SENIOR LEADERSHIP SEVERANCE
PLAN
Page 1 of 24
GMAC LLC
SENIOR LEADERSHIP SEVERANCE PLAN
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II. Eligibility and
Participation
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III. Qualified Terminations of
Employment
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V. Participating Senior Leader’s
Obligations
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VII. Administration, Amendment and
Termination
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X. Statement of ERISA Rights
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XL. Questions Regarding The Plan
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Appendix A: Participation
Agreement
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Appendix B: General Release
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Appendix C: Claims
Procedure
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Page 2 of 24
GMAC LLC
SENIOR LEADERSHIP SEVERANCE PLAN
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Page 3 of 24
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Participatiug Senior Leader
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Qualified Termination of
Employment
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Page 4 of 24
GMAC LLC
SENIOR LEADERSHIP SEVERANCE PLAN
PLAN DOCUMENT AND SUMMARY PLAN
DESCRIPTION
This is the
Summary Plan Description (“SPD”) for the GMAC LLC
Senior Leadership Severance Plan (the “Plan”). The
Board of Managers (the “Board”) of GMAC LLC (the
“Company”) adopted the Plan with an effective date of
June 1, 2008. The Plan is intended to be an employee
welfare-benefit plan under and subject to the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the applicable
regulations promulgated thereunder (“ERISA”). As a SPD,
its purpose is to explain the Plan for you and provide you with
additional information regarding the Plan. You should read it
carefully. This document also serves as the “plan
document” for the Plan.
The Plan is
intended to provide financial and other benefits to certain members
of senior leadership in the event of a termination of employment.
Severance payments are not to be viewed as automatic and are not
compensation for past services, but instead are intended only as
prospective payments that will be offered under certain
circumstances to those selected for participation in the Plan at
the discretion of the Company.
II.
ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
A. Selected
executives of the Company (“Senior Leaders”) will
participate in the Plan. However, participation in the Plan will be
determined on an individual basis by the Board’s Compensation
and Leadership Committee (the “Committee”) in its sole
discretion and on recommendation by the Company’s Chief
Executive Officer (the “CEO”). The CEO will be a
participant in the Plan unless the Committee decides
otherwise.
B. A Senior
Leader who has been selected by the Committee to be a participant
in the Plan will become a participant in the Plan upon signing a
Participation Agreement substantially in the form attached to the
Plan as Appendix A ( a “Participating Senior
Leader”).
C. The
Committee may revoke a Participation Agreement at any time and for
any reason or for no reason in its sole discretion upon one year
advance written notice. Accordingly, a Participating Senior Leader
will no longer participate in the Plan on and after the end of the
one-year period immediately following the date the Participating
Senior Leader receives a written notice from the Committee revoking
his or her Participation Agreement; provided, however, that such
revocation will not reduce any severance benefits to which the
Participating Senior Leader is entitled due to a Qualified
Termination of Employment that occurs on or before the end of such
one-year period.
Page 5 of 24
III.
QUALIFIED TERMINATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
A. Plan
benefits are payable only upon a “Qualified Termination of
Employment,” which means a termination of a Participating
Senior Leader’s employment with the Company as a result of
either of the following:
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1.
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Involuntary Termination Without
Cause; or
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2.
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Resignation With Good
Reason.
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B. Accordingly,
Plan benefits are not payable for an “unqualified”
termination of employment as a result of any of the
following:
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1.
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Death
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2.
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Disability
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3.
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Involuntary Termination For
Cause
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4.
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Resignation Without Good
Reason
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5.
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Retirement
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6.
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An
approved Leave of Absence
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7.
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Transfers from the Company to a
Company affiliate.
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8.
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The
majority of the Company’s assets are sold via an asset
purchase agreement and a Participating Senior Leader is offered
continued employment with a comparable salary and target incentive
or equity compensation opportunity.
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C. Plan
benefits will not be paid unless and until the Participating Senior
Leader signs and does not revoke a General Release substantially in
the form attached to the Plan as Appendix C.
D. “Cause”
means any one of the following:
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1.
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Felony indictment or misdemeanor
conviction
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2.
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Failure to perform any material
responsibility of the leadership position
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3.
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A
course of conduct which would tend to hold the Company or any of
its affiliates in disrepute or scandal, as determined by the Board
in its sole discretion
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4.
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Failure to follow lawful directions
of the Board
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Page 6 of 24
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5.
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Any
material breach of fiduciary duty to the Company
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6.
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Gross negligence
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7.
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Willful misconduct
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8.
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Failure to comply with a material
Company policy
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9.
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Any
act of fraud, theft, or dishonesty
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10.
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Breach of any duty of
confidentiality with respect to Company information.
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11.
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Breach of any duty described in
Sections V-A through V-D of the Plan.
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1.
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A
material reduction in annual salary or a reduction in target
incentive or equity compensation opportunity other than a
management-approved across-the-board reduction applicable to all
senior leaders of the Company; or
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2.
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A
material adverse diminution in duties, or responsibilities below a
level consistent with a Senior Leader’s performance and skill
level, as determined in good faith by the Committee, provided that
a suspension of a Senior Leader with pay shall not constitute Good
Reason.
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F. The
Committee will determine in good faith whether Cause or Good Reason
exists.
A. If a
Participating Senior Leader’s employment is terminated due to
an Involuntary Termination Without Cause or a Resignation With Good
Reason, then he or she will be entitled to receive Severance Pay.
Severance Pay is computed as follows:
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1.
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The
“Severance Multiple” (as stated in the Participating
Senior Leader’s Participation Agreement), times
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2.
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the
sum of:
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a.
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the
Participating Senior Leader’s current annual base salary,
plus
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b.
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the
current calendar year’s Annual Incentive Plan
(“AIP”) target amount, minus
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Page 7 of 24
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a.
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any
unpaid retention bonus payments otherwise payable to a
Participating Senior Leader, plus
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b.
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any
debts or monies owed to the Company or its subsidiaries or
affiliates.
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In addition, if
a Participating Senior Leader’s employment is treated as a
Resignation With Good Reason for purposes of the Plan, then such
Participating Senior Leader’s termination of employment shall
be treated as a “termination without Cause” under the
Company’s Long-Term Equity Compensation Incentive
Plan.
B. Should a
Change in Control occur, and should either an Involuntary
Termination Without Cause or a Resignation With Good Reason occur
within the Protection Period set forth in the Participating Senior
Leader’s Participation Agreement, then all unvested long-term
incentive compensation held by the Participating Senior Leader
under any Company plan, program or arrangement shall immediately
vest after the expiration of any revocation period associated with
the General Release, and he or she will be entitled to receive CIC
Severance Pay in lieu of the Severance Pay amount under
Section IV-A. CIC Severance Pay is computed as
follows:
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1.
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The
“CIC Severance Multiple” (as stated in the
Participating Senior Leader’s Participation Agreement),
times
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2.
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the
sum of:
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a.
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the
Participating Senior Leader’s current annual base salary,
plus
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b.
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the
current calendar year’s AIP target amount, minus
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a.
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any
unpaid retention bonus payments otherwise payable to a
Participating Senior Leader,; plus
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b.
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any
debts or monies owed to the Company or its subsidiaries or
affiliates.
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In addition,
should a Change in Control occur and if a Participating Senior
Leader’s employment is treated as a Resignation With Good
Reason for purposes of the Plan, then such Participating Senior
Leader’s termination of employment shall be treated as a
“termination without Cause” under the Company’s
Long-Term Equity Compensation Incentive Plan.
C. In order
to qualify as a “short-term deferral” under
Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the “Code”), payment of the Severance Pay
Page 8 of 24
or CIC
Severance Pay will be made as a lump sum payment within
30 days of the later of the termination date or the expiration
of any revocation period associated with the General
Release.
D. “Change
in Control” means the first to occur of any of the following
events:
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1.
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any
person who is not FIM Holdings LLC, GM Finance Co. Holdings Inc.,
General Motors Corporation and their affiliates becomes the
beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the
combined voting power of the then issued and outstanding securities
or other ownership interests of the Company; or
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2.
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the
sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of
the business and assets of the Company, whether by sale of assets,
merger or otherwise (determined on a consolidated basis), to a
person other than FIM Holdings LLC, GM Finance Co. Holdings Inc.,
General Motors Corporation and their affiliates.
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3.
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For
the avoidance of doubt, an IPO of the Company shall not be deemed a
Change in Control.
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E. “IPO”
means an underwritten sale to the public of the Company’s
equity securities pursuant to an effective registration statement
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form S-1 and
after which the Company’s equity securities are listed on the
New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or are
quoted on the NASDAQ Stock Market; provided that an IPO shall not
include any issuance of the Company’s equity securities in
any merger or other business combination, and shall not include any
registration of the issuance of such equity securities to exiting
security holders or employees of the Company on Form S-4 or Form
S-8.
F. A
Participating Senior Leader will also be eligible for a prorated
payout under the AIP, based on the number of days worked during the
AIP performance period. Payment will be made at the same time AIP
payments are made to other AIP participants and determined based on
the approved funding level applicable to other Senior
Leaders.
G. A
Participating Senior Leader may only terminate his or her
employment as a Resignation With Good Reason if (i) such
termination occurs within two (2) years of the date of the
first occurrence of Good Reason, (ii) the Participating Senior
Leader notifies the Company within ninety (90) days of the
first occurrence of Good Reason, and (iii) the Company is
provided at least thirty (30) days to cure (if
curable).
H. All other
incentive plan benefits are governed by the applicable
plan.
I. If the
Participating Senior Leader qualifies for health continuation under
the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985
(“COBRA”), he or she may elect to continue medical
benefits as required by COBRA for up to eighteen (18)
Page 9 of 24
months or until
no longer qualifying for COBRA, whichever is shorter. The Company
will reimburse actual COBRA costs incurred for up to
18 months.
V.
PARTICIPATING SENIOR LEADER’S OBLIGATIONS
A.
Non-Competition . At all times prior to and following a
Participating Senior Leader’s termination of employment for
any reason, including voluntary termination, then during the
subsequent twelve months (Non-Competition Period) a Participating
Senior Leader shall not at any time, directly or indirectly, engage
in a Competitive Activity. “Competitive Activity” means
shall mean an activity in which the Participating Senior Leader
engages directly or indirectly (whether as a principal, agent,
partner, member, employee, investor, owner, consultant, board
member or otherwise) that is in material direct competition with
the Company or any of its subsidiaries in any of the States within
the United States, or countries within the world, in which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business with respect
to a business in which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
engaged or was materially preparing to engage during employment and
on the date of the termination of employment; provided, however,
that an ownership interest of 1% or less in any publicly held
company shall not constitute a Competitive Activity; and further
provided, however, that the Participating Senior Leader may be
employed by or otherwise associated with a business or entity of
which a subsidiary, division, segment, unit, etc. is in material
direct competition with the Company or any subsidiary but as to
which such subsidiary, division, segment, unit, etc. the
Participating Senior Leader has no direct or indirect
responsibilities or involvement so long as the Participating Senior
Leader does not breach the covenant of confidentiality contained in
Section V-C.
B.
Non-Solicitation . At all times prior to and following a
Participating Senior Leader’s termination of employment for
any reason, including voluntary termination, then during the
subsequent twenty-four months (Non-Solicitation Period) a
Participating Senior Leader shall not at any time, directly or
indirectly, whether on behalf of himself or herself or any other
person or entity (i) solicit any client and/or customer of the
Company or any subsidiary with respect to a Competitive Activity or
(ii) solicit or employ any employee of the Company or any
subsidiary, or any person who was an employee of the Company or any
subsidiary during the 60-day period immediately prior to the
Participating Senior Leader’s termination, for the purpose of
causing such employee to terminate his or her employment with the
Company or such subsidiary.
C.
Confidentiality . At all times prior to and following the
termination date, a Participating Senior Leader shall not disclose
to anyone or make use of any trade secret or proprietary or
confidential information of the Company, including such trade
secret or proprietary or confidential information of any customer
or client or other entity to which the Company owes an obligation
not to disclose such information, which he or she acquires during
his or her employment with the Company, including but not limited
to records kept in the ordinary course of business,
except:
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1.
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as
such disclosure or use may be required or appropriate in connection
with his or her work as an employee of the Company; or
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Page 10 of 24
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2.
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when required to do so by a court of
law, by any governmental agency having supervisory authority over
the business of the Company or by any administrative or legislative
body (including a committee thereof) with apparent jurisdiction to
order him or her to divulge, disclose or make accessible such
information; or
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3.
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as
to such confidential information that becomes generally known to
the public or trade without his or her violation of this
Section V-C; or
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4.
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to
the Participating Senior Leader’s spouse, attorney, and/or
his or her personal tax and financial advisors as reasonably
necessary or appropriate to advance the Participating Senior
Leader’s tax, financial and other personal planning (each an
“Exempt Person”), provided, however , that any
disclosure or use of any trade secret or proprietary or
confidential information of the Company by an Exempt Person shall
be deemed to be a breach of this Section V-C by the
Participating Senior Leader.
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D.
Non-Disparagement. At all times prior to and following the
termination date, a Participating Senior Leader shall not make any
statements or express any views that disparage the business
reputation or goodwill of the Company and/or any of its
subsidiaries, affiliates, investors, members, officers, or
employees.
E.
Resignation as Officer and Director . On or before the
termination date, the Participating Senior Leader will submit to
the Company in writing his or her resignation (as applicable) as
(i) an officer of the Company and of all subsidiaries or
affiliates and (ii) a member of the Board and of the board of
managers of all subsidiaries or affiliates.
F. Return
of Company Property . Immediately following the termination
date, a Participating Senior Leader will immediately return all
Company property in his or her possession, including but not
limited to all computer equipment (hardware and software),
telephones, facsimile machines, electronic communication devices,
credit cards, office keys, security access cards, badges,
identification cards and all copies (including drafts) of any
documentation or information (however stored) relating to the
business of the Company, its customers and clients or its
prospective customers and clients.
G.
Cooperation . Following the termination date, a
Participating Senior Leader will cooperate willingly, as the
Company may reasonably request, including his or her attendance and
truthful testimony where deemed appropriate by the Company, with
respect to any investigation or the Company’s defense or
prosecution of any existing or future claims or litigations or
other proceeding relating to matters in which he or she was
involved or potentially had knowledge by virtue of his or her
employment with the Company.
H.
Enforcement of Section V. If a Participating Senior
Leader materially violates any provision of this Section V, he
or she shall immediately forfeit any right, title
Page 11 of 24
and interest to
any Severance Pay or CIC Severance Pay that has not yet been paid
or provided and shall be required to repay to the Company a cash
amount equal to the value of the Severance Pay or CIC Severance Pay
that he or she has already received and shall reimburse the Company
for its legal fees and costs associated with recovery of these
amounts.
I.
Enforcement of Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation and
Confidentiality Covenants. If a Participating Senior Leader
violates or threatens to violate any provisions of Section V,
the Company shall not have an adequate remedy at law. Accordingly,
the Company shall be entitled to such equitable and injunctive
relief, without posting a bond, as may be available to restrain the
Participating Senior Leader and any business, firm, partnership,
individual, corporation or entity participating in the breach or
threatened breach from the violation of the provisions of
Section V. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed as
prohibiting the Company from pursuing any other remedies available
at law or in equ
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