Exhibit 10.1
INOGEN, INC.
EMPLOYMENT AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
This EMPLOYMENT AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and effective as of July 22, 2024 (the "Effective Date"), by and between Inogen, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Kevin P. Smith (the "Executive").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Company desires to enter into this Agreement embodying the terms of Executive's employment from and after the Effective Date and Executive desires to enter into this Agreement, and to provide the terms of severance benefits that may be payable upon certain qualifying employment termination events, subject to the terms and conditions set forth below.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are mutually acknowledged, the Company and Executive hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Definitions.
For purposes of this definition, Persons will be considered to be acting as a group if they are owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of stock, or similar business transaction with the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed a Change of Control unless the transaction qualifies as a change in control event within the meaning of Code Section 409A, as it has been and may be amended from time to time, and any proposed or final Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated thereunder from time to time.
Further and for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change of Control if: (i) its sole purpose is to change the state of the Company's incorporation, or (ii) its sole purpose is to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Company's securities immediately before such transaction.
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Section 2. Term of Employment
Subject to Section 8 below, the Company agrees to employ Executive, and Executive agrees to serve the Company, on an at-will basis, which means that either the Company or Executive may terminate Executive's employment with the Company at any time and for any or no reason. The period of such at-will employment under this Agreement is referred to herein as the "Term of Employment."
Section 3. Position, Duties and Responsibilities; Place of Performance.
Section 4. Compensation. During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be entitled to the following compensation:
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(i) Subject to the approval of the Committee, as a material inducement to Executive accepting employment with the Company, Executive will be granted the following equity one-time award of $500,000 in the form of restricted stock units ("RSUs"). The RSUs vest over three years based on satisfaction of time and service-based requirements as follows: one third will vest on the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date (as determined by the Committee), one third on the second anniversary of the vesting commencement date, and one third on the third anniversary of the vesting commencement date. The RSUs will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Company's 2023 Equity Incentive Plan and form of RSU agreement (collectively, the "Stock Agreements"), in each case, which will be made available to Executive following the date the RSUs are granted.
(ii) Subject to the approval of the Committee, Executive will also be eligible for an additional equity award of RSUs in approximately March 2025 with vesting based on the same terms and conditions as the annual equity awards made to the Company's similarly situated executives with the presumption that Executive’s start date is prior to October 1, 2024. If Executive start date is after October 1, 2024, Executive will not be eligible for such additional awards until May of 2026.
(d) Sign-On Bonus. Within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date, the Company will pay Executive a $100,000 cash sign-on bonus, less applicable withholdings (the “Sign-On Bonus”). If, prior to the second anniversary of the Effective Date, Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company for Cause or by Executive voluntarily without Good Reason, Executive agrees to repay the Company a portion of the Sign-On Bonus within thirty (30) days of Executive’s employment termination date, with such portion equal to (i) the net after tax amount of the Sign-On Bonus multiplied by (ii) a fraction (A) the numerator of which is equal to the difference between (x) twenty four (24) minus (y) the number of completed months between the Effective Date and the date Executive’s employment with the Company terminates and (B) the denominator of which is twenty four (24). For clarity, if Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive voluntarily for Good Reason, Executive will not be obligated to repay any portion of the Sign-On Bonus.
Section 5. Executive Benefits.
During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be entitled to participate in health, insurance, retirement, and other benefits provided to other similarly situated executives of the Company, including the same number of holidays, sick days, and other benefits as are generally allowed to such executives of the Company in accordance with the Company
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policy in effect from time to time. Executive initially will be entitled to accrue paid time off ("PTO") at a rate equal to 20 days per year to be taken in accordance with the Company's PTO policy, with the timing and duration of specific days off mutually and reasonably agreed to by the parties. After Executive's first full year of service, Executive's PTO accrual rate will increase at a rate equal to one additional day per year for each of the next seven years of service up to a maximum accrual rate equal to 27 days of PTO per year. Executive will also be entitled to 6 days of paid sick and safe time (“PSST”) at the start of each year or a prorated amount based on the date of hire and work schedule and in accordance with applicable law. Additionally, Executive is entitled to voluntary time off for community service ("VTO") for 1 day per year to be taken in accordance with the Company's VTO policy, with the timing of specific days off mutually and reasonably agreed to by the parties.
Section 6. Key-Man Insurance.
At any time during the Term of Employment, the Company shall have the right to insure the life of Executive for the sole benefit of the Company, in such amounts, and with such terms, as it may determine. All premiums payable thereon shall be the obligation of the Company. Executive shall have no interest in any such policy but agrees to cooperate with the Company in taking out such insurance by submitting to physical examinations, supplying all information required by the insurance company, and executing all necessary documents, provided that no financial obligation is imposed on Executive by any such documents.
Section 7. Payment and Reimbursement of Business Expenses.
Executive is authorized to incur reasonable business expenses in carrying out the duties and responsibilities under this Agreement and the Company shall pay, or if Executive shall have paid, shall promptly reimburse Executive for any and all such reasonable business expenses for business, entertainment, promotion, professional association dues and travel incurred by Executive in connection with carrying out the business of the Company, subject to documentation and the other limitations and requirements under the Company's policy, as in effect from time to time, and subject to the consent of the Chief Executive Officer.
Section 8. Termination of Employment.
(ii) Any unpaid Annual Bonus in respect to any completed fiscal year, which has ended prior to the date of such termination, which amount shall be paid at such time annual bonuses are paid to other senior executives of the Company.
Following such termination of Executive's employment by the reason of death or Disability, except as set forth in this Section 8(b), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement or otherwise.
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Notwithstanding anything in this Section 8(d)(iv) to the contrary, if the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot provide the foregoing benefit related to COBRA premiums without potentially violating, or being subject to an excise tax under, applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010), the Company will in lieu thereof provide to Executive a taxable monthly payment, payable on the last day of a given month (except as provided by the following sentence), in an amount equal to the portion of the monthly COBRA premium that Executive would be required to pay to continue the group health coverage for Executive and their eligible dependents at coverage levels in effect immediately prior to Executive's termination (which amount will equal the excess of the full monthly COBRA premium cost Executive would be required to pay and the monthly medical premium costs that Executive was required to pay as of immediately prior to the date of Executive's termination of employment with the Company), which payments will be made regardless of whether Executive or their eligible dependents elect COBRA continuation coverage on the first payroll date following Executive's termination of employment (subject to any delay as may be required by Section 12 of this Agreement) and will end on the earlier of (x) the date upon which Executive obtains other employment or (y) the end of the COBRA Period. For the avoidance of doubt, the taxable payments in lieu of COBRA subsidies may be used for any purpose, including, but not limited to continuation coverage under COBRA, and will be subject to all applicable tax withholdings.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, the payments and benefits described in clauses (ii), (iii), and (iv) above shall immediately terminate, and the Company shall have no further obligations to Executive with respect thereto, in the event that Executive breaches any provision of Section 9 hereof or the terms of the Confidentiality Agreement. Following such termination of Executive's employment by the Company without Cause, except as set forth in this Section 8(d), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement or otherwise.
Section 9. Disclosure of Confidential information; Return of Documents.
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Section l0. Taxes.
The Company may withhold from any payments made under this Agreement all applicable taxes, including but not limited to income, employment, and social insurance taxes, as shall be required by law. Executive acknowledges and represents that the Company has not provided any tax advice to him in connection with this Agreement and that they has been advised by the Company to seek tax advice from their own tax advisors regarding this Agreement and payments that may be made to him pursuant to this Agreement, including specifically, the application of the provisions of Section 409A of the Code to such payments.
Section 11. Set Off; Mitigation.
The Company's obligation to pay Executive the amounts provided and to make the arrangements provided hereunder shall be subject to set-off, counterclaim or recoupment of amounts owed by Executive to the Company or its affiliates. Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for pursuant to this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise and, except as provided in Section 8(d)(iv) hereof, the amount of any payment provided for pursuant to this Agreement shall not be reduced by any compensation earned as a result of Executive's other employment or otherwise.
Section 12. Section 409A.
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Section 13.Successors and Assigns; No Third-Party Beneficiaries
Section 14. Waiver and Amendments.
Any waiver, alteration, amendment, or modification of any of the terms of this Agreement shall be valid only if made in writing and signed by each of the parties hereto; provided, however, that any such waiver, alteration, amendment, or modification is consented to on the Company's behalf by the Board. No waiver by either of the parties hereto of their rights hereunder shall be deemed to constitute a waiver with respect to any subsequent occurrences or transactions hereunder unless such waiver specifically states that it is to be construed as a continuing waiver.
Section 15. Severability.
If any covenants or such other provisions of this Agreement are found to be invalid or unenforceable by a final determination of a court of competent jurisdiction or an arbitrator: (a) the remaining terms and provisions hereof
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shall be unimpaired, and (b) the invalid or unenforceable term or provision hereof shall be deemed replaced by a term or provision that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the intention of the invalid or unenforceable term or provision hereof.
Section l 6. Governing Law.
This Agreement is governed by and is to be construed under the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict of laws rules.
Section 17. ARBITRATION
THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ANY AND ALL DISPUTES ARISING OUT OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEM ENT, THEIR INTERPRETATION, AND ANY OF THE MATTERS ADDRESSED HEREIN, SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE ARBITRATION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS DETAILED IN THE CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT. EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT EMPLOYEE IS HEREBY WAIVING THE RIGHT TO JURY TRIAL.
Section 1 8. Notices.
Section 19. Section Headings.
The headings of the sections and subsections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part thereof, affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement or of any term or provision hereof.
Section 20. Entire Agreement.
This Agreement and the Confidentiality Agreement, together with any exhibits attached thereto, constitute the entire understanding and agreement of the parties hereto regarding the employment of Executive. This Agreement supersedes all prior negotiations, discussions, correspondence, communications, understandings, and agreements between the parties relating to the subject matter of this Agreement.
Section 21. Survival of Operative Sections.
Upon any termination of Executive's employment, the provisions of Section 8 through Section 24 of this Agreement (together with any related definitions set forth in Section I hereof) shall survive to the extent necessary to give effect to the provisions thereof.
Section 22. Limitation on Payments.
In the event that the severance and other benefits provided for in this Agreement or otherwise payable to Executive (i) constitute "parachute payments" within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and (ii) but for this Section 22, would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, then Executive's severance and other benefits will be either:
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Unless the Company and Executive otherwise agree in writing, any determination required under this Section 22 will be made in writing by an independent firm (the "Firm"), whose determination will be conclusive and binding upon Executive and the Company for all purposes. For purposes of making the calculations required by this Section 22, the Firm may make reasonable assumptions and approximations concerning applicable taxes and may rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code. The Company and Executive will furnish to the Firm such information and documents as the Firm may reasonably request in order to make a determination under this Section 22. The Company will bear all costs the Firm may reasonably incur in connection with any calculations contemplated by this Section 22.
Section 23. Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The execution of this Agreement may be by actual or facsimile signature.
Section 24. Protected Activity Not Prohibited.
Executive understands that nothing in this Agreement shall in any way limit or prohibit him from engaging for a lawful purpose in any Protected Activity. For purposes of this Agreement, "Protected Activity'' shall mean filing a charge or complaint, or otherwise communicating, cooperating, or participating with, any state, federal, or other governmental agency, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the National Labor Relations Board. Notwithstanding any restrictions set forth in this Agreement, Executive understands that they are not required to obtain authorization from the Company prior to disclosing information to, or communicating with such agencies, nor are they obligated to advise the Company as to any such disclosures or communications. Notwithstanding, in making any such disclosures or communications, Executive agrees to take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use or disclosure of any information that may constitute the Company's Confidential Information to any parties other than the relevant government agencies. Executive further understands that "Protected Activity" does not include the disclosure of any Company attorney-client privileged communications, and that any such disclosure without the Company's written consent shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement. Each of these issues are more fully discussed in the Confidentiality Agreement.
Section 25. General.
Executive's employment is made contingent upon a satisfactory background investigation, credit report and Executive's ability to provide proof of identification and authorization to work in the United States, in accordance with
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the Immigration and Control Act of 1986. This offer expires at the close of business on May 9, 2024. To indicate acceptance, Executive must sign in the space provided below.
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IN WITHNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.
COMPANY:
Inogen, Inc.
/s/ Jennifer M. Yi Boyer
By: Jennifer M. Yi Boyer
Title: CHRO, EVP
EXECUTIVE:
/s/ Kevin P. Smith
By: Kevin P. Smith
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