) days of the Executive’s death,
with the date of such payment chosen by the Company in its sole
discretion. Any bonus shall be paid at such time designated in the
Bonus Plan. Furthermore, all outstanding stock options, restricted
stock, restricted stock units and any other unvested equity
incentives shall vest and/or remain exercisable for their stated
terms solely in accordance with the terms of the award agreements
to which the Company and the Executive are parties at the time of
his death. In addition, all amounts contributed by the Company to
the Capital Accumulation Plan (“CAP”) for the benefit
of the Executive shall vest and thereafter be paid out in
accordance with the terms of the CAP as in effect at the time of
the Executive’s death. The Company shall then have no further
obligations to the Executive or any representative of his estate or
his heirs except that Executive’s estate or beneficiaries, as
the case may be, shall be paid such amounts as may be payable under
the Company’s life insurance policies and other plans as they
relate to benefits following death then in
effect.
|
|
|
1.
|
The
Executive’s employment may be terminated by written notice by
either party to the other party, when:
|
|
|
a.
|
the Executive
suffers a physical or mental disability entitling the Executive to
long-term disability benefits under the Company’s long-term
disability plan, if any, or
|
|
|
b.
|
in the absence of a Company long-term disability
plan, the Executive is unable, as determined by the Board (or any
designated Committee of the Board), to perform the essential
functions of his regular duties and responsibilities, with or
without reasonable accommodation, due to a medically determinable
physical or mental illness which has lasted (or can reasonably be
expected to last) for a period of six (6) consecutive
months.
|
|
|
2.
|
If the Executive’s employment is
terminated under this Section (C), the Executive shall be entitled
to receive:
|
|
|
a.
|
all Base Salary and benefits due to the
Executive through the Date of Termination (payable within thirty
(30) days of the Date of Termination, with the date of such payment
determined by the
|
Company in its sole discretion) and a pro-rata
portion of any Bonus Plan or other compensation to which he is
otherwise entitled as of the Date of Termination, which Bonus Plan
amount will be determined after the end of the fiscal year for
which the Bonus Plan was in place and paid in accordance with the
terms of such Bonus Plan;
|
|
b.
|
an amount equal to the Executive’s Base
Salary for a total of eighteen (18) months following the Date of
Termination; and
|
|
|
c.
|
if permitted under the Company’s group
medical insurance, group medical benefits at the same rate as then
in effect for the Company’s employees for two (2) years after
the Date of Termination; provided, that if the Executive instead
elects continuation of group benefits under COBRA, the Company
shall pay the full cost of the premiums for two (2) years following
the Date of Termination. The costs of the Company’s portion
of any premiums due under this clause (c) shall be included in the
Executive’s gross income to the extent the provision of such
benefits is deemed to be discriminatory under Section 105(h) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
“Code”).
|
|
|
3.
|
The amounts in clause 2(b) above shall be
reduced by any disability insurance payments the Executive receives
as a result of his disability, and shall be paid to the Executive
periodically at the regular payroll dates commencing as of the Date
of Termination and for the remaining term of the non-compete
covenant in Section IX hereof. In addition, the Executive will
receive an enhanced severance amount consisting of six (6)
additional months of the Executive’s Base Salary (payable
periodically at regular payroll intervals) upon his or her
execution of a full release of claims in favor of the Company.
Furthermore, all outstanding stock options, restricted stock,
restricted stock units and any other unvested equity incentives
shall vest and/or remain exercisable for their stated terms solely
in accordance with the terms of the award agreements to which the
Company and the Executive are parties on the Date of Termination.
In addition, all amounts contributed by the Company to the CAP for
the benefit of the Executive shall vest and thereafter be paid out
in accordance with the terms of the CAP as in effect on the Date of
Termination.
|
|
|
D.
|
By the Company for Cause
|
|
|
1.
|
The Executive’s employment may be
terminated by the Board upon recommendation of the CEO, both acting
in good faith, by written notice to the Executive specifying the
event(s) relied upon for such termination upon the occurrence of
any of the following events (each of which shall constitute
“Cause” for termination):
|
|
|
a.
|
the continued failure by the Executive to
substantially perform his duties after written notice and failure
to cure within sixty (60) days;
|
|
|
b.
|
conviction of a felony or engaging in misconduct
which is materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or to its
reputation or otherwise, or which would damage Executive’s
ability to effectively perform his duties;
|
|
|
c.
|
theft or dishonesty by the
Executive;
|
|
|
d.
|
intoxication while on duty; or
|
|
|
e.
|
willful violation of Company policies or
procedures after written notice and failure to cure within thirty
(30) days.
|
|
|
2.
|
If the Executive’s employment is
terminated under this Section (D), the Executive shall be entitled
to receive all Base Salary and benefits to be paid or provided to
the Executive under this Agreement through the Date of Termination,
and no more.
|
|
|
3.
|
In addition, the Executive will receive an
enhanced severance amount consisting of six (6) additional months
of the Executive’s Base Salary (payable periodically at
regular payroll intervals) upon his or her execution of a full
release of claims in favor of the Company. Furthermore, all
outstanding stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units
and any other vested equity incentives shall remain exercisable
solely in accordance with the terms of the award agreements to
which the Company and the Executive are parties on the Date of
Termination. All unvested equity incentives shall terminate on the
Date of Termination. In addition, all amounts contributed by the
Company to the CAP for the benefit of the Executive that have
vested shall be paid out in accordance with the terms of the CAP as
in effect on the Date of Termination. The Executive shall not be
entitled to receive any unvested Company contributions to the
CAP.
|
|
|
E.
|
By the Company Without
Cause
|
|
|
1.
|
The Executive’s employment may be
terminated by the Board upon recommendation of the CEO at any time
without Cause by delivery of a written notice of termination to the
Executive. If the Executive’s employment is terminated under
this Section (E), the Executive shall be entitled to
receive:
|
|
|
a.
|
all Base Salary and benefits due to the
Executive through the Date of Termination (payable within thirty
(30) days of the Date of Termination, with the date of such payment
determined by the Company in its sole discretion) and a pro-rata
portion of any Bonus Plan or other compensation to which he is
otherwise entitled as of the Date of Termination, which Bonus Plan
amount will be determined after the end of the fiscal year for
which the Bonus Plan was in place and paid in accordance with the
terms of such Bonus Plan;
|
|
|
b.
|
an amount equal to the Executive’s Base
Salary for a total of eighteen (18) months following the Date of
Termination; and
|
|
|
c.
|
group medical benefits for eighteen (18) months
after the Date of Termination. The costs of the Company’s
portion of any premiums due under this clause (c) shall be included
in the Executive’s gross income to the extent the provision
of such benefits is deemed to be discriminatory under Section
105(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
“Code”).
|
|
|
2.
|
The amount in clause 1(b) above shall be paid to
the Executive periodically at the regular payroll dates commencing
as of the Date of Termination and for the remaining term of the
non-compete covenant in Section IX hereof. In addition, the
Executive will receive an enhanced severance amount consisting of
six (6) additional months of the Executive’s Base Salary
(payable periodically at regular payroll intervals) upon his or her
execution of a full release of claims in favor of the Company.
Furthermore, all outstanding stock options, restricted stock,
restricted stock units and any other unvested equity incentives
shall vest and/or remain exercisable for their stated terms solely
in accordance with the terms of the award agreements to which the
Company and the Executive are parties on the Date of Termination.
In addition, all amounts contributed by the Company to the CAP for
the benefit of the Executive shall vest and thereafter be paid out
in accordance with the terms of the CAP as in effect on the Date of
Termination.
|
|
|
F.
|
By the Executive for Good
Reason
|
|
|
1.
|
The Executive’s employment may be
terminated by the Executive by written notice of his resignation
delivered within sixty
|
|