SEVERANCE
AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDED AND
RESTATED SEVERANCE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated
as of
___, 2008 is made and entered by and between Brush Engineered
Materials Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”),
and
(the “Executive”).
WHEREAS, the
American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, P.L. 108-357 (the
“AJCA”) added a new Section 409A to the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which
significantly changed the Federal tax law applicable to
“amounts deferred” under nonqualified deferred
compensation plans after December 31, 2004; and
WHEREAS, pursuant
to the AJCA, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue
Service has issued proposed and final regulations and other
guidance with respect to the provisions of new Section 409A of
the Code and will issue additional guidance with respect to
Section 409A of the Code (collectively, the “AJCA
Guidance”); and
WHEREAS, the
Company and the Executive desire for this Agreement to take into
account the AJCA Guidance issued to date and to amend and supersede
the Severance Agreement, dated
___, 200_, between the Company and the Executive and any other
Severance Agreements entered into prior to the date
hereof;
NOW, THEREFORE,
the Company and the Executive agree as follows:
1.
Certain Defined Terms . In addition to terms defined
elsewhere herein, the following terms have the following meanings
when used in this Agreement with initial capital
letters:
(a) “Affiliate”
means with respect to any Person, any holder of more than 10% of
the outstanding shares or equity interests of such Person or any
other Person which directly or indirectly controls, is controlled
by or is under common control with such Person. A Person shall be
deemed to control another Person if such Person possesses, directly
or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the
management and policies of the “controlled” Person,
whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
(b) “Base
Pay” means the Executive’s annual base salary rate as
in effect from time to time.
(c) “Board”
means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(d) “Cause”
means that, prior to any termination of Executive’s
employment by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company, the
Executive shall have:
(i) been convicted
of a criminal violation involving fraud, embezzlement, theft or
violation of federal antitrust statutes or federal securities laws
in connection with his duties or in the course of his employment
with the Company or any Affiliate of the Company;
(ii) committed
intentional wrongful damage to property of the Company or any
Affiliate of the Company;
(iii) committed
intentional wrongful disclosure of secret processes or confidential
information of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company;
or
(iv) intentionally
engaged in any activity in violation of Section 6;
and any such
act shall have been demonstrably and materially harmful to the
Company. For purposes of this Agreement, no act or failure to act
on the part of the Executive shall be deemed
“intentional” if it was due primarily to an error in
judgment or negligence, but shall be deemed
“intentional” only if done or omitted to be done by the
Executive not in good faith and without reasonable belief that the
Executive’s action or omission was in the best interest of
the Company. 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 duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not
less than three quarters of the Board then in office at a meeting
of the Board called and held for such purpose, after reasonable
notice to the Executive and an opportunity for the Executive,
together with the Executive’s counsel (if the Executive
chooses to have counsel present at such meeting), to be heard
before the Board, 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.
(e) “Change
in Control” means
(i) The
acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning
of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) (a
“Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning
of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of voting
securities of the Company where such acquisition causes such Person
to own (X) 20% or more of the combined voting power of the
then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding
Company Voting Securities”) without the approval of the
Incumbent Board as defined in (ii) below or (Y) 35% or
more of the Outstanding Voting Securities of the Company with the
approval of the Incumbent Board; provided, however , that
for purposes of this subsection (i), the following acquisitions
shall not be deemed to result in a Change of Control: (A) any
acquisition directly from the Company that is approved by the
Incumbent Board (as defined in subsection (ii), below),
(B) any acquisition by the Company or a subsidiary of the
Company, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or
related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any
corporation controlled by the Company, (D) any
2
acquisition by
any Person pursuant to a transaction described in clauses (A),
(B) and (C) of subsection (iii) below, or
(E) any acquisition by, or other Business Combination (as
defined in (iii) below) with, a person or group of which
employees of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company control a
greater than 25% interest (a “MBO”) but only if the
Executive is one of those employees of the Company or any
subsidiary of the Company that are participating in the MBO;
provided, further , that if any Person’s beneficial
ownership of the Outstanding Company Voting Securities reaches or
exceeds 20% or 35%, as the case may be, as a result of a
transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above, and
such Person subsequently acquires beneficial ownership of
additional voting securities of the Company, such subsequent
acquisition shall be treated as an acquisition that causes such
Person to own 20% or 35% or more, as the case may be, of the
Outstanding Company Voting Securities; and provided, further
, that if at least a majority of the members of the Incumbent Board
determines in good faith that a Person has acquired beneficial
ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under
the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of the Outstanding Company Voting
Securities inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as
practicable a sufficient number of shares so that such Person
beneficially owns (within the meanings of Rule 13d-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act) less than 20% of the
Outstanding Company Voting Securities, then no Change of Control
shall have occurred as a result of such Person’s acquisition;
or
(ii) individuals
who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the
“Incumbent Board” (as modified by this clause (ii))
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 shareholders, was
approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then
comprising the Incumbent Board (either by a specific vote or by
approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person
is named as a nominee for director, without objection to such
nomination) shall be considered as though such individual were a
member of the 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) the
consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale
or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of
the Company or the acquisition of assets of another corporation, or
other transaction (“Business Combination”) excluding,
however, such a Business Combination pursuant to which (A) the
individuals and entities who were the ultimate beneficial owners of
voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such Business
Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 65%
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 entity resulting from such Business Combination
(including, without limitation, an entity that 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), (B) no Person (excluding any employee benefit
plan
3
(or related
trust) of the Company, the Company or such entity resulting from
such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or
indirectly (X) 20% or more, if such Business Combination is
approved by the Incumbent Board or (Y) 35% or more, if such
Business Combination is not approved by the Incumbent Board, of the
combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled
to vote generally in the election of directors of the entity
resulting from such Business Combination and (C) 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, or of the action of the Board, providing for such
Business Combination; or
(iv) approval by
the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or
dissolution of the Company except pursuant to a Business
Combination described in clauses (A), (B) and (C) of
subsection (iii), above.
(f) “Change
in Control Severance Period” means the period of time
commencing on the date of the first occurrence of a Change in
Control and continuing until the earlier of (i) the third
anniversary of the occurrence of the Change in Control, or
(ii) the Executive’s death; provided, however ,
that commencing on each anniversary of the Change in Control, the
Change in Control Severance Period will automatically be extended
for an additional year unless, not later than 90 calendar days
prior to such anniversary date, either the Company or the Executive
shall have given written notice to the other that the Change in
Control Severance Period is not to be so extended.
(g) “Employee
Benefits” means the perquisites, benefits and service credit
for benefits as provided under any and all employee retirement
income and welfare benefit policies, plans, programs or
arrangements in which Executive is entitled to participate,
including without limitation any stock option, performance share,
performance unit, stock purchase, stock appreciation, savings,
pension, supplemental executive retirement, or other retirement
income or welfare benefit, deferred compensation, incentive
compensation, group or other life, health, medical/hospital or
other insurance (whether funded by actual insurance or self-insured
by the Company or an Affiliate of the Company), disability, salary
continuation, expense reimbursement and other employee benefit
policies, plans, programs or arrangements.
(h) “Gross
Misconduct” means that prior to any termination of the
Executive’s employment by the Company or any Affiliate of the
Company, the Executive shall have been found to have engaged in
willful gross misconduct in the performance of his duties to the
Company or any Affiliate of the Company, which continues after
written notice thereof and a reasonable opportunity to cure is
given to the Executive, as determined by the Company or any
Affiliate of the Company in its sole discretion.
(i) “Incentive
Pay” means the annual bonus, incentive or other payment of
compensation under the Management Performance Compensation Plan or,
if such Management Performance Compensation Plan is no longer in
effect, the annual bonus, incentive or other payment of
compensation in addition to Base Pay, made or to be made in regard
to services rendered in any year or other period pursuant to any
bonus, incentive, profit-sharing, performance, discretionary pay or
similar agreement, policy, plan, program or arrangement
4
(whether or not
funded) of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company, or any
successor thereto.
(j) “Involuntary
Termination” means the termination of the Executive’s
employment with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company under
circumstances where the Executive is entitled to receive the
benefits provided by Section 4(b) of this Agreement.
(k) “LTIP”
means the incentive compensation, in addition to Base Pay and
Incentive Pay, earned in regard to services rendered in any year or
other period pursuant to any incentive, performance or similar
agreement, policy, plan, program or arrangement (whether or not
funded) of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company, or any
successor thereto, including, without limitation, (i) the
earnout of restricted performance shares that vest upon achievement
of specified performance goals, (ii) the payout of performance
shares or (iii) the payout of incentive compensation under the
Long Term Cash Incentive Plan.
(l) “Retirement
Plans” means the benefit plans (including the defined
contribution plans and defined benefit plans) of the Company that
are intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code if
the Executive was a participant in such Retirement Plan on the date
of the occurrence of the Change in Control or Involuntary
Termination, as applicable.
(m) “Special
Severance Term” means the period commencing as of the date
hereof and expiring on the close of business on December 31,
20___; provided, however , that (i) commencing on
January 1, 20___ and each January 1 thereafter, the Special
Severance Term of this Agreement will automatically be extended for
an additional year unless, not later than September 30 of the
immediately preceding year, the Company or the Executive shall have
given notice that it or the Executive, as the case may be, does not
wish to have the Special Severance Term extended.
(n) “Subsidiary”
means an entity in which the Company directly or indirectly
beneficially owns 50% or more of the Outstanding Company Voting
Securities.
(o) “Termination
Date” means the date on which the Executive’s
employment is terminated (the effective date of which shall be the
date of termination, or such other date that may be specified by
the Executive if the termination is pursuant to Section 2(b),
Section 2(c) or Section 3(b)), provided that in each case such
date constitutes a “separation from service,” as
defined for purposes of Section 409A of the Code.
2.
Termination Following a Change in Control .
(a) In the
event of the occurrence of a Change in Control during the Special
Severance Term, the Executive’s employment may be terminated
by the Company or an Affiliate of the Company during the Change in
Control Severance Period and the Executive shall be entitled to the
benefits provided by Section 4(a) unless such termination is the
result of the occurrence of one or more of the following
events:
(i) The
Executive’s death;
5
(ii) If the
Executive becomes permanently disabled within the meaning of, and
begins actually to receive disability benefits pursuant to, the
long-term disability plan in effect for, or applicable to,
Executive immediately prior to the Change in Control; or
(b) In the
event of the occurrence of a Change in Control during the Special
Severance Term, if (but only if) the Board determines that this
Section 2(b) shall be operative following such Change in Control,
the Executive may terminate employment with the Company and any
Affiliate of the Company during the Change in Control Severance
Period with the right to severance compensation as provided in
Section 4(a) upon the occurrence of one or more of the following
events (regardless of whether any other reason, other than Cause as
hereinabove provided, for such termination exists or has occurred,
including without limitation other employment):
(i) Failure to
elect or reelect or otherwise to maintain the Executive in the
office or the position, or a substantially equivalent or better
office or position, of or with the Company and/or an Affiliate of
the Company (or any successor thereto by operation of law or
otherwise), as the case may be, which the Executive held
immediately prior to a Change in Control, or the removal of the
Executive as a Director of the Company and/or an Affiliate of the
Company (or any successor thereto) if the Executive shall have been
a Director of the Company and/or an Affiliate of the Company
immediately prior to the Change in Control;
(ii) (A) A
significant adverse change in the nature or scope of the
authorities, powers, functions, responsibilities or duties attached
to the position with the Company and any Affiliate of the Company
which the Executive held immediately prior to the Change in
Control, (B) a reduction in the aggregate of the
Executive’s Base Pay and Incentive Pay received from the
Company and any Affiliate of the Company, or (C) the
termination or denial of the Executive’s rights to Employee
Benefits or a reduction in the scope or value thereof, any of which
is not remedied by the Company within 10 calendar days after
receipt by the Company of written notice from the Executive of such
change, reduction or termination, as the case may be;
(iii) The
liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation or reorganization
of the Company or the transfer of all or substantially all of its
business and/or assets, unless the successor or successors (by
liquidation, merger, consolidation, reorganization, transfer or
otherwise) to which all or substantially all of its business and/or
assets have been transferred (by operation of law or otherwise)
assumed all duties and obligations of the Company under this
Agreement pursuant to Section 9(a);
(iv) The Company
relocates its principal executive offices (if such offices are the
principal location of Executive’s work), or requires the
Executive to have his principal location of work changed, to any
location that, in either case, is in excess of 50 miles from the
location thereof immediately prior to the Change in Control, or
requires the Executive to travel away from his office in the course
of discharging his responsibilities or duties hereunder at least
20% more (in terms of aggregate days in any
6
calendar year
or in any calendar quarter when annualized for purposes of
comparison to any prior year) than was required of Executive in any
of the three full years immediately prior to the Change in Control
without, in either case, his prior written consent; or
(v) Without
limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, any material
breach of this Agreement by the Company or any successor thereto
which is not remedied by the Company within 10 calendar days after
receipt by the Company of written notice from the Executive of such
breach.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event
of a Change in Control during the Special Severance Term, the
Executive may terminate employment with the Company and any
Affiliate of the Company for any reason, or without reason, during
the 30-day period immediately following the first anniversary of
the first occurrence of a Change in Control with the right to
severance compensation as provided in Section 4(a).
(d) A
termination by the Company pursuant to Section 2(a) or by the
Executive pursuant to Section 2(b) or Section 2(c) will not affect
any rights that the Executive may have pursuant to any agreement,
policy, plan, program or arrangement of the Company or an Affiliate
of the Company providing Employee Benefits (except as provided in
Section 4(a) and Annex A), which rights shall be governed by the
terms thereof.
(e) Unless
otherwise expressly provided by the applicable plan, program or
agreement, after the occurrence of a Change in Control during the
Special Severance Term, the Company shall pay in cash to the
Executive a lump sum amount equal to the value of any annual bonus
(including, without limitation, incentive-based annual cash bonuses
and performance units, but not including any equity-based
compensation or compensation provided under a qualified plan)
earned or accrued with respect to the Executive’s service
during the performance period or periods that includes the date on
which the Change in Control occurred, disregarding any applicable
vesting requirements; provided that such amount shall be calculated
at the plan target or payout rate, but prorated to base payment
only on the portion of the Executive’s service that had
elapsed during the applicable performance period. Such payment
shall take into account service rendered through the payment date
and shall be made within five business days after the Termination
Date (the “Payment Date”).
(f)
Applicable Provisions if Excise Tax Applies .
(i) Certain
Additional Payments by the Company . The provisions of this
Section 2(f)(i) shall be operative for a period of five
(5) years commencing on the date first written
above.
|
|
(A)
|
|
In
the event that it is determined (as hereafter provided) that any
payment (other than the Gross-Up Payments provided for in this
Section 2(f)(i) and Annex C) or distribution by the Company or
any of its Affiliates to or for the benefit of the Executive,
whether paid or payable or distributed or distributable pursuant to
the terms of this Agreement or otherwise pursuant to or by reason
of any
|
7
|
|
|
|
other agreement, policy, plan,
program or arrangement, including without limitation any stock
option, performance share, performance unit, stock appreciation
right or similar right, or the lapse or termination of any
restriction on or the vesting or exercisability of any of the
foregoing (a “Payment”), would be subject to the excise
tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor
provision thereto) by reason of being considered “contingent
on a change in ownership or control” of the Company, within
the meaning of Section 280G of the Code (or any successor
provision thereto) or to any similar tax imposed by state or local
law, or any interest or penalties with respect to such tax (such
tax or taxes, together with any such interest and penalties, being
hereafter collectively referred to as the “Excise
Tax”), then the Executive will be entitled to receive an
additional payment or payments (collectively, a “Gross-Up
Payment”); provided, however, that no Gross-Up Payment will
be made with respect to the Excise Tax, if any, attributable to
(A) any incentive stock option, as defined by Section 422
of the Code (“ISO”) granted prior to the execution of
this Agreement, or (B) any stock appreciation or similar
right, whether or not limited, granted in tandem with any ISO
described in clause (A). The Gross-Up Payment will be in an
amount such that, after payment by the Executive of all taxes
(including any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such
taxes), including any Excise Tax imposed upon the Gross-Up Payment,
the Executive retains an amount of the Gross-Up Payment equal to
the Excise Tax imposed upon the Payment. For purposes of
determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment, the Executive will
be considered to pay (x) federal income taxes at the highest
rate in effect in the year in which the Gross-Up Payment will be
made and (y) state and local income taxes at the highest rate
in effect in the state or locality in which the Gross-Up Payment
would be subject to state or local tax, net of the maximum
reduction in federal income tax that could be obtained from
deduction of such state and local taxes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(B)
|
|
The
obligations set forth in Section 2(f)(i) will be subject to
the procedural provisions described in Annex C.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(C)
|
|
Notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, the obligation to make the additional
payments set forth in this Section 2(f)(i) and the procedural
provisions described in Annex C shall expire and terminate on the
fifth anniversary of
___, 20___ (the “Sunset Date”).
|
(ii) Limitation
on Payments and Benefits . The provisions of this Section
2(f)(ii) shall be operative after the Sunset Date. If any amount or
benefit to be paid or provided under Section 4(a) of this Agreement
would be an “Excess Parachute Payment,”
8
within the
meaning of Section 280G of the Code (or any successor
provision thereto), but for the application of this sentence, then
the payments and benefits to be paid or provided under Section 4(a)
of this Agreement shall be reduced to the minimum extent necessary
(but in no event to less than zero) so that no portion of any such
payment or benefit, as so reduced, constitutes an Excess Parachute
Payment; provided, however , that the foregoing reduction
shall be made only if and to the extent that such reduction would
result in an increase in the aggregate payments and benefits to be
provided, determined on an after-tax basis (taking into account the
Excise Tax). The determination of whether any reduction in such
payments or benefits to be provided under Section 4(a) of this
Agreement or otherwise is required pursuant to the preceding
sentence shall be made at the expense of the Company, if requested
by the Executive or the Company, by the Company’s independent
accountants. The fact that the Executive’s right to payments
or benefits may be reduced by reason of the limitations contained
in this Section 2(f)(ii) shall not of itself limit or
otherwise affect any other rights of the Executive other than
pursuant to Section 4(a) of this Agreement. In the event that any
payment or benefit intended to be provided under Section 4(a) of
this Agreement or otherwise is required to be reduced pursuant to
this Section 2(f)(ii), the Company shall reduce the
Executive’s payments and/or benefits, to the extent required,
in the following order: (i) the lump sum payment described in
Paragraph (1) of Annex A; (ii) the lump sum payment
described in Section 2(e) of this Agreement; (iii) the lump sum
payment described in Paragraph (2) of Annex A; (iv) the
lump sum payment described in Paragraph (4) of Annex A;
(v) the lump sum payment described in Paragraph (6) of Annex
A; (vi) the lump sum payment described in Paragraph
(7) of Annex A; (vii) the lump sum payment described in
Paragraph (8) of Annex A; (viii) the benefits described
in Paragraph (9) of Annex A; (ix) the benefits described
in Paragraph (3) of Annex A; and (x) the accelerated vesting
of equity awards described in Paragraph (5) of Annex
A.
(g) Legal
Fees and Expenses .
(i) It is the
intent of the Company that the Executive not be required to incur
legal fees and the related expenses associated with the
interpretation, enforcement or defense of the Executive’s
right to the payment of benefits provided by Section 4(a) of this
Agreement by litigation or otherwise because the cost and expense
thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended to
be extended to the Executive thereunder. Accordingly, if it should
appear to the Executive that the Company has failed to comply with
any of its obligations with respect to the payment of benefits
provided by Section 4(a) of this Agreement or in the event that the
Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action
to declare the Executive’s right to the payment of benefits
provided by Section 4(a) this Agreement void or unenforceable, or
institutes any litigation or other action or proceeding designed to
deny, or to recover from, the Executive the benefits provided or
intended to be provided to the Executive by Section 4(a) of this
Agreement, the Company irrevocably authorizes the Executive from
time to time to retain counsel of Executive’s choice, at the
expense of the Company as hereafter provided, to advise and
represent the Executive in connection with any such interpretation,
enforcement or defense, including without limitation the initiation
or defense of any litigation or other legal action, whether by or
against the Company or any Director, officer, stockholder or other
person affiliated with the Company, in any
9
jurisdiction.
Notwithstanding any existing or prior attorney-client relationship
between the Company and such counsel, the Company irrevocably
consents to the Executive’s entering into an attorney-client
relationship with such counsel, and in that connection the Company
and the Executive agree that a confidential relationship shall
exist between the Executive and such counsel. Without respect to
whether the Executive prevails, in whole or in part, in connection
with any of the foregoing, the Company will pay and be solely
financially responsible for any and all attorneys’ and
related fees and expenses incurred by the Executive in connection
with any of the foregoing. Such payments shall be made no later
than December 31 of the year following the year in the which
the Executive incurs the expenses, provided that in no event will
the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement in one year
affect the amount of expenses to be reimbursed, or in-kind benefits
to be provided, in any other taxable year.
(ii) Without
limiting the obligations of the Company pursuant to
Section 2(g)(i) hereof, in the event a Change in Control
occurs during the Special Severance Term, the performance of the
Company’s obligations under Section 2 and Section 4(a)
of this Agreement, including, without limitation, this
Section 2(g), shall be secured by amounts deposited or to be
deposited in trust pursuant to certain trust agreements to which
the Company shall be a party providing that the benefits to be
provided hereunder and the fees and expenses of counsel selected
from time to time by the Executive pursuant to Section 2(g)(i)
shall be paid, or reimbursed to the Executive if paid by the
Executive, either in accordance with the terms of such trust
agreements, or, if not so provided, on a regular, periodic basis
upon presentation by the Executive to the trustee of a statement or
statements prepared by such counsel in accordance with its
customary practices. Any failure by the Company to satisfy any of
its obligations under this Section 2(g)(ii) shall not limit
the rights of the Executive hereunder. Subject to the foregoing,
the Executive shall have the status of a general unsecured creditor
of the Company and shall have no right to, or security interest in,
any assets of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, in no event shall any amount be transferred to a trust
described in this Section 2(g)(ii) if, pursuant to
Section 409A(b)(3)(A) of the Code, such amount would, for
purposes of Section 83 of the Code, be treated as property
transferred in connection with the performance of
services.
(iii) In no event
shall this Section 2(g) of this Agreement apply to any
interpretation, enforcement or defense of the Executive’s
right to the payment of benefits provided by Section 4(b) of this
Agreement by litigation or otherwise.
3.
Involuntary Termination
(a) In the
event that the Executive’s employment terminates other than
during the Change in Control Severance Period, the Executive shall
be entitled to the benefits provided by Section 4(b) unless such
termination is the result of the occurrence of one or more of the
following events:
(i) The
Executive’s death;
10
(ii) If the
Executive becomes permanently disabled within the meaning of, and
begins actually to receive disability benefits pursuant to, the
long-term disability plan in effect for, or applicable to,
Executive immediately prior to his Termination Date;
(iii) A
termination of Executive’s employment by the Company or any
Affiliate of the Company for Cause;
(iv) A termination
of Executive’s employment by the Company or any Affiliate of
the Company for Gross Misconduct; or
(v) A termination
of Executive’s employment by the Executive for any reason
other than as provided in Section 3(b) below.
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Executive may elect to terminate his employment
with the Company or any Affiliate of the Company with the right to
severance compensation as provided in Section 4(b) upon the
occurrence of one or more of the following events (regardless of
whether any other reason, other than Cause or Gross Misconduct as
hereinabove provided, for such termination exists or has occurred,
including without limitation other employment) (i) a reduction
of the Executive’s Base Pay without the Executive’s
consent or (ii) a reduction in the percentage level of the
objective component of the Executive’s Incentive Pay or LTIP
opportunity without the Executive’s consent; provided
, however , that (A) such a reduction in Base Pay,
Incentive Pay and/or LTIP opportunity is not part of a general
reduction in executive officer compensation opportunity and
(B) the Executive’s right to severance compensation
shall cease to exist for such an event unless he terminates his
employment with the Company or any Affiliate of the Company prior
to the close of business on the sixtieth (60th) day following the
later of its occurrence or the Executive’s knowledge
thereof.
(c) A
termination by the Company pursuant to Section 3(a) or by the
Executive pursuant to Section 3(b) will not affect any rights that
the Executive may have pursuant to any agreement, policy, plan,
program or arrangement of the Company or an Affiliate of the
Company providing Employee Benefits (except as provided in Section
4(b) and Annex B), which rights shall be governed by the terms
thereof.
4.
Severance Compensation .
(a) If,
following the occurrence of a Change in Control during the Special
Severance Term, the Company or an Affiliate of the Company
terminates the Executive’s employment during the Change in
Control Severance Period other than pursuant to
Section 2(a)(i), 2(a)(ii) or 2(a)(iii), or if the Executive
terminates his employment pursuant to Section 2(b) (if Section 2(b)
is operative) or Section 2(c), the Company (subject to
Section 4(e)) will pay to the Executive the lump sum payment
amounts described in Annex A on the Payment Date and will continue
to provide to the Executive the benefits described in Annex A for
the periods described therein.
(b) If the
Company or an Affiliate of the Company terminates the
Executive’s employment other than during the Change in
Control Severance Period and other than pursuant to
Section 3(a)(i), 3(a)(ii), 3(a)(iii) or 3(a)(iv), or if the
Executive terminates his employment pursuant to Section 3(b), the
Company (subject to Section 4(e)) will pay to the Executive
the lump sum payment amounts described in Annex B on the Payment
Date (or such other date as
11
specified in
Annex B) and will continue to provide to the Executive the benefits
described in Annex B for the periods described therein. In no event
shall the Executive be entitled to the amounts
|