Severance Plan
We have established a severance plan to provide severance and other benefits to certain executives selected by the Compensation Committee to participate in the severance plan. The Company’s severance plan is uniform for the current executives selected by the Compensation Committee to participate at their respective levels, except for Mr. Eldh, who had several provisions that were individually tailored, as described below. We refer to the Company severance plan and Mr. Eldh’s severance plan collectively as the “Severance Plan.”
The employment arrangements with our NEOs and the Severance Plan provide that, if the employment of any participant in the Severance Plan is terminated by the Company without cause, or if the Executive resigns for good reason, we will be required to pay or provide the executive’s base salary earned through the date of termination. In addition, we will also be required to pay to the executive in such instances any other amounts or benefits the executive is eligible to receive under any Company plan, program, policy, practice, contract or agreement in accordance with their terms. In such instances, we will also be required to provide severance benefits to the executive, subject to the executive’s execution of a release, consisting of compensation equal to the average annual base salary and variable compensation earned by the executive, including any amounts earned but deferred, in the last three fiscal years completed prior to the termination (the “Average Compensation Amount”), multiplied by a severance multiple, less withholdings. In the case of Mr. Baur, the severance multiple is equal to 2.5, in the case of Mr. Jones, Ms. Smith, Ms. Hayden, and Mr. Eldh, the severance multiple is 1.5, and in the case of any other executive participating in the Severance Plan, the severance multiple will be set forth in a participation agreement between the Company and such executive (a “Participation Agreement”), but such multiple may not exceed 2.5. In the event the termination occurs within 12 months after or prior to and in contemplation of certain change in control events, Mr. Baur will receive three times his Average Compensation Amount, Mr. Jones, Ms. Smith, Ms. Hayden, and Mr. Eldh will receive two times their respective Average Compensation Amount and, in the case of any other executive participating in the Severance Plan, such executive will receive his or her Average Compensation Amount multiplied by his or her change in control multiple, as set forth in a Participation Agreement. In addition, in the event that the executive’s employment is terminated by us without cause, or if the executive resigns for good reason, the executive will be entitled to receive a bonus equal to the pro-rata portion of the then current fiscal year annual variable compensation that otherwise would be payable to the executive based on actual performance. For a period of up to twenty-four months (or in the case of Mr. Eldh, for up to eighteen months) following the date of such a termination (or in the case of Mr. Baur, until he attains 65 years of age), the executives shall be entitled to participate in our medical and dental plans, with the executive paying the full premium charged for such coverage subject to the terms of the employment agreement, the employment letter, and/or the Severance Plan, as applicable.
If the executive’s employment is terminated for cause or if the executive voluntarily terminates his or her employment during the term of the agreement, other than for good reason, we will only be obligated to provide any accrued amounts payable on the executive’s annual base salary or any other amounts not previously paid, but earned, by the executive through the date of termination, and benefits under other plans in accordance with their terms. If the executive dies, becomes disabled, or retires during the term of the employment agreement, the employment letter, and/or the Severance Plan, as applicable, we will only be obligated to provide any accrued amounts payable on the executive’s annual base salary or any other amounts not previously paid, but earned, by the executive as of the date of termination, a bonus equal to the pro-rata portion of the then current fiscal year annual variable compensation that would otherwise be payable to the executive based on actual performance, and benefits under other plans in accordance with their terms.
If we do not renew the employment agreement, or enter into a new employment agreement with the same or similar terms after the end of the employment period, and Mr. Baur remains an employee of the Company in any capacity, Mr. Baur’s employment will be on an at-will basis, and Mr. Baur generally will be eligible to receive the same severance benefits set forth in the employment agreement.
In addition, each employment agreement, employment letter, and/or Severance Plan, as applicable, requires the executive not to, during the term of his or her employment and for a period of two years (or in the case of Mr. Eldh, for a period of 18 months) following the termination of such executive’s employment: (a) compete with the Company; (b) solicit certain customers or suppliers and certain prospective customers or suppliers of the Company; or (c) solicit employees to leave the Company. Each of the employment agreement, the employment letter, and/or the Severance Plan, as applicable, also requires the executive not to use or disclose our confidential information or trade secrets during the term of his or her employment and for a period of five years thereafter or for so long as the trade secrets remain protected. In addition, the Company and each executive agree not to disparage each other during the term of employment or for a period of five years thereafter. If an executive breaches or threatens to breach such restrictions on conduct, we may immediately cease any severance benefits or refuse such payment and shall be entitled to recover from any such executive any amounts previously paid as a severance benefit.
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