|
Exhibit 10.3
[Translation from Hebrew]
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Made and executed this 19th day of December,
2004
|
|
|
|
|
BETWEEN:
|
|
Protalix Ltd.
Of 2 Snonit Road, Science Park, P.O.B. 455, Carmiel 20100
(hereinafter: " the Company ")
|
of the one part
|
|
|
|
|
AND:
|
|
Dr. Einat Almon (I.D.
55614481)
Of: 10 Hadass St., Timrat,
(hereinafter: " the Employee ")
|
of the other part
|
|
|
|
|
WHEREAS
|
|
The Company is engaged in biotechnology;
and
|
|
|
|
|
|
WHEREAS
|
|
The Employee is desirous of working in the
position of Senior Director of Product Development in the field of
biotechnology (" the Position "); and
|
|
|
|
|
|
WHEREAS
|
|
The Employee declares that she has the know-how,
skills and experience required in order to fulfill the Position
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; and
|
|
|
|
|
|
WHEREAS
|
|
On reliance on the Employee’s declarations
and undertakings contained in this Agreement, the Company is
desirous of employing the Employee, and the Employee is desirous of
being employed by the Company in the Position, pursuant to the
terms contained in this Agreement;
|
|
|
|
It is therefore declared, stipulated and
agreed between the parties as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
|
|
Preamble, Appendices and
interpretation
|
|
|
1.1
|
|
The preamble and the Appendices hereto constitute
an integral part thereof and are to be read as one with the
remaining clauses thereof.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.2
|
|
The headings to the clauses are for ease of
reference only and are not to be applied in the interpretation of
this Agreement.
|
|
2.
|
|
Declarations of the
parties
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The parties declare and acknowledge as
follows:
|
|
|
2.1
|
|
This Agreement is personal and special, and
regulates the relationship between the Company and the Employee and
no general or special collective agreement will therefore apply to
the Employee.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.2
|
|
This Agreement encompasses all the payments
and/or benefits and/or other conditions of any kind whatsoever to
which the Employee is entitled from the Company in connection with
her employment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.3
|
|
No custom between the Company and other employees
(if any) or practice will apply to the relationship between the
Employee and the Company unless
|
2
|
|
|
|
expressly adopted by this Agreement and to the
extent so adopted. If the Company grants the Employee in a certain
case or cases, any benefit or payment that has not been specified
in this Agreement – the grant thereof will not create a
custom between the parties or obligate the Company in any other or
additional cases.
|
|
3.
|
|
Description of the
position
|
|
|
3.1
|
|
It is hereby agreed that the Employee will work
at and be employed by the Company in the position of Senior
Director of Product Development in the field of biotechnology, on a
full-time basis; the Position will include:
|
|
|
3.1.1
|
|
The identification, absorption and development of
new protein to be used as products in and by the
Company;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.1.2
|
|
Pre-clinical and clinical development of enzymes
to treat Gaucher disease;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.1.3
|
|
Working with the FDA and clinical
researchers;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.1.4
|
|
Responsibility for managing the Company’s
patents portfolio with the patent editor; and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.1.5
|
|
The carrying out of any other task or assignment
required in connection with the performance of the Position by the
Employee, in accordance with the CEO’s decision.
|
|
|
3.2
|
|
The Employee will, in her work in the Company, be
subordinate to the CEO of the Company; participate at the
discretion of the CEO, in discussions pertaining to tracking the
methods of operating in the Company, to the extent they pertain to
her Position and acting in accordance with the Company policy and
procedures, as prevailing from time to time.
|
|
4.
|
|
Undertakings of the
Employee
|
|
|
4.1
|
|
The Employee undertakes to devote all her working
time for the purpose of performing the Position, to the extent of
the work stated in clause 3.1 above, and will apply all her
energies, skills, knowledge and experience to her employment in the
Company, carry out her work in the Company professionally,
devotedly and diligently, faithfully act vis-à-vis the
Company and use her best endeavours to promote the business and
affairs of the Company.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.2
|
|
The Employee undertakes not, for the duration of
her employment with the Company, to engage, directly or indirectly,
in any other or additional work or employment, either during or
after working hours, for consideration or otherwise, unless she
receives the prior written consent and approval of the CEO at his
discretion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.3
|
|
The Employee will not accept in connection with
her employment at the Company any consideration or benefit
whatsoever from any party, including from customers or suppliers of
the Company, either directly or indirectly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.4
|
|
The Employee undertakes to notify the Company
immediately of any matter or thing in which she has a personal
interest or that could constitute a conflict of interest with her
work at the Company.
|
3
|
|
5.1
|
|
The Employee’s salary during the period of
her employment with the Company will be NIS. 28,000 (twenty-eight
thousand shekels) (gross) per month that will be paid to her
by the 10 th of each month in respect of the preceding month (hereinafter: "
the Salary "). The Salary consists of any increment that it
is obligatory or usually paid to employees at the Employee’s
grade and status. It is clarified that any benefit, contribution or
bonus to which the Employee will be entitled pursuant to the terms
of this Agreement will be computed on the basis of the Salary only,
without any benefit, contribution or bonus being taken into account
or included in, the Salary.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.2
|
|
In addition, if (and only if) any of the
circumstances set out in clauses 5.2.1 and 5.2.3 hereof apply, will
the Employee receive bonuses as prescribed in those clauses, as
follows:
|
|
|
5.2.1
|
|
A bonus in the sum of US$15,000 for each new
protein that will, after passing initial and successful due
diligence investigation, be integrated by means of the Employee in
the Company’s development program (if at all);
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.2.2
|
|
A bonus in the sum of US$10,000 upon commencement
of Phase III of the development of the enzyme to treat Gaucher
disease (if at all);
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.2.3
|
|
A bonus in the sum of US$30,000 for approval as a
medication by the FDA of the protein developed by the Company to
treat Gaucher disease (if at all).
|
|
6.
|
|
Discussion of Grade and
Salary
|
|
|
6.1
|
|
Six months after the date of the commencement of
the Employee’s employment a discussion will be held with the
Employee pertaining to her appointment as Vice-President of the
Company, including the terms of her employment derivative therefrom
(VP).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6.2
|
|
As from the second year of the Employee’s
employment, at the end of each year during the term of this
Agreement, a discussion will be held on the amount of the
Employee’s salary, and the possibility of the
Employee’s advancement in salary by the Company will be
considered, that promotion, inter alia , to be weighed in
light of the Company’s condition, compliance with the
Company’s goals, employee’s skills, performance and
devotion to the work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6.3
|
|
It is hereby clarified that notwithstanding the
stated in this clause 6, the definition of the Employee as
Vice-President and/or change in the terms of her employment as
stated in clause 6.1 and/or the advancement of the Employee in her
salary as stated in clause 6.2 will be at the sole discretion of
the Company, and the Company assumes no obligation whatsoever to
promote the Employee in the Position and/or in Salary as stated in
these clauses.
|
|
7.
|
|
Manager’s and work disability
insurance
|
|
|
7.1
|
|
The Company will contribute in respect of a
manager’s insurance policy for the benefit of the Employee
amounts to the extent of 8.3% of the monthly salary in respect of
severance compensation and 5% of the monthly salary in respect of
provident savings payments. The Employee hereby agrees that the
Company will deduct from her monthly salary and remit to the above
policy contributions in the
|
4
|
|
|
|
sum of 5% of the monthly salary on account of the
Employee, in respect of provident pay. It is further agreed that
the Company will make contributions at its expense to the
Employee’s work disability insurance policy, in the sum of
2.5% of the Salary.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7.2
|
|
The manager’s insurance policy will be
owned by the Company from the date of the Employee commencing her
employment. In the event of a severance of the employer-employee
relationship between the Company and the Employee, the Employee
will be entitled to assign such insurance policy, including the
severance pay fund therein, into her name, provided such
termination has not occurred in the circumstances set out in clause
15.2 hereof, in which case and subject to any law, the Company will
be exempt from releasing to the Employee the monies that have been
contributed at the expense of the Company to such insurance policy,
and it will not be bound to instruct the insurance company or the
severance compensation fund, as appropriate, to pay the Employee
such monies.
|
|
8.
|
|
Study fund
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Employer will contribute to a Study fund in
favour of the Employee 7.5% of the amount of the monthly Salary at
the expense of the Company and 2.5% of the amount of the monthly
salary at the expense of the Employee. The Employee hereby agrees
to the making of the contributions from her salary by the Company
as stated for purposes of the Study fund.
|
|
|
|
|
|
9.
|
|
Granting of options
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subject to the conditions contained in this
clause 9, the Company will grant the Employee options to acquire
ordinary shares of the Company at the rate of 0.5% (half a percent)
of the issued share capital of the Company as of the date of this
Agreement, pursuant to the Company’s option plan as
applicable from time to time. Notwithstanding that stated, the
allotment will be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors
of the Company, and the signature of an option agreement between
the Employee and the Company, to the Company’s satisfaction.
If such options are granted, the exercise price thereof will be as
determined by the Board of Directors, and they will vest gradually
over a four (4) year vesting period, pursuant to the
conditions that will be set in the option agreement or such option
plan, and will be subject to all the remaining conditions of the
option plan, option agreement and the law.
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.
|
|
Working hours
|
|
|
10.1
|
|
The Employee hereby declares and acknowledges
that she is employed by the Company in an executive position, that
her work and position in the Company require a special method of
personal trust and that the terms of her employment do not allow
the Company to supervise her work and rest hours, and, therefore,
the Work and Rest Hours Law, 5711-1951 does not apply to
her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.2
|
|
The Employee hereby declares and acknowledges
that she is aware and agrees that her employment with the Company
will require her to work also at hours outside the usual working
hours and may include trips inside and out of Israel, and she
undertakes to work overtime and take such trips in accordance with
the Company’s requirements and pursuant to the needs of the
work. It is agreed and stated that the Employee’s salary has
been set taking into account that stated
|
5
|
|
|
|
above, and she will not be entitled to any
additional payment beyond that expressly provided in this Agreement
for working overtime and for such trips.
|
|
11.
|
|
Fringe Benefits
|
|
|
11.1
|
|
Vacation leave
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Employee will be entitled to 22 vacation days
per year, and proportionately for part of the year. In reckoning
the vacation days, Saturdays and Festivals will not be taken into
account. The date of the vacation will be arranged between the
Employee and the Company’s CEO. The Company will pay the
Employee on the annual vacation days her Salary in full and all the
benefits and ancillary fringe benefits
|
|