date of termination (hereinafter referred to as the “Change in Control Severance Period”), less standard deductions and withholdings, to be paid in equal installments during the Change in Control Severance Period according to the Company’s regular payroll practices; (b) one times the target COO Bonus in effect at the time of termination, or if none, one times the last target COO Bonus in effect for Mr. Gatmaitan, less standard deductions and withholdings, to be paid in a lump sum; and (c) continued coverage under the Company’s medical, dental, life and disability insurance for the Change in Control Severance Period. In addition, in the event that Mr. Gatmaitan’s employment is terminated without COO Cause or for COO Good Reason and a Change in Control Trigger has occurred, the vesting of any Time-Based Vesting Equity Awards (as defined below) shall be fully accelerated such that on the effective date of such termination (or if later, the date of the Change in Control) 100% of any Time-Based Vesting Equity Awards granted to Mr. Gatmaitan prior to such termination shall be fully vested and immediately exercisable, if applicable, by Mr. Gatmaitan.
If any payment or benefit Mr. Gatmaitan would receive pursuant to a Change in Control from the Company or otherwise (“Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then such Payment shall be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment being subject to the Excise Tax or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount, after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in the receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in payments or benefits constituting “parachute payments” is necessary so that the Payment equals the Reduced Amount, reduction shall occur in the manner that results in the greatest economic benefit for Mr. Gatmaitan. If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata.
The Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement entered into by Mr. Gatmaitan pursuant to the terms of, and concurrently with, the Employment Offer Letter, relates to the protection of confidential information of the Company and the ownership by the Company of proprietary information and patents and other intellectual property.
The foregoing summary of the terms and conditions of the Employment Offer Letter and the Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Employment Offer Letter and the Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement, which are included as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference.
Employment Agreement with Chief Executive Officer
On October 23, 2021, Dr. Ramesh Balakrishnan and the Company entered into an employment agreement (the “CEO Employment Agreement”), on terms approved by the Board following the recommendation of the Compensation Committee, for Dr. Balakrishnan to be employed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. As provided for in the CEO Employment Agreement, Dr. Balakrishnan shall report to the Board.
Under the terms of the CEO Employment Agreement, the Company shall pay Dr. Balakrishnan a base salary at the initial annualized rate of $408,000 per year, subject to standard deductions and withholdings, or such other rate as may be determined from time to time by the Board or the Compensation Committee (hereinafter referred to as the “CEO Base Salary”). Such CEO Base Salary shall be paid in accordance with the Company’s standard payroll practice. The CEO Base Salary shall be retroactive to June 9, 2021, and will be reviewed annually and Dr. Balakrishnan shall be eligible to receive a salary increase annually, during the compensation cycle, in an amount to be determined by the Board or the Compensation Committee in its sole and exclusive discretion. Once adjusted, the new salary shall become the CEO Base Salary for purposes of the CEO Employment Agreement. Any material reduction in the CEO Base Salary of Dr. Balakrishnan, without his written consent, may be deemed grounds for resignation by him for CEO Good Reason (as such term is defined below). Dr. Balakrishnan shall, in accordance with Company policy and the terms of the applicable plan documents, be eligible to participate in benefits under any executive benefit plan or arrangement which may be in effect from time to time and made available to the Company’s executives or key management employees, including unlimited paid time off subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s PTO Policy.