Exhibit 10.13
CHANGE IN CONTROL AGREEMENT
Agreement, made this ___ day of January, 2000, by and between
Gentiva Health Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
Edward A. Blechschmidt (the "Executive").
WHEREAS, the Executive is a key employee of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board")
considers the maintenance of a sound management to be essential to protecting
and enhancing the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and
recognizes that the possibility of a change in control raises uncertainty and
questions among key employees and may result in the departure or distraction of
such key employees to the detriment of the Company and its stockholders; and
WHEREAS, the Board wishes to assure that it will have the
continued dedication of the Executive and the availability of his or her advice
and counsel, notwithstanding the possibility, threat or occurrence of a bid to
take over control of the Company, and to induce the Executive to remain in the
employ of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Executive is willing to continue to serve the
Company taking into account the provisions of this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoinq, and the
respective covenants and agreements of the parties herein contained, the parties
agree as follows:
1. OPERATION AND TERM OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall
commence at the Effective Time of the Merger as contemplated in the Merger
Agreement (defined below) and shall continue through the third anniversary of
such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that after a Change in Control of the Company
during the term of this Agreement, this Agreement shall remain in effect until
all of the obligations of the parties hereunder are satisfied and the Protection
Period has expired. Prior to a Change in Control this Agreement shall
immediately terminate upon termination of the Executive's employment, except in
the case of such termination under circumstances set forth in the last paragraph
of Section 4 below.
2. CHANGE IN CONTROL; PROTECTION PERIOD. A "Change of Control"
shall be deemed to occur on the date that any of the following events occur:
(a) any person or persons acting together which would
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constitute a "group" for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act (other
than the Company or any subsidiary) shall beneficially own (as defined in Rule
13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total
voting power of all classes of capital stock of the Company entitled to vote
generally in the election of the Board;
(b) either (i) Current Directors (as herein defined) shall
cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the
Board (for these purposes, a "Current Director" shall mean any member of the
Board as of the date hereof, and any successor of a Current Director whose
election, or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved
by at least two-thirds of the Current Directors then on the Board) or (ii) at
any meeting of the shareholders of the Company called for the purpose of
electing directors, a majority of the persons nominated by the Board for
election as directors shall fail to be elected;
(c) consummation of (i) a plan of complete liquidation of the
Company, or (ii) a merger or consolidation of the Company (A) in which the
Company is not the continuing or surviving corporation (other than a
consolidation or merger with a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company in which
all shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the effectiveness
thereof are changed into common stock of the subsidiary) or (B) pursuant to
which the Common Stock is converted into cash, securities or other property,
except a consolidation or merger of the Company in which the holders of the
Common Stock immediately prior to the consolidation or merger have, directly or
indirectly, at least a majority of the common stock of the continuing or
surviving corporation immediately after such consolidation or merger or in which
the Board immediately prior to the merger or consolidation would, immediately
after the merger or consolidation, constitute a majority of the board of
directors of the continuing or surviving corporation; or
(d) consummation of a sale or other disposition (in one
transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the
assets of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the transactions provided for
in the Agreement and Plan of Merger By and Among Adecco SA, Staffing Acquisition
Corporation and Olsten
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Corporation dated as of August 17, 1999, as amended (the "Merger Agreement"),
shall not constitute a Change in Control for purposes hereof.
A "Protection Period" shall be the period beginning on the
date of a Change in Control and ending on the third anniversary of the date on
which the Change in Control occurs.
3. TERMINATION FOLLOWING CHANGE IN CONTROL. The Executive
shall be entitled to the benefits provided in Section 4 hereof upon any
termination of his or her employment with the Company within a Protection
Period, except a termination of employment (a) because of his or her death, (b)
because of a "Disability," (c) by the Company for "Cause," or (d) by the
Executive other than for "Good Reason."
(i) DISABILITY. The Executive's employment shall be deemed to
have terminated because of a "Disability" if the Executive applies for
and is determined to be eligible to receive disability benefits under
the Company's Long-Term Disability Plan.
(ii) CAUSE. Termination by the Company of the Executive's
employment for "Cause" shall mean termination upon: (A) the willful
and continued failure by the Executive to substantially perform his or
her duties with the Company, after a written demand for substantial
performance is delivered to the Executive by the Board which
specifically identifies the manner in which the Board believes that
the Executive has not substantially performed his or her duties; or
(B) the willful engaging by the Executive in conduct which is
demonstrably and materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or
otherwise. For purposes hereof, no act, or failure to act, on the
Executive's part shall be considered "willful" unless done, or omitted
to be done, by the Executive not in good faith and without reasonable
belief that his or her action or omission was in the best interest of
the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive shall not be
deemed to have been terminated for Cause unless and until there shall
have been delivered to the Executive a copy of a resolution duly
adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the
entire membership of the Board at a meeting of the Board called and
held for that purpose (after reasonable notice to the Executive and an
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opportunity for the Executive, together with his or her counsel, to be
heard before the Board), finding that in the good faith opinion of the
Board the Executive engaged in the prohibited conduct set forth above
in clauses (A) or (B) of the first sentence of this subsection and
specifying the particulars thereof in detail.
(iii) WITHOUT CAUSE. The Company may terminate the employment
of the Executive without Cause during a Protection Period only by
giving the Executive written notice of termination to that effect. In
that event, the Executive's employment shall terminate on the last day
of the month in which such notice is given (or such later date as may
be specified in such notice), and the benefits set forth in Section 4
hereof shall be provided to the Executive.
(iv) GOOD REASON. Termination of employment by the Executive
for "Good Reason" shall mean termination:
(A) if there has occurred a reduction by the Company in the
Executive's base salary in effect on the date hereof, as increased
from time to time thereafter, other than a reduction in the
Executive's base salary of not more than ten percent which is part of
a general salary reduction for a majority of the salaried employees of
the Company and its subsidiaries;
(B) if without the Executive's written consent, the Company
has required the Executive to be relocated anywhere in excess of fifty
(50) miles from the Executive's office location on the date hereof,
except for required travel on the business of the Company;
(C) if there has occurred a failure by the Company to maintain
plans providing benefits not materially less favorable than those
provided by any benefit or compensation plan (including, without
limitation, any incentive compensation plan, bonus plan or program,
retirement, pension or savings plan, stock option plan, restricted
stock plan, life insurance plan, health and dental plan and disability
plan) in which the Executive is participating immediately before the
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beginning of the Protection Period, or if the Company has taken any
action which would adversely affect the Executive's participation in
or reduce the Executive's benefits (other than stock option or
restricted stock grants) under any of such plans or deprive the
Executive of any material fringe benefit enjoyed by the Executive
immediately before the beginning of the Protection Period, or if the
Company has failed to provide the Executive with the number of paid
vacation days to which he or she would be entitled in accordance with
the normal vacations policy of the Company as in effect immediately
before the beginning of the Protection Period; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
a reduction in benefits under the Company's tax-qualified retirement,
pension or savings plans or its life insurance plan, health and dental
plan, disability plans or other insurance plans which reduction
applies equally to all participants in the plans and has a DE MINIMIS
effect on the Executive shall not constitute "Good Reason" for
termination by the Executive;
(D) the assignment to the Executive of any material duties
inconsistent with his or her status as a senior executive officer of
the Company or a substantial adverse alteration in the nature or
status of the Executive's responsibilities from those in effect
immediately prior to the Change in Control;
(E) if the Company has failed to obtain the assumption of the
obligations contained in this Agreement by any successor as
contemplated in Section 8(c) hereof; or
(F) if there occurs any purported termination of the
Executive's employment by the Company which is not effected pursuant
to a written notice of termination as described in subsection (ii) or
(iii) above.
The Executive shall exercise his or her right to terminate
employment for Good Reason by giving the Company a written notice of termination
specifying in reasonable detail the circumstances constituting such Good Reason.
In that event, the Executive's employment shall terminate on the last day of the
month in which such notice is given.
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A termination of employment by the Executive within a
Protection Period shall be for Good Reason if one of the occurrences specified
in this subsection (iv) shall have occurred, notwithstanding that the Executive
may have other reasons for terminating employment, including employment by
another employer which the Executive desires to accept.
4. BENEFITS UPON TERMINATION WITHIN PROTECTION PERIOD. If,
within a Protection Period, the Executive's employment by the Company shall be
terminated (a) by the Company other than for Cause or because of the Executive's
death or Disability, or (b) by the Executive for Good Reason, the Executive
shall be entitled to the benefits provided for below (and the Executive shall
not be entitled to severance benefits otherwise payable under the Executive's
separate Employment Agreement with the Company):
(i) The Company shall pay to the Executive through the date of
the Executive's termination of employment salary at the rate then in
effect, together with salary in lieu of vacation accrued to the date
on which his employment terminates, in accordance with the standard
payroll practices of the Company;
(ii) (a) If such termination of employment occurs prior to the
first anniversary of the date hereof, the Company shall pay to the
Executive an amount in cash equal to the sum of (A) the Executive's
annual base salary in effect immediately prior to the date of the
Executive's termination of employment or the date of the Change in
Control (whichever is higher), and (B) the higher of (x) the
Executive's target annual bonus for the year that includes the date of
the Executive's termination of employment or (y) the Executive's
target annual bonus for the year that includes the date of the Change
in Control; and such payment shall be made in a lump sum within 10
business days after the date of such termination of employment;
(b) If such termination of employment occurs on or after the
first anniversary of the date hereof, the Company shall pay to the
Executive an amount in cash equal to two times the sum of (A) the
Executive's annual base salary in effect immediately prior to the date
of the Executive's termination of employment or the date of the
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Change in Control (whichever is higher), and (B) the higher of (x) the
Executive's target annual bonus for the year that includes the date of
the Executive's termination of employment or (y) the Executive's
target annual bonus for the year that includes the date of the Change
in Control; and such payment shall be made in a lump sum within 10
business days after the date of such termination of employment;
(iii) The Company shall continue to cover the Executive and
his or her dependents under, or provide the Executive and his or her
dependents with insurance coverage no less favorable than, the
Company's life, disability, health, dental or other emp1oyee welfare
benefit plans or programs (as in effect on the day immediately
preceding the Protection Period or, at the option of the Executive, on
the date of termination of his or her employment) for a period equal
to the lesser of (x) two years following the date of termination or
(y) until the Executive is provided by another employer with benefits
substantially comparable to the benefits provided by such plans or
programs;
(iv) All options to purchase Company stock granted under the
Company's 1999 Stock Incentive Plan (or other Company plan) held by
the Executive shall become immediately vested and exercisable in full
upon such termination of employment, and all such stock options shall
remain exercisable for one year following such termination of
employment (but not beyond the original full term of the stock
option); and
(v) All of the Executive's benefits accrued under the pension,
retirement, savings and deferred compensation plans of the Company
shall become vested in full; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that to the extent
such accelerated vesting of benefits cannot be provided under one or
more of such plans consistent with applicable provisions of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, such benefits shall be paid
to the Executive in a lump sum within 10 days after termination of
employment outside the applicable plan.
Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Executive shall be entitled to the benefits described in this Section 4, if
the Executive's
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employment with the Company is terminated by the Company (other than for Cause)
within one year prior to the date on which a Change in Control occurs, and it is
reasonably demonstrated that such termination (i) was at the request of a third
party who has taken steps reasonably calculated or intended to effect a Change
in Control or (ii) otherwise arose in connection with or anticipation of a
Change in Control.
5. NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS. Nothing in this Agreement shall
prevent or limit the Executive's continuing or future participation in any
benefit, bonus, incentive or other plans, practices, policies or programs
provided by the Company or any of its subsidiaries and for which the Executive
may qualify, nor shall anything herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as
the Executive may have under any stock option or other agreements with the
Company or any of its subsidiaries. Amounts which are vested benefits or which
the Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under any plan, practice, policy
or program of the Company or any of its subsidiaries at or subsequent to the
date of termination of the Executive's employment shall be payable in accordance
with such plan, practice, policy or program.
6. FULL-SETTLEMENT; LEGAL EXPENSES. The Company's obligation
to make the payments provided for in this Agreement and otherwise to perform its
obligations hereunder shall not be affected by any set-off, counterclaim,
recoupment, defense or other claim, right or action which the Company may have
against the Executive or others. In no event shall the Executive be obligated to
seek other employment or take any other action by way of mitigation of the
amounts payable to the Executive under any of the provisions of this Agreement.
The Company agrees to pay, upon written demand therefor by the Executive, all
legal fees and expenses which the Executive may reasonably incur as a result of
any dispute or contest by or with the Company or others regarding the validity
or enforceability of, or liability under, any provision of this Agreement
(including as a result of any contest by the Executive about the amount of any
payment hereunder) if the Executive substantially prevails in the dispute or
contest, plus in each case interest at the applicable Federal rate provided for
in Section 7872(f)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"). In any such action brought by the Executive for damages or to enforce
any provisions of this Agreement, the Executive shall be entitled to seek both
legal and equitable relief and
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remedies, including, without limitation, specific performance of the Company's
obligations hereunder, in his or her sole discretion.
7. EXCISE TAX CUT BACK.
(a) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, if it shall be determined that any payment, distribution or
benefit provided (including, without limitation, the acceleration of any
payment, distribution or benefit and the acceleration of exercisability of any
stock option) to the Executive or for his or her benefit (whether paid or
payable or distributed or distributable) pursuant to the terms of this Agreement
or otherwise would be subject, in whole or in part, to the excise tax imposed by
Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Excise
Tax"), then the amounts payable to the Executive under this Agreement shall be
reduced (by the minimum possible amount) until no amount payable to the
Executive is subject to the Excise Tax; PROVIDED HOWEVER, that no such reduction
shall be made if the net after-tax benefit (after taking into account Federal,
state, local or other income, employment, self-employment and excise taxes) to
which the Executive would otherwise be entitled without such reduction would be
greater than the net after-tax benefit (after taking into account Federal,
state, local or other income, employment, self-employment and excise taxes) to
the Executive resulting from the receipt of such payments with such reduction.
If, as a result of subsequent events or conditions, it is determined that
payments have been reduced by more than the minimum amount required under this
Section 7, then an additional payment shall be promptly made to the Executive in
an amount equal to the excess reduction.
(b) All determinations required to be made under this Section
7, including whether a payment would result in an Excise Tax shall be made by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (the "Accounting Firm") which shall provide detailed
supporting calculations both to the Company and the Executive as requested by
the Company or the Executive. All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall
be borne solely by the Company and shall be paid by the Company. Except as set
forth in the last sentence of Section 7(a) hereof, all determinations made by
the Accounting Firm under this Section 7 shall be final and binding upon the
Company and the Executive.
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8. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. The Executive shall hold in a
fiduciary capacity for the benefit of the Company all secret or confidential
information, knowledge or data relating to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, and their respective businesses, which shall have been obtained by
the Executive during the Executive's employment by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries and which shall not be or become public knowledge (other than by
acts of the Executive or his or her representatives in violation of this
Agreement). After the date of termination of the Executive's employment with the
Company, the Executive shall not, without the prior written consent of the
Company, communicate or divulge any such information, knowledge or data to
anyone other than the Company and those designated by it. In no event shall an
asserted violation of the provisions of this Section 8 constitute a basis for
deferring or withholding any amounts otherwise payable to the Executive under
this Agreement.
9. SUCCESSORS.
(a) This Agreement is personal to the Executive and without
the prior written consent of the Company shall not be assignable by the
Executive otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive's
legal representatives or successor(s) in interest.
(b) This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns.
(c) The Company will require any successor (whether direct or
indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to a11 or
substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company to assume
expressly and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same
extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no such succession
had taken place. As used in this Agreement, "Company" shall mean the Company as
hereinbefore defined and any successor to its business and/or assets as
aforesaid which assumes and agrees to perform this Agreement by operation of law
or otherwise.
10. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
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accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without reference to
principles of conflict of laws therof. The captions of this Agreement are not
part of the provisions hereof and shall have no force or effect. This Agreement
may not be amended or modified otherwise than by a written agreement executed by
the parties hereto or their respective successors and legal representatives.
(b) All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be given by hand delivery to the other party or by registered
or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as
follows:
IF TO THE EXECUTIVE:
Edward A. Blechschmidt
c/o Gentiva Health Services, Inc.
175 Broad Hollow Road
Melville, NY 11747
IF TO THE COMPANY:
Gentiva Health Services, Inc.
175 Broad Hollow Road
Melville, NY 11747
Attention: General Counsel
or to such other address as either party shall have furnished to the other in
writing in accordance herewith. Notice and communications shall be effective
when actually received by the addressee.
(c) The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of
this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other
provision of this Agreement.
(d) The Company may withhold from any amounts payable under
this Agreement such Federal, state or local taxes as shall be required to be
withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.
(e) The Executive's failure to insist upon strict compliance
with any provision hereof shall not be deemed to be
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a waiver of such provision or any other provision thereof.
(f) This Agreement contains the entire understanding of the
Company and the Executive with respect to the subject matter hereof but, except
as specifically provided in Section 4 hereof, does not supersede or override the
provisions of any stock option, severance letter agreement, employee benefit or
other plan, program, policy or practice in which Executive is a participant or
under which the Executive is a beneficiary.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Executive has hereunto set his hand
and, pursuant to the authorization from its Board of Directors, the Company has
caused these presents to be executed as of the day and year first above written.
----------------------------
Edward A. Blechschmidt
GENTIVA HEALTH SERIVCES, INC.
By:
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Josh S. Weston, Chairman,
Human Resources and
Compensation Committee