Separation Agreement and General Release - Agere Systems Inc. and Kevin P. Pennington
SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE
This SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE (the “Agreement”) is entered into as of November 16, 2005 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Agere Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation (together with its predecessors and its successors and assigns, the “Company” or “Agere”), and Kevin P. Pennington (the “Employee”).
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Employee is currently employed by the Company;
WHEREAS, the Employee and the Company have decided to (a) place the Employee on a paid leave of absence (“LOA”) for 24 months beginning on December 1, 2005 as set forth in Section 1 below and (b) terminate their employment relationship effective after such LOA;
WHEREAS, the Employee and the Company (the “Parties”) have negotiated and agreed to a final settlement of their respective rights, obligations and liabilities; and
WHEREAS, the Parties have agreed that the Company’s Officer Severance Policy attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Officer Severance Policy”), except as otherwise modified by this Agreement, shall be applicable to the Employee.
NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Employee and the Company hereby agree as follows:
1. FY 05 Bonus; Leave of Absence Payments; Severance.
(a) Employee shall not be eligible to participate in the Company’s FY05 bonus program for executive committee members.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and in exchange for the Employee executing this Agreement, the Company agrees to place the Employee on a LOA for 24 months effective from December 1, 2005 through November 30, 2007 at which time the Employee will terminate from the Company’s payroll. During the LOA, the Company shall pay the Employee leave of absence payments (the “LOA Payments”) in an amount equal to Five Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand Dollars ($545,000). The LOA Payments shall be made as follows:
(i) For the six month period from December 1, 2005 to May 31, 2006, no LOA Payment shall be made. On the first payroll date on or after June 1, 2006, the Company shall pay the Employee a lump sum Payment in an amount equal One Hundred and Thirty-Six Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($136,250);
(ii) On each subsequent monthly payment cycle after June 1, 2006, the Company shall pay the Employee a Payment in an amount equal to
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Twenty-Two Thousand Seven Hundred and Eight Dollars and Thirty-Three Cents ($22,708.33) for a total of eighteen months.
(c) In addition to the LOA Payments, on or before December 31, 2005 the Company shall pay the Employee a severance payment in an amount equal to Five Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand Dollars ($545,000) (the “Severance Payment,” and together with the LOA Payments, the “Payments”).
(d) The Payments shall be made in the ordinary course of the Company’s payroll cycle; provided, however that no Payment will be made prior to the Expiration Date (as defined in paragraph 8 of this Agreement). The Employee acknowledges and agrees that the Payments (i) represent the gross amount before all applicable federal, state and local withholding taxes that are required to, and will, be deducted by the Company, and (ii) except as set forth in Sections 2, 3 and 4 below, are in consideration of all amounts owed by the Company to the Employee, including without limitation any amounts that may be due to the Employee under any Company benefit or welfare plan or policies. The Employee will not accrue any vacation or personal days while on a LOA. Payment for accrued and unused vacation and personal days will be paid concurrent with the first Payment hereunder in accordance with the Company’s vacation policy.
(e) In the event of the death of the Employee while on leave of absence, then any portion of the cash Payments not yet paid will be paid, in a lump sum, to the Employee’s estate. Any unvested stock options and restricted stock units that would have otherwise vested during the remaining term of the leave of absence will vest immediately upon the death of the Employee and become exercisable by the Employee’s estate. Company provided medical coverage will end upon the death of the Employee at which time any dependents covered at that time can continue coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (Cobra) of 1986.
2. Equity. The Employee agrees to forfeit all of his stock options and restricted stock grants except for (a) the 50,000 stock options granted on November 1, 2002 (strike price $9.95), (b) the 60,000 stock options granted on December 1, 2003 (strike price $35.45) and (c) the 60,000 stock options granted on December 1, 2004 (strike price $13.80) (the “Non-Forfeited Grants”). Except for the vesting provisions set forth in the Officer Severance Policy, nothing herein shall be deemed to supercede or replace any provision of any applicable plan or agreement pursuant to which any stock option or restricted stock unit was granted to the Employee.
3. Health and Welfare Benefits. Except for the continuation of coverage set forth in the Officer Severance Policy, nothing herein shall be deemed to supercede or replace any provision of any health or welfare plan applicable to the Employee. In addition, the terms of that relocation/housing letter agreement related to the sale of the Employee’s primary residence are incorporated and made part of this Agreement.
4. Retirement Benefits. Except as set forth in the Officer Severance Policy, nothing herein shall be deemed to supercede or replace any provision of any retirement plan applicable to the Employee.
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5. Non-Solicitation; Non-Compete and Cooperation.
(a) Until November 30, 2007, the Employee shall not, without the prior written consent of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, (i) directly or indirectly solicit or employ (or encourage any company or business organization in which he is an officer, employee, partner, director, consultant or member of a technical advisory board to solicit or employ) or (ii) refer to any employee search firms, any person who was employed by the Company on the Effective Date.
(b) Until November 30, 2007, the Employee shall not, without the prior written consent of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, at any time or for any reason, anywhere in the world, directly or indirectly (i) engage in any business or activity, whether as an employee, consultant, partner, principal, agent, representative, stockholder (except as a holder of less than 5% of the combined voting power of the outstanding stock of a publicly held company) or in any other individual, corporate or representative capacity, or render any services or provide any advice to any business, activity, person or entity, if the Employee knows or reasonably should know that such business, activity, service, person or entity, directly or indirectly, competes in any material manner with the Company’s business, or (ii) meaningfully assist, help or otherwise support any person, business, corporation, partnership or other entity or activity, whether as an employee, consultant, partner, principal, agent, representative, stockholder (other than in the capacity as a stockholder of less than 5% of the combined voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of a publicly held company) or in any other individual, corporate or representative capacity, to create, commence or otherwise initiate, or to develop, enhance or otherwise further, any business or activity if the Employee knows or reasonably should know that such business, activity, service, person or entity, directly or indirectly, competes in any material manner with the Company’s business.
(c) If at any time the Employee violates the provisions of Sections 5(a) or 5(b) above, any amounts remaining unpaid under the terms of this Agreement as well as any benefits provided for in the Agreement (other than those from qualified retirement or welfare plans) and any continuing vesting of stock options or restricted stock units, if any, shall immediately be forfeited and terminated, and any amounts already paid by the Company to the Employee in accordance herewith, except for the sum of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) shall, at the sole discretion of the Company, be required to be repaid by the Employee to the Company within ten (10) business days of the Company’s request in writing therefore. This provision shall not affect the Company’s right to otherwise specifically enforce any provision relating to non-solicitation or non-competition that is in this Agreement or in any other agreement, document or plan applicable to the Employee.
(d) The Employee hereby agrees that, from time to time upon the reasonable request of the Company, the Employee shall assist the Company in connection with any pending or future dispute, litigation, arbitration or similar proceeding or investigation or any regulatory requests or filings involving the Company, any of its employees or directors or the employees and directors of any subsidiary.
6. Non-Disparagement.
The Employee agrees that he shall not (i) testify or otherwise provide testimony in any form at or for any legal or administrative proceeding, including testimony related to any matter involving the Company, unless legally compelled to do so or (ii) make
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statements to third parties, the public, the press or the media or any administrative agency, in either case that would portray the Company in an adverse light or disparage the Company, or cause injury to the Company with respect to events occurring prior to or after the Effective Date.
7. Confidentiality. Employee hereby agrees and covenants, that:
(a) he shall not divulge to any person or entity other than the Company, without express written authorization of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, any proprietary or confidential information, whether written or oral, received or gained by him in the course of his employment by the Company or of his duties with the Company (“Confidential Information”), nor shall he make use of any such Confidential Information on his own behalf or on behalf of any other person or entity, for so long as such Confidential Information is not known to the general public; and
(b) he shall return or cause to be returned to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer any and all property of the Company of any kind or description whatsoever, including, but not limited to, any Confidential Information, which has been furnished to him or is held by him, at his residence or elsewhere, and shall not retain any copies, duplicates, reproductions or excerpts thereof.
8. Release. In consideration of the Company’s entering into this Agreement and the payments and benefits set forth herein, the Employee, on behalf of himself and his heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, knowingly and voluntarily waives, releases and forever discharges the Company, each of its subsidiaries or affiliated companies, their respective current and former officers, employees, agents and directors, and any successor or assign of any of the foregoing, from any claim, charge, action or cause of action any of them may have against any such released person, whether known or unknown, from the beginning of time through the date of this Agreement based upon any matter, cause or thing whatsoever related to or arising out of his employment by the Company or his termination other than claims arising out of a breach of this Agreement or any claim that cannot be waived by law. All such claims are forever barred by this Agreement.
This release and waiver includes, but is not limited to, any rights or claims under United States federal, state or local law, for wrongful or abusive discharge, for breach of any contract, or for discrimination based upon race, color, ethnicity, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any unlawful criterion or circumstance, including, but not limited to, rights or claims under the Family and Medical Leave Act, claims of discrimination under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Workforce Adjustment Retraining Notification Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 1981 through 1988 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Executive Order 11246 and any other executive order, the Fair Labor Standards Act and its state and local counterparts, the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, and the Immigration Reform Control Act, all as amended. The Employee confirms that he has no claim or basis for a claim whatsoever against the Company with respect to any such matters related to or arising out of his employment by the Company or his termination.
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The Employee affirms that he has been given at least 21 days within which to consider this release and its consequences, that he has seven days following his signing of this Agreement (the seventh day being the “Expiration Date”) to revoke and cancel the terms and conditions contained herein and the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall not become effective or enforceable until the seven-day revocation and cancellation period has expired, and that, prior to the execution of this Agreement, he has been advised by the Company to consult with an attorney of his choice concerning the terms and conditions set forth herein. Any revocation or cancellation of this Agreement by the Employee pursuant to this paragraph shall be in writing delivered to the Company.
9. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the Parties concerning the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings, discussions, negotiations, and undertakings, whether written or oral, between the Parties with respect thereto. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by a writing signed by both Parties.
10. No Admission. The parties acknowledge and agree that this Agreement does not constitute and should not be construed in any way as an admission by any other party of (a) any wrongdoing or liability whatsoever, (b) any violation of the Employee’s rights or those of any other person, or (c) any violation of any order, law, statute, duty or contract. The Company specifically disclaims any liability for any alleged wrongdoing or liability, for any alleged violation of my rights or those of any other person, or for any alleged violation of any order, law, statute, duty or contract.
11. Severability. In the event that any provision or portion of this Agreement shall be determined to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, the remaining provisions or portions of this Agreement shall be unaffected thereby and shall remain in full force and effect to the fullest extent permitted by law.
12. Survival; Termination. The respective rights and obligations of the Parties hereunder shall survive any termination of this Agreement to the extent necessary for the intended preservation of such rights and obligations. This Agreement may be terminated by the Company if the Employee breaches any provision hereof. In addition, the termination provisions set forth in the Officer Severance Policy shall apply.
13. Interpretation; Governing Law. This Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with the plain meaning of its terms and not strictly for or against any person or entity. To the extent that federal law controls the interpretation or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement, this Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with federal law. Otherwise, this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania without reference to the principles of conflicts of law.
14. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Signatures delivered by facsimile shall be effective for all purposes.
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BY SIGNING AND DELIVERING THIS AGREEMENT, THE EMPLOYEE STATES:
(A) HE HAS READ IT AND UNDERSTANDS IT AND HAS AT LEAST 21 DAYS TO CONSIDER IT AND A PERIOD OF SEVEN DAYS AFTER EXECUTING IT TO REVOKE IT;
(B) HE AGREES WITH IT AND IS AWARE THAT HE IS GIVING UP IMPORTANT RIGHTS, INCLUDING RIGHTS PROVIDED BY THE OLDER WORKERS BENEFIT PROTECTION ACT, FOR CONSIDERATION TO WHICH HE WAS NOT ALREADY OTHERWISE ENTITLED;
(C) HE WAS ADVISED TO, AND IS AWARE OF HIS RIGHT TO CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY BEFORE SIGNING IT; AND
(D) HE HAS SIGNED IT KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement on the date first written above.
| AGERE SYSTEMS INC. | |||
| By: | /s/ Richard L. Clemmer | ||
| Name: | Richard L. Clemmer | ||
| Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
| By: | /s/ Kevin P. Pennington | ||
| Name: | Kevin P. Pennington | ||
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Exhibit A - Agere Officer Severance Policy
| Eligibility | • | Agere Officer status. | ||
| • | Triggered by (a) Company initiated termination, other than for “Cause” as defined on page 2, or (b) as described under the “Change in Control Provisions” on page 2. | |||
| • | Contingent upon signing the standard, Agere Release Agreement (including non-compete, non-solicitation provisions). | |||
| • | All payments and benefits listed below will be offset by any individually negotiated or legally required arrangement. | |||
| Leave of Absence Payment | • | 24 months of base salary and target bonus. | ||
| • | Base salary will be paid monthly. Target bonus will be paid annually in December. Both payments are benefits bearing. | |||
| Equity | Stock Options | |||
| • | Options continue vesting as scheduled during the 24 month period. | |||
| • | At end of the 24 month period, your employment will end and options will follow normal termination provisions: | |||
| - | Pension eligible — Keep vested remainder of term; unvested options cancel; | |||
| - | Not Pension eligible — 90 days to exercise vested; unvested options cancel. | |||
| Restricted Stock | ||||
| • | Restricted stock continues vesting as scheduled during the 24 month period. | |||
| ESPP | ||||
| • | Your participation will continue through payroll deductions. | |||
| Retirement Benefits | Service Pension | |||
| Retirement eligible: Your severance pay will count towards your pension. Pension payments begin after termination of this arrangement. | ||||
| Not retirement eligible: Deferred vested employees can elect to begin payment at the termination of this arrangement. The severance period can be used to accrue service/age toward achieving pension eligibility. | ||||
| Cash Balance Pension | ||||
| • | Severance pay will count towards the cash balance plan. The cash balance is payable at the end of the 24 month period or later at employee election. | |||
| 401(k) | ||||
| • | Payroll deductions continue | |||
| Health and Welfare Benefits | • | Medical, Dental, Disability, Life Insurance, Car Allowance, Financial Counseling benefits continue the same as actively employed Officers. | ||
| • | Company credit cards, home office equipment, voice mail and e-mail will be cancelled at the beginning of the 24 month period. | |||
Exhibit A – Page 1 of 2
| Termination Provisions | • | In the event you need to terminate this arrangement during the 24 month leave period for any reason (including conflict with another employer), there will be no acceleration of any remaining unpaid amounts of base salary or target bonus and any such unpaid amounts will be forfeited. The normal “voluntary” termination provisions for the stock and benefit plans will apply. | |||
| Change in Control Provisions | • | If a Change in Control (as defined in the 2001 Long Term Incentive Plan or its successor plan as in effect immediately before the Change in Control) shall occur, this policy will remain in effect and | |||
| (a) | you will also be entitled to the benefits of this policy if you terminate your employment within three months of an event constituting Good Reason. Good Reason is defined as follows: | ||||
| (i) | the assignment to you by the Board of Directors or another representative of the Company of duties which represent a material decrease in responsibility and are materially inconsistent with the duties associated with your position, any reduction in your job title, or a material negative change in the level of Officer to whom you report, or | ||||
| (ii) | a material negative change in the terms and conditions of your employment, including a reduction by the Company of your annual base salary or a material decrease in your target opportunity for a Short Term Incentive Award. | ||||
| ; and | |||||
| (b) | Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this policy, in the event that you become subject to the tax (the “Excise Tax”) imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or any similar tax that may hereafter be imposed), the Company will pay you, at each time you become subject to an Excise Tax or additional Excise Tax, an amount in addition to any amount or benefit you receive or are deemed to have received that results in Excise Tax, such that the net amount retained or deemed received by you, after deduction of any Excise Tax on such amount or benefit and any federal, state and local income tax and Excise Tax upon the payment of any additional amount provided for by this paragraph, shall be equal to the amount of such payment or benefit. This paragraph applies to any payment or benefit you may receive or be deemed to have received from the Company that subjects you to Excise Tax, even if that payment or benefit is not provided for by this policy. | ||||
|
“Cause” is defined as: | ||
| (i) | violation of Agere’s code of conduct; | |
| (ii) | conviction of (including a plea of guilty or nolo contendere) of a felony or any crime of theft, dishonesty or moral turpitude, or | |
| (iii) | gross omission or gross dereliction of any statutory or common law duty of loyalty to Agere. | |
Exhibit A – Page 2 of 2