Back to top

AMERIGAS PROPANE, INC. EXECUTIVE EMPLOYEE SEVERANCE PLAN

Termination Severance Agreement

AMERIGAS PROPANE, INC. EXECUTIVE EMPLOYEE SEVERANCE PLAN | Document Parties: AMERIGAS PARTNERS LP | AMERIGAS PROPANE, INC You are currently viewing:
This Termination Severance Agreement involves

AMERIGAS PARTNERS LP | AMERIGAS PROPANE, INC

. RealDealDocs™ contains millions of easily searchable legal documents and clauses from top law firms. Search for free - click here.
Title: AMERIGAS PROPANE, INC. EXECUTIVE EMPLOYEE SEVERANCE PLAN
Governing Law: Pennsylvania     Date: 11/21/2008
Industry: Oil and Gas Operations     Sector: Energy

AMERIGAS PROPANE, INC. EXECUTIVE EMPLOYEE SEVERANCE PLAN, Parties: amerigas partners lp , amerigas propane  inc
50 of the Top 250 law firms use our Products every day

Exhibit 10.4

AMERIGAS PROPANE, INC.

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYEE SEVERANCE PLAN

As in effect as of January 1, 2008

 

 


 

AMERIGAS PROPANE, INC.
EXECUTIVE EMPLOYEE
SEVERANCE PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

Article I Purpose and Term of Plan

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article II Definitions

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article III Participation and Eligibility for Benefits

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article IV Benefits

 

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article V Method and Duration of Benefit Payments

 

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article VI Administration

 

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article VII Amendment and Termination

 

 

12

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article VIII Duties of the Company

 

 

13

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article IX Claims Procedures

 

 

14

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article X Miscellaneous

 

 

16

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix A Change in Control

 

 

A-1

 

 

i


 

ARTICLE I

PURPOSE AND TERM OF PLAN

Section 1.01 Purpose of the Plan . This Executive Employee Severance Plan is applicable to Executive Employees (as defined below) of AmeriGas Propane, Inc. and its affiliates. The Plan is intended to help alleviate financial hardships that may be experienced by Executive Employees whose employment is involuntary terminated. The Plan is intended to be a “severance pay plan” for purposes of ERISA (as defined below). The benefits paid by the Plan are not deferred compensation, and no employee shall have a vested right to such benefits. The Plan has been drafted to give the Company (as defined below) broad discretion in designating individuals who are eligible for benefits and the amount of such benefits. All actions taken by the Company shall be in its role as the plan sponsor and not as a fiduciary.

Section 1.02 Term of the Plan . This amendment and restatement is a continuation of the Company’s existing Executive Employee Severance Pay Plan. The Plan will continue until such time as the Company, acting in its sole discretion, elects to modify, supersede or terminate it in accordance with the further provisions hereof.

 

1


 

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS

Section 2.01 “ Administrative Committee ” shall mean the administrative committee designated pursuant to Article VI of the Plan to administer the Plan in accordance with its terms, or its delegate.

Section 2.02 “ Affiliate ” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Section 2.03 “ Annual Compensation ” shall mean the Participant’s annual base salary and applicable target annual bonus amount (if any) in effect on the Participant’s Employment Termination Date.

Section 2.04 “ Benefit ” or “ Benefits ” shall mean any or all of the benefits that a Participant is entitled to receive pursuant to Article IV of the Plan.

Section 2.05 “ Board of Directors ” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company, or any successor thereto.

Section 2.06 “ Change in Control ” shall mean a change in control of the Company or UGI Corporation as defined in the attached Appendix A, as amended from time to time by the Committee, in its discretion.

Section 2.07 “ Change in Control Agreement ” shall mean a written Change in Control Agreement between an employee and the Company or an Affiliate.

Section 2.08 “ COBRA Cost ” shall mean the applicable premium under section 4980B(f)(4) of the Code for continued medical and dental COBRA coverage under the Company’s benefit plans.

Section 2.09 “ COBRA Coverage ” shall mean continued medical and dental coverage under the Company’s benefit plans, as determined under section 4980B of the Code.

Section 2.10 “ Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Section 2.11 “ Company ” shall mean AmeriGas Propane, Inc. and any corporation succeeding to the business of AmeriGas Propane, Inc. by merger, consolidation, liquidation, purchase of assets or stock or similar transaction.

Section 2.12 “ Compensation Committee ” shall mean the Compensation/Pension Committee of the Board of Directors.

Section 2.13 “ Employment Commencement Date ” shall mean the most recent date on which a Participant became an employee of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company or, if the Company determines that service before an acquisition shall be taken into account, the most recent date on which a Participant became an employee of an entity whose business or assets have been acquired by the Company or an Affiliate.

 

2


 

Section 2.14 “ Employment Termination Date ” shall mean the date on which the Participant separates from service with the Company and its Affiliates within the meaning of section 409A of the Code.

Section 2.15 “ ERISA ” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

Section 2.16 “ Executive Annual Bonus Plan ” shall mean the Executive Annual Bonus Plan of the Company as approved by the Board of Directors and in effect from time to time.

Section 2.17 “ Executive Employee ” shall mean any of the following employees who are employed in the United States:

(a) An executive level employee of the Company who participates in the Executive Annual Bonus Plan of the Company and who does not have a Change in Control Agreement in effect with the Company or an Affiliate; or

(b) An executive level employee of the Company or an Affiliate who is employed in the United States and who is designated in writing by the Compensation Committee as eligible to participate in this Plan.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an employee is employed by more than one company within the UGI Corporation controlled group and if the Company is not the employee’s primary employer, the employee shall not be eligible to participate in this Plan, unless otherwise designated in writing by the Compensation Committee. In no event shall any of the following persons be considered an employee for purposes of the Plan: (i) employees who are employed outside the United States, (ii) independent contractors, (iii) persons performing services pursuant to an arrangement with a third party leasing organization or (iv) any person whom the Company determines, in its sole discretion, is not a common law employee, whether or not any such person is later determined to have been a common law employee of the Company or an Affiliate.

Section 2.18 “ Executive Equity Plan ” shall mean any long-term equity incentive plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates, including without limitation the UGI Corporation 2004 Omnibus Equity Compensation Plan and the AmeriGas Propane, Inc. 2000 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

Section 2.19 “ Just Cause ” shall mean (i) dismissal of an Executive Employee due to misappropriation of funds, (ii) substance abuse or habitual insobriety that adversely affects the Executive Employee’s ability to perform his or her job, (iii) conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude, or (iv) gross negligence in the performance of duties. Disputes with respect to whether Just Cause exists shall be resolved in accordance with Article IX.

Section 2.20 “ Key Employee ” shall mean an employee who, at any time during the 12-month period ending on the identification date, is a “specified employee” under section 409A of the Code, as determined by the Compensation Committee or its delegate. The determination of Key Employees, including the number and identity of persons considered specified employees and the identification date, shall be made by the Compensation Committee or its delegate in accordance with the provisions of section 409A of the Code and the regulations issued thereunder.

 

3


 

Section 2.21 “ Monthly Compensation ” shall mean the Participant’s Annual Compensation divided by 12.

Section 2.22 “ Paid Notice ” shall mean the cash amount payable to a Participant in lieu of notice as determined pursuant to Section 4.01(a).

Section 2.23 “ Participant ” shall mean any Executive Employee who receives Benefits under the Plan.

Section 2.24 “ Plan ” shall mean the AmeriGas Propane, Inc. Executive Employee Severance Plan, as set forth herein, and as the same may from time to time be amended.

Section 2.25 “ Plan Year ” shall mean each fiscal year of the Company during which this Plan is in effect.

Section 2.26 “ Postponement Period ” shall mean, for a Key Employee, the period of six months after separation from service (or such other period as may be required by section 409A of the Code), during which deferred compensation may not be paid to the Key Employee under section 409A of the Code.

Section 2.27 “ Release ” shall mean a release and discharge of the Company, all of its Affiliates, and all affiliated persons and entities from any and all claims, demands and causes of action, other than as to amounts or benefits due to the Participant under any qualified employee retirement plan of the Company or an Affiliate, which shall be in such form as may be proscribed by the Company, acting as an employer and not as a fiduciary, from time to time and with such modifications as the Company deems appropriate for the Participant’s particular situation.

Section 2.28 “ Restricted Awards ” shall mean restricted stock, stock units, performance units, restricted units, dividend equivalents, distribution equivalents and other equity-based awards, other than stock options, that are granted to a Participant under an Executive Equity Plan.

Section 2.29 “ Salary Continuation Period ” shall mean (i) the number of months of Paid Notice plus (ii) the period for which a Participant receives Separation Pay under Section 4.01(b).

Section 2.30 “ Separation Pay ” shall mean the cash amount payable to a Participant as determined pursuant to Section 4.01(b).

Section 2.31 “ Weekly Compensation ” shall mean the Participant’s Annual Compensation divided by 52.

Section 2.32 “ Year of Service ” shall mean each 12 month period (or part thereof) of continuous service with the Company and its Affiliates beginning on the Participant’s Employment Commencement Date and ending on each anniversary thereof. Years of Service with an entity whose business or assets have been acquired by the Company or an Affiliate shall be counted only if so determined by the Company.

 

4


 

ARTICLE III

PARTICIPATION
AND ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS

Section 3.01 General Eligibility Requirement . In its sole discretion, acting in its role as Plan sponsor and not as a fiduciary, the Company may grant a Benefit under this Plan to any Executive Employee whose employment is terminated by the Company or an Affiliate other than for Just Cause, death, or continuous illness, injury or incapacity for a period of six consecutive months. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, an Executive Employee will not be considered to have incurred a termination by the Company or an Affiliate for purposes of this Plan if his or her employment is discontinued due to voluntary resignation or the expiration of a leave of absence. In addition, the Executive Employee must meet the requirements of Section 3.03 in order to receive a Benefit under this Plan.

Section 3.02 Substantially Comparable Employment . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Benefits shall be due hereunder to an Executive Employee in connection with the disposition of a business, division or affiliated company by the Company or an Affiliate if substantially comparable terms of employment, as determined by the Company, have been offered to the Executive Employee by the transferee; provided, however , that the Company, acting in its role as Plan sponsor and not as a fiduciary, may determine that the Company or an Affiliate will provide some or all of the Benefits to an Executive Employee whose employment with the Company and its Affiliates is terminated as described in Section 3.01. For purposes of this Plan, “substantially comparable terms of employment” shall mean an executive level position with (i) no reduction in the Executive Employee’s annual base salary as of the date of the transaction, and (ii) no material change in the geographic location at which the Executive Employee must perform services (which, for purposes of this Plan, means a location that is not more than 50 miles from the Executive Employee’s principal place of business immediately before the transaction).

Section 3.03 Conditions to Entitlement to Benefits .

(a) As further conditions to entitlement to Benefits under the Plan, all Participants must, prior to the payment of any Benefits due hereunder, (i) sign and not rescind or contest the enforceability of a Release; (ii) ratify any patent assignment, confidentiality, non-solicitation, non-competition and other post-employment activities agreement in effect between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate; (iii) return to the Company and its Affiliates any and all property of the Company and its Affiliates held by the Participant, including, but not limited to, all reports, manuals, memoranda, computer disks, tapes and data made available to the Participant during the performance of the Participant’s duties, including all copies; (iv) hold confidential any and all information concerning the Company and its Affiliates, whether with respect to its business, subscribers, providers, customers, operations, finances, employees, contractors, or otherwise; and (v) cooperate fully with the Company and its Affiliates to complete the transition of matters with which the Participant is familiar or responsible to other employees and make himself or herself available to answer questions or assist in matters which may require attention after the Participant’s Employment Termination Date.

(b) If the Administrative Committee determines, in its sole discretion, that the Participant has violated one or more of the foregoing conditions to entitlement to Benefits, the Administrative Committee may determine that the Participant will not receive the Benefits or the Company may discontinue the payment of Benefits under the Plan. Any remedy under this Section 3.03 shall be in addition to, and not in place of, any other remedy the Company and its Affiliates may have, at law or otherwise.

 

5


 

ARTICLE IV

BENEFITS

Section 4.01 Amount of Immediate Cash Benefit . The Company, acting in its role as Plan sponsor and not as a fiduciary, shall determine which Executive Employees shall be awarded a Benefit hereunder and the amount of any such Benefit. The Company may take into account any factors it determines to be relevant in deciding which Executive Employees shall be awarded Benefits and the amount of such Benefits, and need not apply its determinations in a uniform manner to terminated Executive Employees similarly situated. All such decisions shall be final, binding and conclusive with respect to the Executive Employee. Unless the Company determines otherwise, subject in all events to Section 3.03, the cash amount to be paid to a Participant eligible to receive Benefits under Section 3.01 hereof upon the Participant’s separation from service shall be paid in a lump sum as provided in Section 5.01 hereof and shall equal the sum of the amounts described in subsections (a) through (d), less the amount described in subsection (e) and subject to subsection (g), except that any payment under paragraph (c) below that is based on annual financial performance will be excluded from the lump sum payment and paid separately as provided below:

(a) An amount of Paid Notice equal to three months of the Participant’s Monthly Compensation.

(b) An amount of Separation Pay equal to two weeks of the Participant’s Weekly Compensation for each Year of Service; provided, however, that such amount shall not be less than three months of the Participant’s Monthly Compensation and shall not exceed 12 months of the Participant’s Monthly Compensation.

(c) An amount equal to the Participant’s annual target bonus amount under the applicable annual bonus plan (or its successor) for the current fiscal year multiplied by the number of months elapsed in the current fiscal year to the Participant’s Employment Termination Date and divided by 12, as well as any annual bonus amount due from the prior fiscal year under such plan but not yet paid. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Employment Termination Date occurs in the last two months of the fiscal year, the bonus amount shall be calculated as follows:

(i) Unless the Company determines otherwise, the amount of the current fiscal year target bonus to be paid pursuant to this paragraph (c) shall be determined and paid after the end of the fiscal year in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable annual bonus plan as though the Participant were still an employee, except that the weighting to be applied to the Participant’s business/financial performance goals under the annual bonus plan will be deemed to be 100%; or

(ii) The Company may, in its sole discretion, determine that the amount payable pursuant to this paragraph (c) for Employment Termination Dates occurring in the last two months of the fiscal year will be computed in the same manner as that provided for Employment Termination Dates occurring during the first ten months of the fiscal year.

 

6


 

The annual bonus shall be paid within 60 days following the Participant’s Employment Termination Date; provided however, that if the annual bonus is calculated based on the full fiscal year performance, as described above, the annual bonus shall be paid by December 31 following the end of the Company’s fiscal year in which the Participant’s Employment Termination Date occurs.

(d) An amount equal to the Participant’s earned and accrued vacation entitlement, including banked vacation time, and personal holidays through the Participant’s Employment Termination Date.

(e) If the Participant’s employment with the Company and its Affiliates terminates before a Change in Control, the cash amount computed in subsections (a) through (c) above shall be reduced by the amount of cash and the fair market value of any stock, partnership units or other property that is payable to the Participant under Restricted Awards after the Participant’s termination of employment, as determined by the Company, provided that the Restricted Awards are not considered deferred compensation under section 409A of the Code. In order to implement this reduction, if the Company cannot determine the amount payable under Restricted Awards at the Participant’s Employment Termination Date, any amounts payable under such Restricted Awards shall be reduced by the amount of the Benefit paid under subsections (a) through (c) above, provided the Restricted Awards are not considered deferred compensation under section 409A of the Code. In no event shall a Participant be required to return to the Company or an Affiliate any amounts previously paid under this Plan.

(f) The reduction described in subsection (e) shall not apply if the Participant’s employment with the Company and its Affiliates terminates at or after a Change in Control. In addition, the reduction described in subsection (e) shall not apply to any Restricted Awards for which all requirements for payment have been met before the Participant’s Employment Termination Date (for example, if the restriction period for a Restricted Award ends on December 31, 2007, the Restricted Award is payable on February 1, 2008 and the Participant’s employment is terminated on January 15, 2008, the Restricted Award shall not be reduced by the Benefits under this Plan).

(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the minimum payment calculated under subsections (a) through (d) above shall not be less than six months of the Participant’s annual base salary in effect at the beginning of the quarter immediately preceding the Employment Termination Date, without regard to the target bonus.

Section 4.02 Executive Benefits .

(a) If a Participant receives Benefits under Section 4.01, the Company shall pay to the Participant a single lump sum payment, as provided in Section 5.01 and subject to Section 3.03, equal to the COBRA Cost that the Participant would incur if the Participant continued medical and dental coverage under the Company’s benefit plans through the end of the Salary Continuation Period, based on the benefits in effect for the Participant (and where applicable, his or her spouse and dependents) at the Participant’s Employment Termination Date, less the amount that the Participant would be required to contribute for medical and dental coverage if such Participant were an active employee.

 

7


 

(b) A Participant who receives Benefits under Section 4.01 may elect COBRA Coverage according to the terms of the Company’s applicable medical and dental plans. If the Participant elects COBRA Coverage, the Participant shall be responsible for paying the COBRA Cost of such coverage in order to be eligible for the coverage. Any applicable conversion rights shall be provided to the Participant at the time coverage ceases.

(c) Each Participant who receives Benefits under Section 4.01 shall be entitled to receive outplacement services for up to six months follo


 
SITE SEARCH

AGREEMENTS / CONTRACTS

Document Title:

Entire Document: (optional)

Governing Law:(optional)


Try our advanced search >>
 

CLAUSES

Search Contract Clauses >>

Browse Contract Clause Library>>

Get Email Updates
Email:
This is only a partial view of this document. We have millions of legal documents and clauses drafted by top law firms. learn more search for free browse for free learn more