Understanding Our Change in Control and Employment Termination Tables and Information
This section provides information regarding the following Company and Partnership agreements and/or programs which provide for benefits to be paid to named executives in connection with employment termination and/or a change in control of the Company or the Partnership or, with respect to Mr. DeIuliis, CNX Gas: CIC Agreements; stock options; RSUs; PSUs; phantom units; Supplemental Retirement Plan; New Restoration Plan; and Severance Pay Plan for Salaried Employees.
Change in Control Agreements
As of December 31, 2019, Messrs. Rush and Griffith each had CIC Agreements with the Company, and Mr. DeIuliis had a CIC Agreement with the Company and CNX Gas. The CIC Agreements provide severance benefits to the applicable named executives if they are terminated (i) after, or in connection with, a Company change in control (as described below) (and/or, in the case of Mr. DeIuliis, a CNX Gas change in control (as described below)) by the Company (and/or by CNX Gas, in the case of Mr. DeIuliis) for any reason other than cause (as defined below), death or disability (as defined below), that occurs not more than three months prior to or within two years after, a Company change in control (and/or a CNX Gas change in control, in the case of Mr. DeIuliis), or is requested by a third party initiating the Company change in control (and/or the CNX Gas change in control, in the case of Mr. DeIuliis) or (ii) within the
two-year
period after a Company change in control (and/or a CNX Gas change in control, in the case of Mr. DeIuliis), if he is “constructively terminated” (as defined below).
Under the circumstances described above, as of December 31, 2019, the applicable named executives would be entitled to receive:
| • | a lump sum cash payment equal to a multiple of base pay plus a multiple of short-term incentive pay (the multiple, in each case, for Mr. DeIuliis, 2.5; and for Messrs. Rush and Griffith, 1.5); |
| • | a pro-rated payment of his short-term incentive pay for the year in which his termination of employment occurs; |
| • | for a specified period (for Mr. DeIuliis, 30 months; and for Messrs. Rush and Griffith, 18 months), the continuation of medical, dental, and vision coverage (or monthly reimbursements in lieu of continuation); |
| • | a lump sum cash payment equal to the total amount that the executive would have received under the 401(k) plan as a match if he was eligible to participate in the 401(k) plan for a specified period after his termination date (for Mr. DeIuliis, 30 months; and for Messrs. Rush and Griffith, 18 months) and he contributed the maximum amount to the plan for the match; |
| • | a lump sum cash payment equal to the difference between the present value of his accrued pension benefits at his termination date under the qualified defined benefit plan (which, as described in the “Pension Benefits Table – 2019” section on page 16, is now sponsored by CONSOL Energy Inc.), and (if eligible) any plan or plans providing nonqualified retirement benefits and the present value of the accrued pension benefits to which the executive would have been entitled under the pension plans if he had continued participation in those plans for a specified period after his termination date (for Mr. DeIuliis, 30 months; and for Messrs. Rush and Griffith, 18 months); |
| • | a lump sum cash payment of $25,000 in order to cover the cost of outplacement assistance services and other expenses associated with seeking other employment; and |
| • | any amounts earned, accrued or owing but not yet paid as of his termination date, payable in a lump sum, and any benefits accrued or earned in accordance with the terms of any applicable benefit plans and programs. |
In addition, upon a change in control (as defined below), all equity awards granted to each of the applicable executives would become fully vested and/or exercisable on the date the change in control occurs and all stock options or stock appreciation rights would remain exercisable for the period set forth in the applicable award agreement. If it is determined that any payment or distribution to Mr. DeIuliis (who entered into his CIC Agreement prior to 2009) only would constitute an “excess parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the federal income tax laws, he would be entitled to an additional amount, subject to certain limitations, such that the net amount retained by him after deduction of any excise tax imposed under Section 4999 of the federal income tax laws, and any tax imposed upon the
gross-up
payment, will be equal to the excise tax on the payment. Since 2009, the Company has not included any
gross-up
provisions in its CIC Agreements.
In the case of Messrs. Rush and Griffith, the provisions of their CIC Agreements provide that in the event that any payment or distribution by the Company would constitute an “excess parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G, the Company will limit such payments to an amount below the excess parachute payment amount, such that there will not be any excise tax on such payments.
The CIC Agreements contain confidentiality,
non-competition
and
non-solicitation
obligations. The named executives have each agreed not to compete with the business for one year, or to solicit employees for two years, following a termination of employment, when such executive is receiving severance benefits under a CIC Agreement.
No payments are made or benefits provided under the CIC Agreements unless the executive executes, and does not revoke, a written release of any and all claims (other than for entitlements under the terms of the agreement or which may not be released under the law).
“Cause,”
under the CIC Agreements, is a determination by the Company’s Board of Directors (or the CNX Gas Board of Directors in the case of Mr. DeIuliis) that the executive has:
(a) | been convicted of, or has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to, any felony or any misdemeanor involving fraud, embezzlement or theft; or |
(b) | wrongfully disclosed material confidential information of the Company or any subsidiary (including CNX Gas), has intentionally violated any material express provision of the Company’s code of conduct for executives and management employees (as then in effect) or has intentionally failed or refused to perform any of his material assigned duties for the Company (or CNX Gas in the case of Mr. DeIuliis), and any such failure or refusal has been demonstrably and materially harmful to the Company (or CNX Gas in the case of Mr. DeIuliis). |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the executive will not be deemed to have been terminated for “cause” under clause (b) above unless the majority of the members of the Company’s Board of Directors (or the CNX Gas Board of Directors in the case of Mr. DeIuliis) plus one member of such board, find that, in its good faith opinion, the executive has committed an act constituting “cause,” and such resolution is delivered in writing to the executive.
A
“change in control”
under the CIC Agreements means the occurrence of any of the following events (for purposes of this section, with respect to Mr. DeIuliis, where applicable, references to the “Company” also include the Company’s subsidiary, CNX Gas; references to the “Company Board of Directors” also include the CNX Gas Board of Directors; references to “shareholders of the Company” also include shareholders of CNX Gas and references to “voting stock” also include securities of CNX Gas):
(i) | the acquisition by any individual, entity or group of beneficial ownership of more than 25% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the Company; provided, however, that the following acquisitions will not constitute a change in control: (A) any issuance of voting stock of the Company directly from the Company that is approved by the then incumbent Company Board of Directors, (B) any acquisition by the Company (or any subsidiaries) of voting stock of the Company, (C) any acquisition of voting stock of the Company by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, (D) any acquisition of voting stock of the Company by an underwriter holding securities of the Company in connection with a public offering thereof, or (E) any acquisition of voting stock of the Company by any person pursuant to a transaction that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of (iii) below; or |
(ii) | individuals who constitute the Company Board of Directors as of the agreement date (or in the case of Mr. DeIuliis, individuals who constitute the CNX Gas Board of Directors other than at a time when the Company and/or its subsidiaries beneficially own more than 50% of the total voting stock of CNX Gas) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Company Board of Directors; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to such date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders (or CNX Gas’s shareholders, in the case of Mr. DeIuliis) was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then comprising the incumbent Company Board of Directors are deemed to have then been a member of the incumbent Company Board of Directors, but excluding any individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a person other than the Company Board of Directors; |
(iii) | consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company or a direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or other transaction involving the Company, unless, in each case, immediately following such transaction, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners of voting stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the combined voting power or securities of the then outstanding shares of voting stock or securities of the entity resulting from such transaction or any direct or indirect parent corporation thereof, (B) no person other than the Company beneficially owns 25% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the entity resulting from such transaction or any direct or indirect parent corporation thereof and (C) at least a majority of the members of the Board of the entity resulting from such transaction or any direct or indirect parent corporation thereof were members of the incumbent Company Board of Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Company Board of Directors providing for such transaction; |
(iv) | approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company, except pursuant to a transaction that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of (iii) above; or |
(v) | in the case of Mr. DeIuliis’ CIC Agreement, other than a time when the Company and/or its subsidiaries beneficially own less than 50% of the total voting stock of CNX Gas, a Company change in control (as described in clauses (i) through (iv) above). |
A
“constructive termination”
means:
• | a material adverse change in position; |
• | a material reduction in annual base salary or target bonus or a material reduction in employee benefits; |
• | material adverse change in circumstances as determined in good faith by the executive, including a material change in the scope of business or other activities for which the executive was responsible for prior to the change in control, which has rendered the executive unable to carry out, has materially hindered his performance of, or has caused him to suffer a material reduction in, any of the authorities, powers, functions, responsibilities or duties attached to the position he held immediately prior to the change in control, as determined by him; |
• | the liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation or reorganization of the Company (or CNX Gas, in the case of Mr. DeIuliis) or transfer of substantially all of the Company’s (or CNX Gas’s, in the case of Mr. DeIuliis) business or assets unless the successor assumes all duties and obligations of the Company (or CNX Gas, in the case of Mr. DeIuliis) under the applicable CIC Agreement; or |
• | the relocation of the executive’s principal work location to a location that increases his normal commute by 50 miles or more or that |
| requires travel increases by a material amount. |
In the event that a named executive’s employment with the Company (including any affiliate of the Company) is terminated for “cause” (as defined in the Company EIP) or the named executive breaches
non-competition
or proprietary information covenants (see description below), then any stock option (whether vested or unvested) that is granted to the named executive will be cancelled and forfeited in its entirety on the date of termination of employment or breach of covenant, as applicable. In addition, any stock option exercised during the
six-month
period prior to such termination of employment or breach of covenant, as applicable, will be rescinded, and the named executive will be required to pay to the Company within 10 days an amount in cash equal to the gain realized by the exercise of the stock option.
In the event that the named executive’s employment is terminated voluntarily, due to “disability” (as defined in the Company EIP) or by the Company without “cause” (as defined in the Company EIP), the
non-vested
portion of any stock option will be deemed cancelled on the termination date and the vested portion, if any, of the stock option as of the date of such termination will remain exercisable for the lesser of (i) a period of 90 days following termination or (ii) until the expiration date of the stock option. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, if such termination occurs by reason of an “incapacity retirement” as defined in the Pension Plan (or any successor plan) and as provided in the award agreement, then in that event the
non-vested
portion of the stock option will continue to vest and become exercisable in the ordinary course and will remain exercisable until the stock option’s expiration date.
In the event that employment with the Company (including any affiliate) is terminated without cause and after a decision that such termination qualifies for special vesting treatment, the
non-vested
portion of a stock option will continue to vest and become exercisable in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the award agreement, and will remain exercisable until the expiration date. In the event that the named executive’s employment is terminated by reason of death, the
non-vested
portion of the stock option will vest in its entirety immediately upon the date of death and will remain exercisable for the lesser of (i) a period of three years following death or (ii) the expiration date.
All shares subject to RSU awards that are issued under the Company EIP will vest (i.e., will not be subject to forfeiture as the result of employment termination) upon the occurrence of certain specified termination of employment events such as retirement, termination of employment by reason of death or as part of a reduction in force as specified and implemented by the Company, or without cause and after a decision that such termination without cause qualifies for special vesting treatment. In no event will any shares vest if employment with the Company is terminated for “cause” as defined in the Company EIP (see below) or if a named executive leaves the Company’s employment for any reason other than in connection with a special vesting event.
In addition, if employment is terminated for cause or the named executive breaches the
non-competition
or proprietary information covenants (see below), then, in addition to awards being cancelled with respect to any unvested shares, the named executive will also forfeit all of his right, title and interest in and to any shares which have vested under existing awards and which are held by him at that time. In addition, to the extent a named executive has sold any of his vested shares within the six month period ending with the date of the named executive’s termination for cause or breach of the
non-competition
or proprietary information covenants or at any time thereafter, then the named executive will be required to repay to the Company, within 10 days after receipt of written demand from the Company, the cash proceeds received upon each such sale, provided the demand is made by the Company within one year after the date of such sale.
In the event employment is terminated because of a reduction in force as specified and implemented by the Company, the named executive will not be subject to the
non-competition
and certain
non-solicitation
provisions contained in the award agreement.
The PSU awards also include special vesting provisions in connection with certain employment termination circumstances.
In the event the named executive’s employment with the Company (or an affiliate) is terminated (i) on or after the date the named executive has reached the age of 62 (other than Mr. DeIuliis), (ii) on account of death or disability, (iii) by action taken by the Company (including any affiliate) without cause and after a decision that such termination without cause qualifies for special vesting treatment, or (iv) in the case of Mr. DeIuliis, retirement (a “Qualifying Separation”), the named executive will be entitled to retain the PSUs and receive payment therefore, to the extent earned and payable; provided, however, that in the case of a termination on or after the named executive has reached the age of 62 (if applicable) or on account of disability, the named executive will only be entitled to retain a prorated portion of the PSUs determined at the end of the performance period, based on the ratio of the number of complete months that the named executive worked in the performance period.
If the named executive’s employment with the Company or any affiliate generally is terminated for any other reason, including by the named executive voluntarily, or by the Company (including any affiliate) with or without cause (other than in connection with a Qualifying Separation), the PSUs awarded to the named executive will be cancelled and forfeited.
Equity Incentive Plan Definitions
The following definitions and provisions are set forth in the Company EIP:
“Cause”
is defined, unless otherwise defined in the applicable award agreement, as a determination by the Compensation Committee that a person has committed an act of embezzlement, fraud, dishonesty or breach of fiduciary duty to the Company, deliberately and repeatedly violated the rules of the Company or the valid instructions of the Company’s Board of Directors or an authorized officer of the Company, made any