influence any Customer, supplier, licensee, licensor, or franchisee of Office Depot about whom Associate has or may have had Confidential Information, or whom Associate, as a result of his/her employment with Office Depot, contacted, solicited, or called upon, to (i) cease doing business or change detrimentally its relationship with Office Depot, or (ii) provide or purchase goods or services similar to the goods or services provided by it to or purchased by it from Office Depot. “Customer” means any individual, company or other entity that has bought, buys, purchases or otherwise obtains goods or services from Office Depot and known active or identified customer prospects. The non-solicitation obligations contained in subsection (c) in this Paragraph do not apply if Associate resides and works in California, Oklahoma or North Dakota.
5. Non-Disparagement. Associate shall not during and after employment make any false, derogatory, or disparaging statements regarding Office Depot or its business, officers, directors, or employees to or on behalf of any Office Depot Customer, client, supplier, vendor, licensee, licensor, franchisee, or Competitor.
6. Modification. If, at the time of enforcement of any of the obligations in paragraphs 1 through 5 above, a court shall hold that the duration, scope, or area restrictions are unreasonable, the parties agree that the maximum duration, scope, or area reasonable, as determined by the court, shall be substituted and that the court shall enforce the obligations as modified. Associate agrees that the obligations in paragraphs 1 through 5 above are reasonable. Associate further agrees that the terms and conditions of this Agreement and its enforceability shall continue to apply and be valid notwithstanding any change in Associate’s duties, responsibilities, compensation, position, or job title, or any other significant or material change in Associate’s employment relationship with Office Depot.
7. Enforcement. In the event of the breach or a threatened breach by Associate of any of the obligations in paragraphs 1 through 5 above, Office Depot, in addition to other rights and remedies existing in its favor, may apply to any court for specific performance, temporary, preliminary, and/or permanent injunctive relief, or other relief in order to enforce the obligations or prevent any violations of the obligations. In addition, in the event of an alleged breach or violation by Associate of any of the obligations in paragraphs 3 or 4, the Non-compete Period (defined in paragraph 3(a)) and the Non-solicitation Period (defined in paragraph 4) shall be tolled until such breach or violation has been cured.
8. Associate’s Representations. Associate represents and warrants to Office Depot that: (a) Associate’s employment with Office Depot and/or the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement by Associate do not and shall not conflict with, breach, violate, or cause a default under any contract, agreement, instrument, order, judgment, or decree to which Associate is a party or by which Associate is bound, (b) Associate is not a party to or bound by any employment agreement, non-compete agreement, confidentiality agreement, or other post-employment obligation with any other person or entity that would limit Associate’s ability to fulfill his/her job duties or obligations with Office Depot in any way, (c) Associate has returned all documents, materials, and data (and copies thereof), in tangible, electronic, or intangible form which are considered confidential or proprietary by Associate’s prior employer and that Associate has not and will not disclose any trade secrets or confidential or proprietary information of any prior employer while employed by Office Depot, and (d) upon the execution and delivery of this
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RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT
AWARD AGREEMENT