SEPARATION
AGREEMENT
THIS SEPARATION
AGREEMENT between YP Corp., a Nevada corporation (the "
Company ") and Peter J. Bergmann ("
Bergmann "), is entered into and effective
November 3, 2005 (the "Effective Date").
Background
Bergmann and
the Company previously entered into an Employment Agreement, dated
June 6, 2004 (" Employment Agreement ") that
specifies the terms and conditions of Bergmann's service as
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and
Bergmann's compensation and benefits.
Company
previously granted or issued Bergmann an aggregate of 1 ,350,000
shares of the Company's common stock, $.001 par value per share ("
Common Stock "), in consideration of Bergmann's
service as an officer and director of the Company (the "
Original Stock "). 50,000, shares of the Original
Stock were granted to Bergmann in 2002 and are fully vested ("
2002 Shares "); 1,000,000 shares of the Original
Stock (" 2004 Shares '') were granted to Bergmann
pursuant to a Restricted Stock Agreement dated as of June 6, 2004
(" Restricted Stock Agreement "); and 100,000
shares of the Original Stock were granted to Bergmann in April 2005
(" 2005 Shares ") and were subject to contractual
transfer restrictions similar to the 2004 Shares.
In
consideration of the payments and covenants set forth in this
Agreement, the Company and Bergmann desire to enter into this
Agreement to provide for their mutual separation and
settlement.
Agreement
NOW THEREFORE IT IS MUTUALLY
AGREED AS FOLLOWS;
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1.
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Resignation
and Termination: Waivers .
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a.
Resignation and
Termination . Bergmann
has resigned as Chairman and President of the Company and from any
and all positions that he may be deemed to have held with any of
the Company's subsidiaries. The Employment Agreement has been
terminated and superseded by this Agreement and, therefore, is no
longer in force or effect. Bergmann will continue to serve as a
director until the Company's next annual shareholder's meeting and
will also continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer in
accordance with and subject to the restrictions and until the date
set forth in and Section 5(f) .
b.
Waiver of Severance
. Bergmann waives for himself and
any of his affiliates, representatives, creditors or family members
any right to severance benefits under the Employment Agreement in
connection with the termination of the Employment Agreement and/or
resignation of any positions held with the Company or its
subsidiaries.
c.
Waiver of
Reinstatement . Company
is under no obligation to reinstate, renegotiate or re-execute the
Employment Agreement or the terms thereof or reinstate or employ
Bergmann. Bergmann waives any rights to recall or reinstatement of
any past or future wages, bonuses, or compensation not specifically
provided in this Agreement
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2.
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Separation
Payment; Health Insurance Coverage; Assumption of Lease
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a.
Payments . In complete and full satisfaction and in lieu
of all claims for compensation, benefits, severance or related
payments from Company or any and all of its affiliates,
subsidiaries, corporate parents, agents, officers, shareholders,
employees, attorneys, successors, and assigns (collectively "
Released Parties "), and as compensation for the
covenants and services specified in this Agreement, Company will
(i) continue to pay Bergmann the monthly salary he was receiving
immediately prior to this Agreement through the last day of the
Retention Period (as defined in Section 5(f)) (" Continuing
Payments ") and (ii) pay to Bergmann the equivalent of 18
months of his current salary in one payment of $337,500 (the "
Separation Payment ") on or before January 2,
2006. All applicable withholdings, including taxes, shall be
deducted from the Continuing Payments and Separation
Payment
b.
Health Insurance
Coverage . The Company
will pay Bergmann's COBRA health payment (" Insurance
Coverage ") for the shorter of (i) 12 months following the
Effective Date or (ii) until Bergmann is eligible for health
coverage under another employer. Upon being eligible for
alternative health care coverage, Bergmann will submit to the
Company a written confirmation of his eligibility for health
coverage from an alternative employer or source.
c.
Satisfaction of All
Obligations . The
Continuing Payments, Separation Payment and Insurance Coverage,
together with payment of his accrued but unused vacation pay and
payment of as yet unreimbursed business expenses (" Total
Compensation "), will comprise the aggregate and final
amount owed to Bergmann and all of his affiliates, representatives,
creditors and family members. As of the Effective Date, no
additional compensation, consideration, payments or benefits
(including, without limitation, health or dental benefits,
vacation, sick leave, insurance or any related or similar benefits)
are or will be owed to Bergmann or any of his affiliates,
representatives, creditors or family members. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Company may at any time during the Payment Period
(as defined in Section 5(f) below) request that Bergmann
re-execute this Agreement and reaffirm the perpetuity of the
Release set forth in Section 4(a) and, furthermore, the
Company may condition any unpaid component of the Total
Compensation upon Bergmann's compliance with such request, provided
the Company is not itself in default or is engaged in any conduct
after the date above that gives rise to any claim by Bergmann.
Bergmann's failure to comply with a re-execution request will
permit the Company to withhold any scheduled component of the Total
Compensation without penalty, default or interest until such
request is complied with.
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3.
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Forfeiture
of Restricted Stock and Termination of Restricted Stock
Agreement .
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a.
Forfeiture and
Termination . Bergmann
hereby forfeits to the Company, without any additional
consideration, compensation or payment, alt shares of Original
Stock beneficially owned by Bergmann or any affiliated party ("
Forfeited Shares "), except for all of the 2002 Shares,
600,000 shares of the 2004 Shares and all of the 2005 Shares
(collectively, the " Retained Shares "). The
Restricted Stock Agreement and any written Agreement associated
with the Retained Shares are hereby terminated and superseded by
this Agreement.
b.
Continuing Limitation on
Transfer . Bergmann
agrees not to sell, transfer, pledge, exchange, hypothecate, or
otherwise dispose of any Retained Shares (excluding the 2002
Shares) (" Transfer ") before the date on which
the restrictions on the Retained Shares (excluding the 2002 Shares)
lapse in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in
Section 3(c) below. Any attempted disposition of the
Retained Shares (excluding the 2002 Shares) in violation of the
preceding sentence will be null and void, and the Company will not
recognize or give effect to such transfer on its books and records
or recognize the person or persons to who such proposed transfer
has been made as the legal or beneficial owner of the Retained
Shares. In the event that a Transfer is approved by the Company,
Bergmann must, prior to consummating or affecting a Transfer, first
obtain the written agreement of the transferee to be bound by the
terms of this Agreement as if such transferee were deemed the
original "grantee" of the Retained Shares.
c.
Lapse of Restrictions
. The restrictions on the Retained
Shares (excluding the 2002 Shares) set forth in Section 3(b)
will lapse in accordance with the following schedule, subject to
and as adjusted for, in the case of closing prices of the Company's
common stock, stock splits, reverse stock splits, combinations,
rectifications and the like;
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Date Restriction Lapses*
(earlier to occur of the
following)
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Percentage of Stock
Becomes
Unrestricted*
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18 Months from the Effective
Date
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100%
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Change of Control (as defined in the
Company's 2003 Stock Plan)
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100%
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Date that Company's common stock as
listed on the Over-the-counter Bulletin Board, Nasdaq, the American
Stock Exchange, The New York Stock Exchange, or a similar exchange
or quotation system ("Exchange") reaches an average closing price
of $4 for three consecutive trading days
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20%
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Date that Company's common stock as
listed on an Exchange reaches an average closing price of $5 for
three consecutive trading days
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40%
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Date that Company's common stock as
listed on an Exchange reaches an average closing price of $6 for
three consecutive trading days
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60%
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Date that Company's common stock as
listed on an Exchange reaches an average closing price of $7 for
three consecutive trading days
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80%
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Date that Company's common stock as
listed on an Exchange reaches an average closing price of $8 for
three consecutive trading days
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100%
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*Notwithstanding the provisions above, in the
event Bergmann materially breaches the provisions set forth in
Section 5(l) the Restricted Shares will no longer be
eligible for vesting and Bergmann must return the Restricted Shares
to the Company without payment or any amount due for such
Restricted Shares.
a.
Bergmann Release
. Bergmann agrees to release,
discharge, cancel, waive and acquit, for Bergmann and his
affiliates, including, without limitation, for Bergmann's marital
community, heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, the
Released Parties from any and all rights, claims, demands, causes
of action, obligations, damages, penalties, fees, costs, expenses,
and liabilities of any nature whatsoever, whether in law or equity,
that Bergmann or his affiliates currently have, have had or may
hereafter have against the Company or the Released Parties arising
out of, or by reason of any cause, matter, or thing whatsoever
existing as of the date of execution of this Agreement, WHETHER
KNOWN TO THE PARTIES AT THE TIME OF EXECUTION OF THIS AGREEMENT OR
NOT, except for any claim that Bergmann may have under the
Indemnification Agreement between the parties dated June 6, 2004 ("
Indemnification Agreement "), which
Indemnification Agreement shall survive the termination of this
Agreement. THIS FULL RELEASE OF ALL CLAIMS includes, without
limitation, any claims, demands, or causes of action arising out of
or under, or relating in any manner whatsoever to the Employment
Agreement and/or termination thereof or of any asserted employment
of Bergmann with the Company, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 and the Civil Rights Act of 1991, as amended, the Fair Labor
Standards Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Arizona Employment
Protection Act, Arizona's Wage Payment statute, or any other
applicable state or federal statute, or any common law cause of
action, including claims for breach of any express or implied
contract, wrongful discharge, tort, personal injury, or any claims
for attorney's fees or other costs, as well as any claims that
related to other agreements or arrangements, whether written or
oral, between the Company and Bergmann, except for any claim that
Bergmann may have under the Indemnification Agreement, nor caused
to be instituted on his behalf or any of his affiliate's behalf,
any legal proceeding, including filing any claims or complaint with
any government agency alleging any violation of law or public
policy against the Company or the Company's affiliates, attorneys
or agents premised upon any legal theory or claim whatsoever,
including without limitation, contract, tort, wrongful discharge,
and breach of contract.
b.
The Company Release
. The Company and the Released
Parties agree to release, discharge, cancel, waive and acquit
Bergmann and his affiliates from any and all rights, claims,
demands, causes of action, obligations, damages, penalties, fees,
costs, expenses, and liabilities of any nature whatsoever, whether
in law or equity, that the Company or the Released Parties
currently have, have had or may hereafter have against Bergmann and
his affiliates arising out of, or by reason of any cause, matter,
or thing whatsoever existing as of the date of execution of this
Agreement, WHETHER KNOWN TO THE PARTIES AT THE TIME OF EXECUTION OF
THIS AGREEMENT OR NOT. THIS FULL RELEASE OF ALL CLAIMS includes,
without limitation, attorney's fees, and any claims, demands, or
causes of action arising out of, or relating in any manner
whatsoever to, the Employment Agreement, as well as any claims that
related to other agreements or arrangements, whether written or
oral, between the Company and Bergmann, The Company further
covenants and agrees that it has not instituted, or caused to be
instituted on the Company's behalf, any legal proceeding, including
filing any claims or complaint with any government agency alleging
any violation of law or public policy against Bergmann and his
affiliates premised upon any legal theory or claim whatsoever,
including without limitation, contract, tort, wrongful discharge,
and breach of contract.
5.
Covenants . Bergmann agrees to comply with or satisfy each
of the following covenants and obligations (the "
Covenants ").
a.
Assumption of Automobile Lease
and Home Lease . Bergmann
assumes the lease of the BMW X5 currently acquired by the Company
for Bergmann and is responsible for all payment and related
obligations thereunder. If not already accomplished, Bergmann will
also immediately notify the landlord of his current place of
residence in writing (a copy of which will be provided to the
Company) of his relocation and the Company's intent to terminate
the lease.
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