Exhibit 10.1
OUSTER, INC.
EXECUTIVE CHANGE IN CONTROL AND SEVERANCE PLAN
(AND SUMMARY PLAN DESCRIPTION)
Effective November 4, 2024
This Ouster, Inc. Executive Change in Control and Severance Plan (this “Plan”) is effective as of November 4, 2024 (the “Effective Date”). The purpose of this Plan is to provide severance benefits to certain eligible employees of Ouster, Inc. (the “Company”) whose employment with the Company is terminated under the circumstances described below.
This Plan is an employee welfare benefit plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”). This Plan document is also the summary plan description of this Plan. References in this Plan to “you” or “your” are references to a Covered Employee (as defined below). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in Section 5 below.
1. General Eligibility. In order to be eligible for benefits under this Plan, you must be, on your date of termination of employment, an employee of the Company employed in the United States in one of the positions identified on Appendix A, which may be updated and supplemented by the Company from time to time, and have executed a participation agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company (a “Covered Employee”).
2. Covered Termination Outside of a Change in Control Period. If you experience a Covered Termination at any time other than during a Change in Control Period and deliver to the Company a general release of all claims against the Company and its affiliates substantially in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company (a “Release of Claims”) that becomes effective and irrevocable within 60 days, or such shorter period of time specified by the Company, following such Covered Termination, then in addition to any accrued but unpaid salary, bonus, benefits, vacation and expense reimbursement payable in accordance with applicable law:
(a) Severance. You shall be entitled to receive continued payment of your base salary at the rate in effect as of the Termination Date for a period of 12 months (if you are a Tier 1 Participant) or six months (if you are a Tier 2 Participant) paid less required withholding taxes in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll practices with the first installment to be made on the first payroll date following the date the Release of Claims becomes effective and irrevocable and inclusive of any installment that would have been paid had the Release of Claims been effective on the Termination Date. In addition, you will be entitled to a lump sum cash payment of your annual target bonus for the year of termination, calculated based on actual achievement, as determined by the Board or its Compensation Committee, and prorated based on the number of days during the performance period that have passed as of the Termination Date, such amount to be paid less required withholding taxes at the same time annual bonuses are paid to executives of the Company.
(b) Continued Healthcare. If you elect to receive continued healthcare coverage pursuant to the provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”), the Company shall directly pay, or reimburse you for, the premium for you and your covered dependents during the period (the “COBRA Period”) commencing on the first day of the month following the Termination Date and ending on the earlier of (i) the 12-month (if you are a Tier 1 Participant) or six-month (if you are a Tier 2 Participant) anniversary of the Termination Date and (ii) the date you and your covered dependents, if any, become eligible for healthcare coverage under another employer’s plan(s); provided, however, that if (1) any plan pursuant to which such benefits are provided is not, or ceases prior to the expiration of the continuation coverage period to be, exempt from the application of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(a)(5), (2) the Company is otherwise unable to continue to cover you or your dependents under its group health plans, or (3) the Company cannot provide the benefit without violating applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then, in any such case, an amount equal to each remaining Company subsidy shall thereafter be paid to you in substantially equal monthly installments over the COBRA Period (or remaining portion thereof). After the Company ceases to pay or reimburse premiums pursuant to the preceding sentence, you may, if eligible, elect to continue healthcare coverage at your expense in accordance with the provisions of COBRA.
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