EXECUTIVE TERMINATION BENEFITS
AGREEMENT
This
amended and restated Executive Termination Benefits Agreement (this
“ Agreement ”), dated as of the 24th day of
December, 2008 (the “ Effective Date ”), is by
and between Liz Claiborne, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“ Company ”), and William L. McComb (the
“ Executive ”).
WHEREAS,
the Company’s Board of Directors (the “ Board
”) recognizes that the possibility of a change in control of
the Company and the uncertainty and questions which it may raise
may result in the departure or distraction of the Executive to the
detriment of the Company and its stockholders;
WHEREAS,
the Board has determined that appropriate steps should be taken to
reinforce and encourage the continued attention and dedication of
the Executive to his assigned duties in the face of the inevitable
distraction of the Executive by virtue of the personal
uncertainties and risks created by the possibility, threat or
occurrence of a change in control of the Company;
WHEREAS,
should the Company be faced with a possible change in control
situation, in addition to the Executive’s regular duties, he
may be called upon to assist in the assessment of proposals, advise
management and the Board as to whether such proposals would be in
the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, and to take
such other actions as the Board might determine to be
appropriate;
WHEREAS,
the Company and the Executive originally entered into this
Agreement on October 13, 2006 and, in order to avoid certain
adverse federal income tax consequences to the Executive as a
result of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (“ Section 409A ”), the Company
and the Executive desire to amend and restate this Agreement as of
the date first written above.
NOW,
THEREFORE, to assure the Company that it will have the continued
undivided attention and services of the Executive and the
availability of his advice and counsel notwithstanding the
possibility, threat or occurrence of a bid to take over control of
the Company, and to induce the Executive to remain in the employ of
the Company in such a circumstance, for the benefit of the Company
and its shareholders, and for other good and valuable
consideration, the Company and the Executive agree as
follows:
(a) Except
as otherwise provided in Section 1(b) below, this Agreement shall
be effective as of the date hereof and shall continue in effect
until the end of the “Term of Employment” as such term
is used in the amended and restated employment agreement between
the Company and the Executive dated as of the date of this
Agreement (the “ Employment Agreement
”).
(b) If
a Change in Control shall have occurred at any time during the
period in which this Agreement is effective, then notwithstanding
any provision hereof to the contrary, this Agreement shall be
effective and continue in effect for (i) the remainder of the
month in which the Change in Control occurred and (ii) a term
of thirty-six (36) months beyond the month in which such
Change in Control occurred; provided that if any obligations of the
Company hereunder shall not have been fully and finally discharged
at the end of such thirty-six (36) month period, this
Agreement shall remain in effect until such obligations shall have
been finally discharged in full. The period commencing on the
earlier of a Potential Change in Control (if applicable) or Change
in Control and ending with the conclusion of such thirty-six
(36) month period shall be referred to hereinafter as the
“ Protected Period ”.
2. Change in
Control and Potential Change in Control .
(a) For
purposes of this Agreement, a “ Change in Control
” shall be deemed to have occurred:
(i) if any person
as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended from time to time (the “ Exchange
Act ”), and as used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof,
including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act (a “ Person ”), but excluding the
Company, any subsidiary of the Company and any employee benefit
plan sponsored or maintained by the Company or any subsidiary of
the Company (including any trustee of such plan acting as trustee),
directly or indirectly, becomes the “beneficial owner”
(as defined in Rule 13(d)-3 under the Exchange Act, as amended
from time to time) of Company securities representing 25% or more
of either (i) the then outstanding shares of the
Company’s common stock or (ii) the combined voting power
of the Company’s then outstanding voting securities entitled
to vote generally in the election of directors; provided, however,
that the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in
Control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company
(excluding an acquisition by virtue of the exercise of a conversion
privilege), or (B) any acquisition by any corporation or
similar entity pursuant to a reorganization, merger or
consolidation if following such reorganization, merger or
consolidation, the conditions described in sub-clauses (1),
(2) and (3) of Section 2(a)(iii) below have been
satisfied; or
(ii) if
individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the
“ Incumbent Board ”) cease for any reason to
constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however,
that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date
hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the
Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least
two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then comprising the Incumbent
Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member
of the
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Incumbent
Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose
initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or
threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal
of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies
or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board;
or
(iii) upon
consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the
Company (a “ Business Combination ”), in each
case, unless, following such Business Combination, (1) all or
substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the
beneficial owners, respectively, of the then outstanding shares of
common stock of the Company and the combined voting power of the
then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such
Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more
than fifty percent (50%) of, respectively, the then outstanding
shares
of common stock and the combined voting power of the then
outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the
election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation
resulting from such Business Combination (including, without
limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction
owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s
assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries),
(2) no Person (excluding (A) any employee benefit plan
(or related trust) of the Company or such corporation resulting
from such Business Combination and (B) any Person beneficially
owning, immediately prior to such reorganization, merger or
consolidation, 25% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding
shares of the common stock of the Company, or the combined voting
power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company
entitled to vote generally in the election of directors)
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of,
respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock of the
corporation resulting from such Business Combination or the
combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of
such corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of
directors, and (3) at least a majority of the members of the
board of directors of the corporation resulting from such Business
Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the
execution of the initial agreement relating to, or of the action of
the Incumbent Board providing for, such Business Combination;
or
(iv) upon
consummation of the sale or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company, unless following
such transaction (1) all or substantially all of the
individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners,
respectively, of the then outstanding shares of common stock of the
Company and the combined voting power of the then outstanding
voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally
in
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the election of
directors immediately prior to such transaction beneficially own,
directly or indirectly, more than sixty percent (60%) of,
respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock and the
combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities
entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the
case may be, of the acquiring corporation (including, without
limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction
owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s
assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries),
(2) no Person (excluding (A) any employee benefit plan
(or related trust) of the Company or such acquiring corporation and
(B) any Person beneficially owning, immediately prior to such
transaction, 25% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding
shares of the common stock of the Company, or the combined voting
power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company
entitled to vote generally in the election of directors)
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of,
respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock of the
acquiring corporation or the combined voting power of the then
outstanding voting securities of such corporation entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors, and (3) at least a
majority of the members of the board of directors of the acquiring
corporation were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the
execution of the initial agreement relating to, or of the action of
the Incumbent Board providing for, such sale or disposition;
or
(v) approval by
the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or
dissolution of the Company.
(b) For
purposes of this Agreement, a “ Potential Change in
Control ” shall be deemed to have occurred if
(i) the Company enters into an agreement, the consummation of
which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control;
(ii) any Person (including the Company) publicly announces an
intention to take or to consider taking actions which if
consummated would constitute a Change in Control; or (iii) the
Board adopts a resolution to the effect that, for purposes of this
Agreement, a Potential Change in Control has occurred; provided
that the Board shall not be precluded from adopting a resolution to
the effect that for purposes of this Agreement, it is the good
faith opinion of the Board that a Potential Change in Control has
been abandoned and that a Potential Change in Control no longer
exists.
(c) For
purposes of Sections 3 through 9 of this Agreement, the term
“Company” shall include Liz Claiborne, Inc. and any
successor thereto, whether by merger, reorganization,
consolidation, acquisition of substantially all of its assets or
any other means.
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(a) In
the event that the Executive’s employment is terminated
during the Protected Period either (i) by the Company without
Cause (as defined in Section 3(c) below) or (ii) by the
Executive for Good Reason (as defined in Section 3(b) below) (each,
a “ Covered Termination ”), the Company will
provide the Executive with the payments and benefits set forth in
Section 4 below. The Company’s failure during the
Protected Period to timely renew the Term of Employment (as such
term is used in the Employment Agreement) at the end of the Initial
Term (as such term is used in the Employment Agreement) or at the
end of any extension period of the Term of Employment after the
Initial Term, in accordance with Section 2 of the Employment
Agreement, shall be deemed an involuntary termination of the
Executive’s employment by the Company without Cause as of the
end of the Term of Employment for purposes of this Agreement and
the Employment Agreement.
(b) For
purposes of this Agreement, “ Good Reason ”
shall mean the occurrence of one or more of the following events
(regardless of whether any other reason, other than Cause as
provided below, for such termination exists or has occurred,
including without limitation other employment):
(i) failure to
elect or reelect or otherwise maintain the Executive in the offices
or positions, or substantially equivalent offices or positions, of
or with the Company, which the Executive held immediately prior to
the Change of Control;
(ii) a significant
adverse change in the nature or scope of the authorities, powers,
functions, duties or responsibilities attached to the position with
the Company which the Executive held immediately prior to the
Change in Control;
(iii) a material
reduction by the Company, without the Executive’s prior
consent, in either (1) the Executive’s annual base
salary immediately prior to the Change in Control or (2) the
Executive’s target bonus opportunity (expressed as a
percentage of the Executive’s annual base salary) immediately
prior to the Change in Control;
(iv) the
Company’s requiring the Executive, without the
Executive’s prior consent, to be based more than fifty
(50) miles from the Company’s offices at which the
Executive is based immediately prior to the Change in Control
(excluding for this purpose required travel on the Company’s
business to an extent substantially consistent with the
Executive’s business travel obligations immediately prior to
the Change in Control), or, in the event the Executive consents to
any such relocation of his offices, the failure by the Company to
provide the Executive with all of the benefits of the
Company’s relocation policy as in effect
immediately
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prior to the
Change in Control (other than an insubstantial and inadvertent
failure remedied by the Company promptly after receipt of notice
thereof given by the Executive);
(v) the failure by
the Company, without the Executive’s prior consent, to pay to
the Executive any portion of the Executive’s current
compensation (for purposes of this clause (v), “current
compensation” shall mean the Executive’s annual base
salary as in effect on the date hereof or as the same may be
increased from time to time, plus the bonuses awarded to the
Executive pursuant to the Company’s cash incentive bonus
plan), or to pay to the Executive any portion of any installment or
deferred compensation under any deferred compensation program of
the Company within twenty (20) days after request for payment
by the Executive after such deferred compensation is due, in each
case, other than an insubstantial and inadvertent failure remedied
by the Company promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by
the Executive;
(vi) the failure
by the Company to continue in effect any then ongoing compensation
or benefit plan in which the Executive participates immediately
prior to the Change in Control and which is material to the
Executive’s total compensation opportunity on either an
annual or long-term basis, including, but not limited to, the
Company’s 2005 Stock Incentive Plan, any other long-term
incentive plan of the Company, or any substitute plan for any of
the foregoing adopted prior to the Change in Control, unless an
equitable arrangement (embodied in an ongoing substitute or
alternative plan) has been made with respect to such plan, or the
failure by the Company to continue the Executive’s
participation therein on a basis not materially less favorable to
the Executive, in terms of the amount of the compensation
opportunities so provided, to those provided to the Executive
immediately prior to the Change in Control, it being agreed,
without limiting the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, that
the Company shall be deemed to have failed to continue the
Executive’s participation in such plans on a basis not
materially less favorable to the Executive in the event that the
Executive’s target long-term incentive compensation
opportunity (expressed as a percentage of the Executive’s
base salary) subsequent to the Change of Control shall not equal or
exceed his long-term incentive compensation opportunity (expressed
as a percentage of the Executive’s base salary) as in effect
immediately prior to the Change in Control;
(vii) the failure
by the Company to continue to provide the Executive with benefits
under the Company’s retirement, life insurance, medical,
dental, health, accident and disability plans in which the
Executive was participating immediately prior to the Change in
Control and which are material to the Executive’s overall
compensation;
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(viii) the failure
of the Company to obtain an agreement from any successor to assume
and agree to perform this Agreement as contemplated by
Section 9 below prior to the effective date of any such
succession, or, if such an agreement is not so obtained, the
failure of the Company, within three (3) business days after
receiving a written request from the Executive for such agreement,
to so provide such agreement; or
(ix) any purported
termination of the Executive’s employment which is not
effected pursuant to a Notice of Termination satisfying the
requirements of Section 5(a) below.
The
Executive’s continued employment shall not constitute consent
to, or a waiver of rights with respect to, any act or failure to
act constituting Good Reason hereunder. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, (i) the occurrence of an event that would otherwise
constitute Good Reason hereunder shall cease to be an event
constituting Good Reason if the Executive does not provide a Notice
of Termination to the Company within ninety (90) days of the
initial existence of such event, (ii) the Executive must give
the Company notice and a 30-day period to cure the event
constituting Good Reason and (iii) the Executive must actually
terminate his employment within two (2) years following the
initial existence of such Good Reason event.
(c) For
purposes of this Agreement, “ Cause ” shall mean
and be limited to:
(i) the
Executive’s willful and intentional repeated failure or
refusal, continuing after notice that specifically identifies the
breach(es) complained of, to perform substantially his material
duties, responsibilities and obligations (other than a failure
resulting from the Executive’s incapacity due to physical or
mental illness or other reasons beyond the control of the
Executive), and which failure or refusal results in demonstrable
direct and material injury to the Company;
(ii) any willful
and intentional act or failure to act involving fraud,
misrepresentation, theft, embezzlement, dishonesty or moral
turpitude (collectively, “ Fraud ”) which
results in demonstrable direct and material injury to the
Company;
(iii) conviction
of (or a plea of nolo contendere to) an offense which is a felony
in the jurisdiction involved or which is a misdemeanor in the
jurisdiction involved but which involves Fraud; or
(iv) the
Executive’s complete inability to perform his material
duties, responsibilities and obligations on account of a physical
or mental incapacity or impairment for a period of more than 180
consecutive days or for an aggregate of 240 days within a
360-day period, which incapacity or impairment continues for more
than thirty (30) days after the
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Executive’s receipt of written notice from
the Company given after such 180- or 240-day period has run without
the Executive’s return, on a substantially full-time basis,
to employment. For purposes of determining whether Cause exists, no
act, or failure to act, on the Executive’s part shall be
deemed “willful” or “intentional” unless
done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith, and
without reasonable belief that his action or omission was in the
best interests of the Company.
For
purposes of clause (iv) above, a determination of the
Executive’s complete inability to perform his material
duties, responsibilities and obligations will be made by a single
physician satisfactory to both the Executive and the Company;
provided that if the Executive and the Company cannot agree as to a
single physician, then each will select a physician and these two
together will select a third physician, whose determination will be
binding on the Executive and the Company. The Executive shall have
the right to present to the Company and such physician such
information and arguments on the Executive’s behalf as the
Executive deems appropriate, including the opinion of the
Executive’s personal physician.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Executive shall not be deemed to have been
terminated for “Cause” hereunder unless and until there
shall have been delivered to the Executive a copy of a resolution
(a “ Cause Resolution ”) duly adopted by the
affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the Board
then in office at a meeting of the Board called upon reasonable
notice to all Directors and held for such purpose, after reasonable
notice to the Executive and an opportunity for the Executive,
together with his counsel (if the Executive chooses to have counsel
present at such meeting), to be heard before the Board at such
meeting, finding that, in the good faith opinion of the Board, the
Executive had committed an act constituting “Cause” as
herein defined and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.
Nothing herein will limit the right of the Executive or his
beneficiaries to contest the validity or propriety of any such
determination and/or Cause Resolution.
(d) Nothing
contained in this Agreement is intended to, or shall operate to,
preclude the payment of any amounts (other than cash severance
benefits or cash payments on account of the non-renewal of the Term
of Employment) otherwise payable to the Executive under any of the
Company’s employee benefit plans, stock plans, programs and
arrangements and/or under the Employment Agreement, or to limit or
otherwise adversely affect such rights as the Executive may have
under any contract or agreement with the Company.
4. Severance
Payments and Benefits .
(a) In
lieu of any cash severance payments to which the Executive may
otherwise be entitled under the Employment Agreement or otherwise
or any cash payments on account of the non-renewal of the Term of
Employment to which the Executive may otherwise be entitled under
the Employment Agreement (and which cash
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payments the
Executive hereby expressly waives), and subject to the provisions
regarding cutback of benefits in certain circumstances as expressly
provided in Section 6(h) below, the Company shall pay or provide to
the Executive the following amounts (the “ Severance
Payments ”) upon the occurrence of a Covered Termination
during the Protected Period (except with respect to clause
(iv) below, which shall be paid at the time as specified
therein):
(i) an amount
equal to three (3) times the amount of the Executive’s
effective annual base salary rate, as in effect immediately prior
to a Change of Control or the Date of Termination (as defined in
Section 5(b) below), whichever amount is higher;
(ii) an amount
equal to three (3) times the average annual bonus earned by
the Executive under the Company’s cash incentive bonus plan
in respect of the three fiscal years of the Company ending prior to
(A) the date on which a Change of Control occurred or
(B) the date on which the Date of Termination occurred,
whichever amount is higher;
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