(a) The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of Indemnitee who is or was or has agreed to serve at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against any liability asserted against, and incurred by, Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in any such capacity, or arising out of Indemnitee’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify Indemnitee against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement. If the Corporation has such insurance in effect at the time the Corporation receives from Indemnitee any notice of the commencement of a proceeding, the Corporation shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the policy. The Corporation shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policy.
(b) In the event of any payment by the Corporation under this Agreement, the Corporation shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee with respect to any insurance policy, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Corporation to bring suit to enforce such rights in accordance with the terms of such insurance policy. The Corporation shall pay or reimburse all expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such subrogation.
(c) The Corporation shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (including, but not limited to, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under this Agreement or any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
(a) The term “action, suit or proceeding” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, the investigation, preparation, prosecution, defense, settlement, arbitration and appeal of, and the giving of testimony in, any threatened, pending or completed claim, action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.
(b) The term “by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, any actual or alleged act or omission to act.
(c) The term “expenses” shall be broadly and reasonably construed and shall include, without limitation, all direct and indirect costs of any type or nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, all attorneys’ fees and related disbursements, appeal bonds, other out-of-pocket costs and reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which Indemnitee is not otherwise compensated by the Corporation or any third party, provided that the rate of compensation and estimated time involved is approved by the Board, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with either the investigation, defense or appeal of a proceeding or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under this Agreement, Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or otherwise.
(d) The term “judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, all direct and indirect payments of any type or nature whatsoever including, without limitation, all penalties and amounts required to be forfeited or reimbursed to the Corporation, as well as any penalties or excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan).
(e) The term “Corporation” shall include, without limitation and in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he or she would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(f) The term “other enterprises” shall include, without limitation, employee benefit plans.
(g) The term “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include, without limitation, any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries.
(h) A person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Agreement.
Section 8. Limitation on Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision herein to the contrary, the Corporation shall not be obligated pursuant to this Agreement:
(a) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance expenses to Indemnitee with respect to an action, suit or proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by Indemnitee, except with respect to an action, suit or proceeding brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification (which shall be governed by the provisions of Section 8(b) of this Agreement),
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unless such action, suit or proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized or consented to by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
(b) Action for Indemnification. To indemnify Indemnitee for any expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to any action, suit or proceeding instituted by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, unless Indemnitee is successful in establishing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification in such action, suit or proceeding, in whole or in part, or unless and to the extent that the court in such action, suit or proceeding shall determine that, despite Indemnitee’s failure to establish their right to indemnification, Indemnitee is entitled to indemnity for such expenses; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 8(b) is intended to limit the Corporation’s obligation with respect to the advancement of expenses to Indemnitee in connection with any such action, suit or proceeding instituted by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, as provided in Section 4 hereof.
(c) Section 16 Violations. To indemnify Indemnitee on account of any proceeding with respect to which final judgment is rendered against Indemnitee for payment or an accounting of profits arising from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor statute.
(d) Non-compete and Non-disclosure. To indemnify Indemnitee in connection with proceedings or claims involving the enforcement of non-compete and/or non-disclosure agreements or the non-compete and/or non-disclosure provisions of employment, consulting or similar agreements (including, without limitation, the Corporation’s Detrimental Conduct Agreements and Proprietary Information and Non-Solicitation Agreements) the Indemnitee may be a party to with the Corporation, or any subsidiary of the Corporation or any other applicable foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, if any.
Section 9. Certain Settlement Provisions. The Corporation shall have no obligation to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for amounts paid in settlement of any action, suit or proceeding without the Corporation’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Corporation shall not settle any action, suit or proceeding in any manner that would impose any fine or other obligation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
Section 10. Savings Clause. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee as to costs, charges and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, including an action by or in the right of the Corporation, to the full extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Agreement that shall not have been invalidated and to the full extent permitted by applicable law.
Section 11. Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for herein is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part, it is agreed that, in such event, the Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, contribute to the payment of Indemnitee’s costs, charges and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and
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amounts paid in settlement with respect to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in an amount that is just and equitable in the circumstances, taking into account, among other things, contributions by other directors and officers of the Corporation or others pursuant to indemnification agreements or otherwise; provided, that, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such contribution shall not be required where such holding by the court is due to (i) the failure of Indemnitee to meet the standard of conduct set forth in Section 1 hereof, or (ii) any limitation on indemnification set forth in Section 6(c), 8 or 9 hereof.
Section 12. Form and Delivery of Communications. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given to the parties under this Agreement shall be in writing and either delivered in person or sent by telecopy, telex, telegram, overnight mail or courier service, or certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other addresses for a party as shall be specified by like notice):
If to the Corporation:
Travelzoo Inc.
800 West El Camino Real, Suite 180
Mountain View, California 94040
Attn: Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile: +1 (650) 943-2433
If to Indemnitee:
[name]
[address]
Facsimile: _____________________
Section 13. Subsequent Legislation. If the General Corporation Law of Delaware is amended after adoption of this Agreement to expand further the indemnification permitted to directors or officers, then the Corporation shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of Delaware, as so amended.
Section 14. Nonexclusivity. The provisions for indemnification and advancement of expenses set forth in this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights which Indemnitee may have under any provision of law, the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation or ByLaws, in any court in which a proceeding is brought, the vote of the Corporation’s stockholders or disinterested directors, other agreements or otherwise, and Indemnitee’s rights hereunder shall continue after Indemnitee has ceased acting as an agent of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of Indemnitee. However, no amendment or alteration of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation or ByLaws or any other agreement shall adversely affect the rights provided to Indemnitee under this Agreement
Section 15. Enforcement. The Corporation shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid,
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binding and enforceable. The Corporation agrees that its execution of this Agreement shall constitute a stipulation by which it shall be irrevocably bound in any court of competent jurisdiction in which a proceeding by Indemnitee for enforcement of his rights hereunder shall have been commenced, continued or appealed, that its obligations set forth in this Agreement are unique and special, and that failure of the Corporation to comply with the provisions of this Agreement will cause irreparable and irremediable injury to Indemnitee, for which a remedy at law will be inadequate. As a result, in addition to any other right or remedy Indemnitee may have at law or in equity with respect to breach of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to injunctive or mandatory relief directing specific performance by the Corporation of its obligations under this Agreement.
Section 16. Interpretation of Agreement. It is understood that the parties hereto intend this Agreement to be interpreted and enforced so as to provide indemnification to Indemnitee to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by law.
Section 17. Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the documents expressly referred to herein constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the matters covered hereby, and any other prior or contemporaneous oral or written understandings or agreements with respect to the matters covered hereby are expressly superceded by this Agreement.
Section 18. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
Section 19. Successor and Assigns. All of the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon, shall inure to the benefit of and shall be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors, administrators and legal representatives. The Corporation shall require and cause any direct or indirect successor (whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Corporation, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Corporation would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
Section 20. Service of Process and Venue. For purposes of any claims or proceedings to enforce this agreement, the Corporation consents to the jurisdiction and venue of any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction in the states of Delaware and New Jersey, and waives and agrees not to raise any defense that any such court is an inconvenient forum or any similar claim.
Section 21. Supercedes Prior Agreement. This Agreement supercedes any prior indemnification agreement between Indemnitee and the Corporation or its predecessors.
Section 22. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed exclusively by and construed according to the laws of the State of Delaware, as applied to contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed entirely within Delaware. If a court of
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competent jurisdiction shall make a final determination that the provisions of the law of any state other than Delaware govern indemnification by the Corporation of its officers and directors, then the indemnification provided under this Agreement shall in all instances be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted under such law, notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary.
Section 23. Employment Rights. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to create in Indemnitee any right to employment or continued employment.
Section 24. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument, notwithstanding that both parties are not signatories to the original or same counterpart.
Section 25. Headings. The section and subsection headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered to be effective as of the date first above written.
| By ________________________________ |
| Name: ____________________________ |
| Title: ____________________________ |
| By __________________________________ |
| Name: _______________________________ |
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EXHIBIT C
SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE
This Separation Agreement and General Release is entered into by and between ______________________ (“Employee”) and Travelzoo Inc. (“Employer”) (collectively referred to herein as “the Parties”).
RECITALS
A. Employee is employed by Employer in the position of ______________________ pursuant to a written employment agreement dated _________________ (the “Employment Agreement”).
B. Pursuant to the provisions of the Employment Agreement, Employer was notified on _________________ that Employee’s employment with Employer will terminate as of _________________ (the “Termination Date”). Employee shall receive his wages and any unused vacation time accrued through __________________, less deductions required by law, in accordance with Employer’s customary payroll practices.
C. In consideration of Employee’s service and to assist her in the transition to new employment, Employer is hereby offering Employee severance pay, subject to the terms and conditions set forth below.
ACCORDINGLY, in consideration of the terms, conditions and agreements set forth below, Employer and Employee agree as follows:
AGREEMENTS
1. Severance Payment. Subject to Employee’s execution of this Agreement, Employer will pay Employee a lump sum severance payment in the gross amount of $____________ or o months salary, less applicable taxes and withholdings, within ten (10) days following the Revocation Period set forth in Section 17 of this Agreement, in accordance with Employer’s customary payroll practices. Employee acknowledges that such payment is more than Employer is required to pay under its normal policies and procedures and its contractual arrangements with Employee.
2. Unemployment Benefits. Employer will not contest Employee’s eligibility for unemployment benefits.
3. Non-Disparagement. Employee agrees that she will not directly or indirectly, publish or disseminate to the media or any individual or entity information that is critical, derogatory or otherwise intended to disparage Employer or Employer’s business, senior executives or officers, whether such information is acquired during or after his employment with
Employer. In addition, Employee agrees that she will not make any remarks which may damage or discredit the reputation of Employer’s products, or otherwise adversely affect the goodwill of its business, or be harmful to its business relationships. Employer agrees that its senior executives and officers will not directly or indirectly publish or disseminate to the media or any individual or entity information that is critical, derogatory or otherwise intended to disparage Employee.
4. General Release. Subject only to Section 6 and except for the rights and benefits specifically provided in this Agreement, Employee releases and discharges Employer, and each of its respective past, present and future shareholders, officers, directors, employees, agents, insurers, attorneys and parent, affiliated or related entities, and their respective successors and assigns (“Released Parties”), from all claims, demands, actions, rights, damages, costs, losses, expenses, compensation and other legal responsibilities, known or unknown, of any kind, which Employee may own or hold against any of the Released Parties at any time through the effective date of this Agreement. The rights and claims released by this Agreement include, but are not limited to, all claims of whatever kind or nature that may exist relating to, arising out of or in connection with Employee’s employment or the termination of such employment, whether such claims are presently known or are hereafter discovered or whether they are foreseen or unforeseen as of the date hereof. This release applies, without limitation, to any and all claims for employment discrimination, harassment or retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (including the Older Worker Benefit Protection Act); the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act; the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the New York Human Rights Law, the New York City Human Rights Laws, the New York Aids Testing Confidentiality Act, the New York Equal Pay Law, the New York Persons With Disabilities Law, Civil Rights Law, the New York Genetic Testing Confidentiality Law, the New York Nondiscrimination Against Genetic Disorders Law, the New York Smokers Rights Law, the New York Equal Rights Law, the New York Discrimination by Employment Agencies Law, the New York Bone Marrow Leave Law, the New York Adoptive Parents Child Care Leave Law, the New York Cancer Victim Bias Law, Article 1, Section 11 of the New York State Constitution; N.Y. Workers’ Compensation Law, or any other state, federal or local statute or regulation applicable to Employer, including any claim for intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress, physical injury, violation of any public policy, breach of any implied or express contract, any claim for stock options, any claim for wrongful termination, fraud, intentional or negligent misrepresentation, and all other legal and equitable causes of action whatsoever and all remedies for such claims. The release of claims made by Employee in this Agreement does not apply to claims that arise after the date this Agreement is executed. Employee certifies that as of the date of this Release, she has reported all accidents, injuries or illnesses relating to or arising from his employment with the Employer.
5. Unknown Claims. Employee understands that the release set forth above includes claims which Employee knows about and those Employee may not know about.
6. Claims Not Affected by Release. This Release does not affect Employee’s right to apply for continuation or conversion of insurance coverage to the extent that the Employer’s insurance plans or applicable law provide for such continuation or conversion, or to any claim for disability or unemployment compensation to which Employee is entitled by law.
7. Agreement Not To Sue and Warranty. Employee promises that she has not and will not file any suit, charge, complaint, grievance, action or other proceeding with any federal, state or local agency, court, organization, judicial forum or other tribunal asserting any claim that is released in Section 4 above, and warrants that she has not assigned to any other person or entity the right to file any claims that are released in Section 4 above, nor will she permit any person, group of persons, or organization to take such action on his behalf.
8. Non-Admissions. It is understood that by offering or entering into this Agreement, neither Employee nor Employer has admitted any liability or wrongdoing whatsoever. No final findings or final judgments have been made and Employee does not purport and will not claim to be prevailing party, to any degree or extent, nor will this Agreement or its terms be admissible in any proceeding other than a proceeding for breach of the terms contained herein.
9. Return of Property. Employee promises to return all of Employer’s property, including all work in progress, files, photographs, notes, records, credit cards, keys, access cards, computer, and other company or customer documents, products or property which she has received in the course of his employment, or which reflect in any way any confidential or proprietary information of Employer.
10. Confidentiality Obligations Do Not Terminate. Employee understands that after the Termination Date, Employee remains bound to comply with the terms and conditions of paragraph 5 of the Employment Agreement.
11. Confidentiality of Severance Offer and Benefits. Except to the extent required by law (e.g., to submit a tax return or compliance with a lawful subpoena), Employee warrants that she has not disclosed, and promises that she will not disclose, the offer or payment of severance benefits for any reason to any person other than members of his immediate family and professional representatives, who shall be informed of and bound by the same promise of confidentiality.
12. Consequences of Violation of Agreement. If either party violates his or its promises in this Agreement, the other party shall be entitled to recover, in addition to any other damages or remedies, such party’s attorneys’ fees and costs in defending against the claim or enforcing the terms of this Agreement.
13. Reemployment or Reinstatement: Employee hereby waives any right to and agrees not to apply or reapply for employment and agrees that Employer has no obligation, contractual or otherwise, to rehire, reemploy or recall his in the future. The existence of this
Agreement shall be a valid, non-discriminatory basis for rejecting any such application or, in the event Employee obtains such employment, to terminate such employment.
14. Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth all agreements and understandings between Employee and Employer and supersedes any prior agreements, understandings or promises between them, except for paragraph 5 of the Employment Agreement. Employee acknowledges that she has not relied on any inducements that are not set forth herein.
15. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
16. Severability. If any term, provision, or portion of this Agreement is held unenforceable by any tribunal, it shall be deemed automatically adjusted to the extent necessary to conform to the requirements for validity as declared at such time and, as adjusted, shall be deemed a provision of this Agreement as if originally included herein. In the event that an invalidated provision is of such a nature that it cannot be so adjusted, the provision shall be deemed deleted from this Agreement as if it had never been included herein. In either case, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
17. Consultation with Attorney. Employee hereby acknowledges that she has been advised by and consulted his attorney, that she has had a reasonable period of time in which to consider the terms of this Waiver and Release, and she has specifically consulted (or has the opportunity to consult) his attorneys regarding this Waiver and Release and all of its terms. Employee specifically acknowledges that she was counseled by a representative of Employer to seek the advice of counsel concerning this Waiver and Release and its meaning and effect.
18. Time for Consideration and Employee's Right to Revoke Agreement. Employee hereby acknowledges that she has been given twenty-one (21) days to consider this Waiver and Release and that she has been advised that she may revoke this Waiver and Release within seven (7) days of his execution. Revocation can be made by delivering a written notice of revocation to Travelzoo Inc., Attention: HR Department, 590 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10022. For the revocation to be effective, written notice must be actually received at the designated address no later than the close of business on the seventh calendar day after Employee signs this Agreement. If Employee revokes this Agreement, it shall not be effective or enforceable and Employee will not receive the payment described in paragraph 2.2. Employee hereby acknowledges that his execution of this agreement and release is made knowingly, and that she has been advised of and afforded the proper time for consideration and revocation of this Agreement and Release, as specified by the Older Worker Benefit Protection Act. In the event that Employee revokes the Waiver and Release, the waiver included in Section 1 will be of no further force or effect.
EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT she HAS HAD AN ADEQUATE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THIS AGREEMENT AND ALL OF ITS TERMS AND IS ENTERING INTO IT VOLUNTARILY ON THE DATE SHOWN BELOW HIS NAME. she HAS CAREFULLY READ THIS AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTANDS ALL OF ITS
TERMS INCLUDING THE FULL AND FINAL RELEASE OF CLAIMS SET FORTH ABOVE. she FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT she HAS VOLUNTARILY ENTERED INTO THIS AGREEMENT, THAT HIS AGREEMENT IS NOT THE RESULT OF ANY FRAUD, DURESS, COERCION, PRESSURE OR UNDUE INFLUENCE EXERCISED BY OR ON BEHALF OF EMPLOYER, THAT she HAS NOT RELIED UPON ANY REPRESENTATION OR STATEMENT, WRITTEN OR ORAL, NOT SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, AND THAT she HAS HAD THIS AGREEMENT REVIEWED BY HIS ATTORNEY AND HIS TAX ADVISOR, OR HAS BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY BY EMPLOYER TO DO SO.
| | TRAVELZOO INC. |
| | | |
| | By: | |
[Employee] | | Print Name | |
| | Title: | |
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Date Signed | | Date Signed |