TERMINATION
PROTECTION AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT effective December 3, 2008 between Thomas
& Betts Corporation and its successors and assigns (the
“Company”) and William E. Weaver, Jr.
(“Executive”).
WHEREAS,
Executive has important management responsibilities and talents
which benefit the Company and its affiliates; and
WHEREAS,
the Company believes that its best interests are served if
Executive is encouraged to remain with the Company and the Company
has determined that Executive’s ability to perform
Executive’s responsibilities and utilize Executive’s
talents for the benefit of the Company, and the Company’s
ability to retain Executive as an employee, will be significantly
enhanced if Executive is provided with fair and reasonable
protection from the risks associated with a change in ownership or
control of the Company; and
WHEREAS,
the Board has approved the terms and provisions of this Agreement
at its meeting on December 3, 2008;
NOW,
THEREFORE, the Company and Executive hereby agree as
follows:
Unless
otherwise indicated herein, capitalized terms used in this
Agreement which are defined in Schedule A shall have the
meanings set forth in Schedule A.
The
Company and Executive both agree that the definition of
“Change in Control” listed in Schedule A shall be
used for Executive in any and all plans, programs or agreements in
which Executive participates or to which Executive is a party in
lieu of any similar definition used in such plans, programs or
agreements; provided , however , that the definition
of “Change in Control” listed in Schedule A shall
not replace any such similar definition that serves as a
“permissible payment event” (within the meaning of
Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-3(a)) under any such plan, program or
agreement.
2.
Effective Date; Term .
This
Agreement shall commence on December 3, 2008 (the
“Effective Date”) and shall continue in effect through
December 31, 2011; provided , however , that the
term of this Agreement shall automatically be extended for one
additional year beyond December 31, 2011 and for successive
one year periods thereafter, unless, not later than January 30
of the third calendar year preceding the year in which the term
would otherwise automatically extend (e.g., 2009 for the 2012
calendar year, 2010 for the 2013 calendar year, etc.), the Company
shall have given written notice to Executive that it does not wish
to extend this Agreement for an additional year, in which event
this Agreement shall continue to be effective until
December 31 of the calendar year immediately preceding the
calendar year in which the term would have otherwise automatically
extended; provided , further , that, notwithstanding
any such notice by the Company not to extend, if a Change in
Control occurs during the original or any extended term of this
Agreement, this Agreement shall remain in effect for a period of
three (3) years after such Change in Control.
3.
Change in Control Benefits .
Executive
shall be entitled to the benefits provided under this Agreement if
a Triggering Event occurs. In the event that Executive’s
employment is terminated as a result of death or Disability,
Executive shall not be entitled to the benefits provided in this
Section 3; however, Executive and/or Executive’s family
shall be entitled to receive benefits at least equal to the most
favorable benefits provided by the Company under its plans,
programs and policies relating to death and/or disability benefits
as in effect at any time during the 90-day period immediately
preceding the earlier of the Change in Control or the Termination
Date.
(a)
Severance Payment . The Company shall pay Executive the
aggregate of the following amounts in one lump sum on the Payment
Date:
(i) to
the extent not paid before the Payment Date in accordance with the
Company’s ordinary payroll practices, Executive’s
earned but unpaid base salary through the date of the Triggering
Event at the rate in effect on the date of such Triggering Event,
or if higher, at the highest rate in effect at any time within the
90-day period preceding the Change in Control;
(ii) to
the extent not paid before the Payment Date in accordance with the
terms of the Company’s bonus plan, any unpaid annual bonus
payable to Executive in respect of the calendar year ending prior
to the Triggering Event (but not less than the Average
Bonus);
(iii) an
amount determined by multiplying the Average Bonus by a fraction,
the numerator of which is the number of days elapsed in the
calendar year in which the Triggering Event occurs up to and
including the date of such Triggering Event and the denominator of
which is 365;
(iv) a
lump sum amount, in cash, equal to three (3) times
Executive’s Annual Compensation;
(v) any
unpaid earned and/or accrued vacation, and
(vi) interest,
for the period beginning on the date of the Triggering Event and
ending on the Payment Date at a rate equal to one hundred twenty
(120) percent of the monthly, compounded applicable federal
rate, as in effect under Section 1274(d) of the Code for the month
before the month in which the Triggering Event occurs.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if the unpaid base salary or any portion thereof or
the unpaid annual bonus or any portion thereof is subject to a
deferral election or the bonus is subject to Section 409A of
the Code, such amount shall be paid in accordance with the terms of
such election and/or the terms of the plan pursuant to which such
amount was deferred.
(b)
Health Care Coverage .
(i) The
Company shall provide medical, prescription drug and dental
coverage at the Company’s expense to Executive and, if
applicable, to Executive’s family members eligible for such
coverage under the Thomas & Betts Welfare Benefit Plan, until
the
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third
anniversary of the Termination Date (the “Initial Coverage
Period”). The level of coverage to be provided hereunder
shall in no event be less than the level of coverage provided
immediately before the earlier of the Termination Date or the
Change in Control.
(ii) The
following provisions shall apply if the coverage is self-insured by
the Company. The fair market value of coverage for each month
included in the Initial Coverage Period shall be deemed to consist
of the related monthly premium as would be determined for purposes
of COBRA under Section 4980B of the Code (the “Fair
Market Value”). If the Delayed Payment Date applies,
commencing with the month immediately following the month in which
his Termination Date occurs and ending as of the last day of the
month in which the Delayed Payment Date occurs (the “Direct
Payment Period”), Executive shall be required to pay to the
Company at the same time that COBRA premium payments are otherwise
due for that month an amount equal to the monthly Fair Market
Value. On the first day of the first month following the Delayed
Payment Date, the Company shall reimburse Executive for the
aggregate amount paid by him during the Direct Payment Period (the
“Aggregate Premium Payment”). Effective with respect to
the first month following the Direct Payment Period and continuing
through the end of the Initial Coverage Period or during the entire
Initial Coverage Period if the Delayed Payment Date does not apply,
the Company shall cover Executive (and his family members, if
applicable) at its sole expense each month, but the Fair Market
Value of such coverage shall constitute imputed income to
Executive. The Company shall make tax gross-up payments with
respect to such reimbursement for the Direct Payment Period and
Company-paid coverage during the Initial Coverage Period including
(A) Company payment of any required withholding with respect
to the reimbursement and with respect to the Fair Market Value of
the monthly Company-paid coverage plus the amount of additional
withholding due each month as a result of the Company’s
payment of such initial withholding amount and (B) Company
payment to Executive of an amount equal to any additional federal,
state and local tax imposed on Executive with respect to income
recognized by Executive pursuant to the foregoing payments,
including the amount of additional tax imposed on Executive as a
result of Company’s payment of such initial tax. The payment
of such additional tax pursuant to (B) shall be made no later
than the end of the taxable year following the taxable year in
which Executive remits the related taxes.
(iii) Following
the Initial Coverage Period and for a period of eighteen months
thereafter, the Company shall permit Executive to elect to continue
coverage at Executive’s expense by paying the monthly COBRA
premium, as directed by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the COBRA continuation period that is mandated by
Section 4980B of the Code shall be deemed to have run
concurrently with the Initial Coverage Period.
(iv) If
Executive becomes employed by a new employer, the coverage provided
by Company under this Section 3(b) shall terminate on the date
Executive becomes eligible for the coverage provided by
Executive’s new employer.
(v) For
purposes of Section 409A of the Code, coverage provided
hereunder during the period of time that Executive would be
entitled to continuation coverage pursuant to COBRA is intended to
qualify for the exception from “deferred compensation”
as a medical benefit provided in accordance with Treas. Reg. §
1.409A-1(b)(9)(v)(B). Any additional coverage hereunder shall be
provided in accordance with the Reimbursement and
In-Kind
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Benefit
Rule and the tax gross-up payments shall be provided in accordance
with Treas. Reg. §1.409A-3(i)(v).
(c)
Other Welfare Benefits . The Company shall provide
disability, group term life and accidental death and dismemberment
insurance at the Company’s expense to Executive until the
third anniversary of his Termination Date. The level of coverage to
be provided shall be no less than the level of coverage provided
immediately before the earlier of the Termination Date or the
Change in Control. To the extent that any such benefit is subject
to Section 409A of the Code and to the Delayed Payment Date,
Executive shall be responsible for the payment of all expenses,
including, but not limited to, the cost of the premiums for such
coverage until the Delayed Payment Date. The Company shall
reimburse Executive on the Delayed Payment Date for all such costs
and expenses incurred prior to such Delayed Payment Date,
provided proof of payment has been provided and shall assume
the obligation to pay all future costs and expenses until the third
anniversary of the Termination Date. The Reimbursement and In-Kind
Benefit Rule shall apply to amounts subject to Section 409A of
the Code.
(d)
Full Vesting of All Stock Options and Restricted Shares .
Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the
Company’s equity incentive plans (the “Equity
Plans”) or any award agreement under the Equity Plans,
(i) any outstanding, unexercisable stock options or unvested
restricted shares shall become fully exercisable and vested as of
the Termination Date and (ii) all stock options, whether or
not such stock options first become exercisable pursuant to this
Agreement, shall remain exercisable until the earlier of
(A) the tenth anniversary of the original date of grant or
(B) the latest date upon which the option could have expired
by its original terms under any circumstances; provided ,
however , that this sentence shall not restrict the
Company’s ability to adjust or settle outstanding stock
options pursuant to the terms of the Equity Plans, so long as
Executive is treated in any such adjustment or settlement no less
favorably than any other employee of the Company; and
further provided that if Executive is, or ever has
been, a “covered employee” (within the meaning of
Section 162(m) of the Code), only a pro-rata portion of any
unvested restricted shares that are intended to constitute
“performance-based compensation” shall vest incident to
an Anticipatory Termination Triggering Event, and solely if the
related performance conditions are fully met in accordance with the
certification required of the Company’s Compensation
Committee by Section 162(m) of the Code.
(e)
Retirement Benefits . Executive shall be entitled to receive
retirement benefits in accordance with the provisions of the
Company’s Executive Retirement Plan.
(f)
Outplacement Services . The Company shall pay the reasonable
expenses incurred with respect to executive outplacement services
by any one qualified outplacement agency selected by Executive and
reasonably satisfactory to the Company from the Termination Date
until the first anniversary of the Termination Date;
provided , however , that (i) such services are
directly related to Executive’s Separation from Service, and
(ii) the period during which they are covered and the payments
made do not extend beyond the period described in Treas. Reg.
§ 1.409A-1(b)(9)(v)(E).
(g)
Grantor Trust . Within ninety (90) days following
execution of this Agreement, the Company shall establish a grantor
trust, known as a rabbi trust, which shall
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provide
for the Company to make an irrevocable contribution to fully fund
the cash payments provided for under this Agreement in the event of
a Change in Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, such funding
shall not be required if it would result in the imposition of
additional tax under Section 409A(b)(5) of the
Code.
Executive
shall not be required to mitigate damages or the amount of any
payment provided for under this Agreement by seeking other
employment or otherwise, and compensation earned from such
employment or otherwise shall not reduce the amounts otherwise
payable under this Agreement. No amounts payable under this
Agreement shall be subject to reduction or offset in respect of any
claims which the Company (or any other person or entity) may have
against Executive.
5.
Code Section 4999 Tax Gross-Up .
(a) In
the event that any payment or benefit received or to be received by
Executive pursuant to the terms of this Agreement (the
“Contract Payments”) or otherwise in connection with
Executive’s termination of employment or contingent upon a
change in ownership or control pursuant to any plan or arrangement
or other agreement with the Company (or any affiliate),
(“Other Payments” and, together with the Contract
Payments, the “Payments”) would be subject to the
excise tax (the “Excise Tax”) imposed by
Section 4999 of the Code, as determined as provided below, the
Company shall pay to Executive, at the time specified in Section
5(b) below, an additional amount (the “Gross-Up
Payment”) such that the net amount retained by Executive,
after deduction of the Excise Tax on the Payments and any federal,
state and local income or other tax and excise tax upon the payment
provided for by this Section 5(a), and any interest, penalties
or additions to tax payable by Executive with respect thereto,
shall be equal to the total value of the Payments at the time such
Payments are to be made. For purposes of determining whether any of
the Payments will be subject to the Excise Tax and the amounts of
such Excise Tax, (1) the total amount of the Payments shall be
treated as “parachute payments” within the meaning of
Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code, and all “excess
parachute payments” within the meaning of
Section 280G(b)(1) of the Code shall be treated as subject to
the Excise Tax, except to the extent that, in the opinion of
independent tax counsel selected by the Company’s independent
auditors and reasonably acceptable to Executive (“Tax
Counsel”), a Payment (in whole or in part) does not
constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of
Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code, or such “excess
parachute payments” (in whole or in part) are not subject to
the Excise Tax, (2) the amount of the Payments that shall be
treated as subject to the Excise Tax shall be equal to the lesser
of (A) the total amount of the Payments or (B) the amount
of “excess parachute payments” within the meaning of
Section 280G(b)(1) of the Code (after applying clause
(1) hereof), and (3) the value of any non-cash benefits
or any deferred payment or benefit shall be determined by Tax
Counsel in accordance with the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3)
and (4) of the Code. For purposes of this Section 5, any
additional tax under Section 409A of the Code shall not be taken
into account for purposes of determining the amount of any payment
due to or on behalf of Executive.
(b) The
Gross-Up Payments provided for in Section 5(a) hereof shall be made
upon the earlier of (i) the payment to Executive of any
Payment or (ii) the imposition upon
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Executive
or payment by Executive of any Excise Tax, provided, however, if
the Gross-Up Payment is subject to the Delayed Payment Date, the
Gross-Up Payments shall be made on the Delayed Payment Date, if
later. In no event shall any amount due to Executive under this
Section 5 be paid later than the end of the Executive’s
taxable year following Executive’s taxable year in which such
taxes are remitted..
(c) Executive
shall notify the Company in writing of any claim by the Internal
Revenue Service that, if successful, would require the payment by
the Company of a Gross-Up Payment. Such notification shall be given
as soon as practicable but no later than 10 business days after
Executive is informed in writing of such claim and shall apprise
the Company of the nature of such claim and the date on which such
claim is requested to be paid. Executive shall not pay such claim
prior to the expiration of the 30-day period following the date on
which Executive gives such notice to the Company (or such shorter
period ending on the date that any payment of taxes with respect to
such claim is due). If the Company notifies Executive in writing
prior to the expiration of such period that it desires to contest
such claim, Executive shall:
(i)
give the Company any information reasonably requested by the
Company relating to such claim;
(ii)
take such action in connection with contesting such claim as the
Company shall reasonably request in writing from time to time,
including, without limitation, accepting legal representation with
respect to such claim by an attorney reasonably selected by the
Company and reasonably satisfactory to Executive;
(iii)
cooperate with the Company in good faith in order to effectively
contest such claim; and
(iv)
permit the Company to participate in any proceedings relating to
such claim;
provided
,
however , that the Company shall bear and pay directly all
costs and expenses (including, but not limited to, additional
interest and penalties and related legal, consulting or other
similar fees) incurred in connection with such contest and shall
indemnify and hold Executive harmless, on an after-tax basis, for
any Excise Tax or other tax (including interest and penalties with
respect thereto) imposed as a result of such representation and
payment of costs and expenses. All such costs and expenses incurred
due to a tax audit or litigation addressing the existence of or
amount of a tax liability under this Section 5 shall be paid
by the Company within thirty (30) days of the date payment of
such expenses is due or if such payment is subject to the Delayed
Payment Date, on the Delayed Payment Date, if later, but in any
event not later than (A) December 31 of the year following the
year in which the taxes are remitted to the taxing authority, or
(B) where as a result of such audit or litigation no taxes are
remitted, December 31 of the year following the year in which
the audit is complete or there is a final and nonappealable
settlement or other resolution of the litigation. Any Gross-Up
Payment as a result of any Excise Tax or other tax (including
interest and penalties with respect thereto) imposed shall be paid
at the time of imposition of such Excise Tax or other tax or if
such amount is subject to the Delayed Payment Date, on the Delayed
Payment Date, if later.
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(d) The
Company shall control all proceedings taken in connection with such
contest and, at its sole option, may pursue or forego any and all
administrative appeals, proceedings, hearings and conferences with
the
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