Change of Control Severance Agreement - NetIQ Corp.
NetIQ CORPORATION
CHANGE OF CONTROL SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
This Change of Control Severance Agreement (the "Agreement") is made and
entered into effective as of ___________________, (the "Effective Date"), by and
between ___________________________ (the "Employee") and NetIQ Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"). Certain capitalized terms used in this
Agreement are defined in Section 1 below.
R E C I T A L S
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A. It is expected that the Company from time to time will consider the
possibility of a Change of Control. The Board of Directors of the Company (the
"Board") recognizes that such consideration can be a distraction to the Employee
and can cause the Employee to consider alternative employment opportunities.
B. The Board believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and
its shareholders to provide the Employee with an incentive to continue his
employment and to maximize the value of the Company upon a Change of Control for
the benefit of its shareholders.
C. In order to provide the Employee with enhanced financial security and
sufficient encouragement to remain with the Company notwithstanding the
possibility of a Change of Control, the Board believes that it is imperative to
provide the Employee with certain severance benefits upon the Employee's
termination of employment following a Change of Control.
AGREEMENT
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In consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained and the continued
employment of Employee by the Company, the parties agree as follows:
1. Definition of Terms. The following terms referred to in this Agreement
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shall have the following meanings:
(a) Cause. "Cause" shall mean (i) any act of personal dishonesty taken
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by the Employee in connection with his responsibilities as an employee which is
intended to result in substantial personal enrichment of the Employee, (ii)
Employee's conviction of a felony which the Board reasonably believes has had or
will have a material detrimental effect on the Company's reputation or business,
(iii) a willful act by the Employee which constitutes misconduct and is
injurious to the Company, and (iv) continued willful violations by the Employee
of the Employee's obligations to the Company after there has been delivered to
the Employee a written demand for performance from the Company which describes
the basis for the Company's belief that the Employee has not substantially
performed his duties.
(b) Change of Control. "Change of Control" shall mean the occurrence
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of any of the following events:
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(i) the approval by shareholders of the Company of a merger or
consolidation of the Company with any other corporation, other than a merger or
consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company
outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by
remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the
surviving entity) more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power
represented by the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity
outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation;
(ii) any approval by the shareholders of the Company of a plan of
complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition
by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets; or
(iii) any "person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and
14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) becoming the
"beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act), directly or
indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the total
voting power represented by the Company's then outstanding voting securities.
(iv) a change in the composition of the Board, as a result of
which fewer than a majority of the directors are Incumbent Directors. "Incumbent
Directors" shall mean directors who either (A) are directors of the Company as
of the date hereof, or (B) are elected, or nominated for election, to the Board
with the affirmative votes of at least a majority of those directors whose
election or nomination was not in connection with any transaction described in
subsections (i), (ii) or (iii) or in connection with an actual or threatened
proxy contest relating to the election of directors of the Company.
(c) Compensation Continuation Period. "Compensation Continuation Period"
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shall mean the period of time commencing with termination of the Employee's
employment as a result of Involuntary Termination at anytime within six (6)
months after a Change of Control and ending with the earlier to occur of (1) the
expiration of six (6) months following the date of the Employee's termination,
or (2) the date the Employee obtains full-time employment in a senior management
position with a subsequent employer.
(d) Involuntary Termination. "Involuntary Termination" shall mean (i)
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without the Employee's express written consent, a significant reduction of the
Employee's duties, position or responsibilities relative to the Employee's
duties, position or responsibilities in effect immediately prior to such
reduction, or the removal of the Employee from such position, duties and
responsibilities, unless the Employee is provided with comparable duties,
position and responsibilities; (ii) without the Employee's express written
consent, a substantial reduction, without good business reasons, of the
facilities and perquisites (including office space and location) available to
the Employee immediately prior to such reduction; (iii) a reduction by the
Company of the Employee's base salary as in effect immediately prior to such
reduction; (iv) a material reduction by the Company in the kind or level of
employee benefits to which the Employee is entitled immediately prior to such
reduction with the result that the Employee's overall benefits package is
significantly reduced; (v) without the Employee's express written consent, the
relocation of the Employee to a facility or a location more than fifty (50)
miles from his current location; (vi) any purported termination of the Employee
by the Company which is not effected for Cause or for which
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the grounds relied upon are not valid; or (vii) the failure of the Company to
obtain the assumption of this Agreement by any successors contemplated in
Section 6 below.
2. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate upon the date that
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all obligations of the parties hereto under this Agreement have been satisfied.
3. At-Will Employment. The Company and the Employee acknowledge that the
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Employee's employment is and shall continue to be at-will, as defined under
applicable law. If the Employee's employment terminates for any reason, the
Employee shall not be entitled to any payments, benefits, damages, awards or
compensation other than as provided by this Agreement, or as may otherwise be
established under the Company's then existing employee benefit plans or policies
at the time of termination.
4. Change of Control and Severance Benefits.
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(a) Termination Following A Change of Control.
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(i) Severance Payments. If the Employee's employment with the
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Company terminates as a result of an Involuntary Termination at any time within
twelve (12) months after a Change of Control, then the Employee shall be
entitled to receive continuing payments of severance pay during the Compensation
Continuation Period at a rate equal to the Employee's base salary (as in effect
immediately prior to the Change of Control). Such severance payments shall be
paid bi-weekly in accordance with the Company's normal payroll practices. In
addition, during the Compensation Continuation Period, the Company shall
continue to make available to the Employee and Employee's spouse and dependents
covered under any group health plans or life insurance plans of the Company on
the date of such termination of employment, all group health, life and other
similar insurance plans in which Employee or such Covered Dependents participate
on the date of the Employee's termination.
(ii) Option Acceleration. If the Employee's employment with the
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Company terminates as a result of an Involuntary Termination at any time within
twelve (12) months after a Change of Control, then the vesting and
exercisability of each option granted to the Employee by the Company (the
"Options") shall be automatically accelerated in full.
(iii) Other Termination. If the Employee's employment with the
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Company terminates other than as a result of an Involuntary Termination at any
time within twelve (12) months after a Change of Control, then the Employee
shall not be entitled to receive severance or other benefits hereunder, but may
be eligible for those benefits (if any) as may then be established under the
Company's then existing severance and benefits plans and policies.
(b) Termination Apart from a Change of Control. If the Employee's
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employment with the Company terminates for any or no reason other than within
twelve (12) months following a Change of Control, then the Employee shall not be
entitled to receive severance or other benefits hereunder, but may be eligible
for those benefits (if any) as may then be established under the Company's then
existing severance and benefits plans and policies at the time of such
Disability or death.
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(c) Accrued Wages and Vacation; Expenses. Without regard to the
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reason for, or the timing of, Employee's termination of employment: (i) the
Company shall pay the Employee any unpaid base salary due for periods prior to
the date of termination; (ii) the Company shall pay the Employee all of the
Employee's accrued and unused vacation through the date of termination; and
(iii) following submission of proper expense reports by the Employee, the
Company shall reimburse the Employee for all expenses reasonably and necessarily
incurred by the Employee in connection with the business of the Company prior to
the date of termination. These payments shall be made promptly upon termination
and within the period of time mandated by law.
5. Limitation on Payments. In the event that the severance and other
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benefits provided for in this Agreement or otherwise payable to the Employee (i)
constitute "parachute payments" within the meaning of Section 280G of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and (ii) but for this
Section, would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code,
then the Employee's severance benefits under this Agreement shall be payable to
such lesser amount which would result in no portion of such severance benefits
being subject to the excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code. Unless the
Company and the Employee otherwise agree in writing, any determination required
under this Section shall be made in writing by the Company's independent public
accountants (the "Accountants"), whose determination shall be conclusive and
binding upon the Employee and the Company for all purposes. For purposes of
making the calculations required by this Section, the Accountants may make
reasonable assumptions and approximations concerning applicable taxes and may
rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application of
Section 280G and 4999 of the Code. The Company and the Employee shall furnish
to the Accountants such information and documents as the Accountants may
reasonably request in order to make a determination under this Section. The
Company shall bear all costs the Accountants may reasonably incur in connection
with any calculations contemplated by this Section.
6. Successors.
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(a) Company's Successors. Any successor to the Company (whether
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direct or indirect and whether by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation,
liquidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the Company's business
and/or assets shall assume the Company's obligations under this Agreement and
agree expressly to perform the Company's obligations under this Agreement in the
same manner and to the same extent as the Company would be required to perform
such obligations in the absence of a succession. For all purposes under this
Agreement, the term "Company" shall include any successor to the Company's
business and/or assets which executes and delivers the assumption agreement
described in this subsection (a) or which becomes bound by the terms of this
Agreement by operation of law.
(b) Employee's Successors. Without the written consent of the
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Company, Employee shall not assign or transfer this Agreement or any right or
obligation under this Agreement to any other person or entity. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the terms of this Agreement and all rights of Employee hereunder
shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, Employee's personal or
legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs,
distributees, devisees and legatees.
7. Notices.
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(a) General. Notices and all other communications contemplated by
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this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given
when personally delivered or when mailed by U.S. registered or certified mail,
return receipt requested and postage prepaid. In the case of the Employee,
mailed notices shall be addressed to him at the home address that he most
recently communicated to the Company in writing. In the case of the Company,
mailed notices shall be addressed to its corporate headquarters, and all notices
shall be directed to the attention of its Secretary.
(b) Notice of Termination. Any termination by the Company for Cause
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or by the Employee as a result of a voluntary resignation or an Involuntary
Termination shall be communicated by a notice of termination to the other party
hereto given in accordance with this Section. Such notice shall indicate the
specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon, shall set forth in
reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for
termination under the provision so indicated. The failure by the Employee to
include in the notice any fact or circumstance which contributes to a showing of
Involuntary Termination shall not waive any right of the Employee hereunder or
preclude the Employee from asserting such fact or circumstance in enforcing his
rights hereunder.
8. Arbitration.
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(a) Any dispute or controversy arising out of, relating to, or in
connection with this Agreement, or the interpretation, validity, construction,
performance, breach, or termination thereof, shall be settled by binding
arbitration to be held in San Francisco, California, in accordance with the
National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes then in effect of the
American Arbitration Association (the "Rules"). The arbitrator may grant
injunctions or other relief in such dispute or controversy. The decision of the
arbitrator shall be final, conclusive and binding on the parties to the
arbitration. Judgment may be entered on the arbitrator's decision in any court
having jurisdiction.
(b) The arbitrator(s) shall apply California law to the merits of any
dispute or claim, without reference to conflicts of law rules. The arbitration
proceedings shall be governed by federal arbitration law and by the Rules,
without reference to state arbitration law. Employee hereby consents to the
personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in California for
any action or proceeding arising from or relating to this Agreement or relating
to any arbitration in which the parties are participants.
(c) The Company and Employee shall each pay one-half of the costs and
expenses of such arbitration, and each shall separately pay its counsel fees and
expenses.
(d) Employee understands that nothing in this Section modifies
Employee's at-will employment status. Either Employee or the Company can
terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause.
(e) EMPLOYEE HAS READ AND UNDERSTANDS THIS SECTION, WHICH DISCUSSES
ARBITRATION. EMPLOYEE UNDERSTANDS THAT SUBMITTING ANY CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF,
RELATING TO, OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, OR THE INTERPRETATION,
VALIDITY, CONSTRUCTION,
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PERFORMANCE, BREACH OR TERMINATION THEREOF TO BINDING ARBITRATION, CONSTITUTES A
WAIVER OF EMPLOYEE'S RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL AND RELATES TO THE RESOLUTION OF ALL
DISPUTES RELATING TO ALL ASPECTS OF THE EMPLOYER/EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING CLAIMS:
(i) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS FOR WRONGFUL DISCHARGE OF EMPLOYMENT; BREACH
OF CONTRACT, BOTH EXPRESS AND IMPLIED; BREACH OF THE COVENANT OF GOOD FAITH AND
FAIR DEALING, BOTH EXPRESS AND IMPLIED; NEGLIGENT OR INTENTIONAL INFLICTION OF
EMOTIONAL DISTRESS; NEGLIGENT OR INTENTIONAL MISREPRESENTATION; NEGLIGENT OR
INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE WITH CONTRACT OR PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE; AND
DEFAMATION.
(ii) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS FOR VIOLATION OF ANY FEDERAL STATE OR
MUNICIPAL STATUTE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, TITLE VII OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS
ACT OF 1964, THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1991, THE AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT
ACT OF 1967, THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990, THE FAIR LABOR
STANDARDS ACT, THE CALIFORNIA FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING ACT, AND LABOR CODE
SECTION 201, et seq;
(iii) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF ANY OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS
RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT OR EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION.
9. Miscellaneous Provisions.
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(a) No Duty to Mitigate. The Employee shall not be required to
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mitigate the amount of any payment contemplated by this Agreement, nor shall any
such payment be reduced by any earnings that the Employee may receive from any
other source.
(b) Waiver. No provision of this Agreement may be modified, waived
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or discharged unless the modification, waiver or discharge is agreed to in
writing and signed by the Employee and by an authorized officer of the Company
(other than the Employee). No waiver by either party of any breach of, or of
compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement by the other party
shall be considered a waiver of any other condition or provision or of the same
condition or provision at another time.
(c) Integration. This Agreement and the stock option agreements
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representing the Options represent the entire agreement and understanding
between the parties as to the subject matter herein and supersede all prior or
contemporaneous agreements, whether written or oral.
(d) Choice of Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and
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performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal substantive
laws, but not the conflicts of law rules, of the State of California.
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(e) Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
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provision or provisions of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or
enforceability of any other provision hereof, which shall remain in full force
and effect.
(f) Employment Taxes. All payments made pursuant to this Agreement
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shall be subject to withholding of applicable income and employment taxes.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts,
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each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together will
constitute one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has executed this Agreement, in the
case of the Company by its duly authorized officer, as of the day and year first
above written.
COMPANY: NetIQ CORPORATION
By:________________________________________
Title:_____________________________________
EMPLOYEE: ___________________________________________
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