Exhibit 10.1
SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND FULL AND FINAL RELEASE
This Separation Agreement and Full and Final Release (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between Jason Morgan (“Employee”) and Helios Technologies, Inc (“Company”). Employee and the Company are both parties to this Agreement and are collectively referred to herein as the “Parties.” The Parties desire to enter into this Agreement to fully resolve all questions of compensation, entitlement to benefits, and any and all other claims, whether known or unknown, which the Parties may have relating to Employee’s employment with, and separation from, the Company.
Employee acknowledges, understands, and agrees that Employee’s active employment with the Company will terminate on March 30, 2023 (“Separation Date”).
WHEREAS, the Company and Employee have agreed upon the terms for an orderly transition and the continuation of certain services by Employee, as hereinafter set forth;
WHEREAS, Company has determined that Employee shall be afforded the separation benefits as set forth in the Executive Officer Severance Agreement dated June 21, 2021 (“Executive Officer Agreement”);
NOW, THEREFORE, in exchange for the consideration described in this Agreement, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Parties agree as follows:
Employee agrees to release and discharge the Company not only from any and all claims or causes of action which Employee could make on Employee’s own behalf, but also those that may or could be brought by any person or organization on Employee’s behalf, and Employee
Page 2
specifically waives any right to become, and promises not to become, a member of any class in any proceeding or case in which any such claim or cause of action against the Company may arise, in whole or in part, from any event which occurred on or before the date of this Agreement.
It is expressly agreed and understood that this is a GENERAL RELEASE.
Nothing in this Agreement is intended to waive: (i) rights or claims that may arise after the date of Employee’s execution of this Agreement; (ii) Employee’s entitlement to vested benefits under any retirement plan or other ERISA-covered benefit plan provided by the Company; (iii) any rights Employee may have under state unemployment and/or workers’ compensation laws; and/or (iv) claims which by law cannot be released by private agreement.
Employee’s Obligations. In consideration for this Agreement, and in addition to the full and final release set forth above, Employee agrees to the following:
6. Acknowledgment. Employee acknowledges that if Employee materially breaches any of the provisions of Paragraph 5 of this Agreement, in addition to any other of the Company's
Page 3
rights and remedies, the Company shall immediately cease all payments or benefits described in Paragraph 4 above.
7. Covenant Not To Sue. Employee warrants that Employee has not filed any complaints, charges or claims for relief against the Company with any local, state or federal court or administrative agency that are currently outstanding. Employee further agrees and covenants not to sue, or to bring any claims or charges against, the Company with respect to any matter arising at the time of Employee’s execution of this Agreement or covered by the release set forth in Paragraph 2 above, and not to assert against the Company in any action, suit, litigation or proceeding any matter arising before Employee’s execution of this Agreement or covered by the release set forth in Paragraph 2 above.
Nothing in this Agreement (i) limits or affects Employee’s right to challenge the validity of this Agreement; (ii) prevents or precludes Employee from filing a charge or complaint with or from participating in an investigation or proceeding conducted by the EEOC, the National Labor Relations Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any other federal, state or local agency charged with the enforcement of any laws, including providing documents or other information; or (iii) prevents Employee from exercising his or her rights under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”) to engage in protected, concerted activity with other employees, although by signing this Agreement Employee waives any right to recover any individual relief (including back pay, front pay, reinstatement or other legal or equitable relief) in any charge, complaint, or lawsuit or other proceeding brought by Employee or on his or her behalf by any third party, either individually, or as part of any class or collective action, except for any right Employee may have to receive a payment from a government agency (and not the Company) for information provided to the government agency.
8. Participation in Litigation, Governmental Proceedings and Protected Activity. No provision of this Agreement shall be construed or enforced in a manner that would prevent Employee from testifying fully and truthfully under oath in any court, arbitration, governmental or administrative agency proceeding, or from providing complete and truthful information in the course of any government investigation. No provision of this Agreement shall be construed or enforced in a manner that would interfere with Employee’s rights under the NLRA to discuss or comment on terms and conditions of employment.
9. No Admission of Liability. It is expressly understood and agreed that this Agreement, and any acts undertaken hereunder, shall not be construed as an admission of liability or wrongdoing by the Company. Neither this Agreement nor anything in it shall be admissible in any proceeding as evidence of any unlawful or wrongful conduct by the Company.
10. Controlling Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Florida.
11. Jurisdiction. Any action arising out of, or relating to, any of the provisions of this Agreement may, at the election of the Company, be brought and prosecuted only in the courts of, or located in, the State of Florida, and in the event of such election, the Parties consent to the jurisdiction and venue of said courts.
Page 4
12. Entire Agreement. Excepting the Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement signed previously, which shall remain in full force and effect, the Parties understand that no promise, inducement, or other agreement not expressly contained herein has been made conferring any benefit upon them; that the Agreement contains the entire Agreement between them; and that the terms of the Agreement are contractual and not recitals only.
13. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is construed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then the remaining provisions hereof shall not be affected thereby and shall be enforceable without regard thereto.
14. Section Headings. Section and subsection headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall neither constitute a part of this Agreement nor affect its interpretation.
15. Amendment. The Parties agree that this Agreement may not be altered, amended, or modified, in any respect, except by a writing duly executed by both Parties.
16. Knowing and Voluntary Release. Employee acknowledges and agrees that:
Page 5
EMPLOYEE REPRESENTS THAT eMPLOYEE: HAS READ THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY DISCUSS AND REVIEW THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH AN ATTORNEY, UNDERSTANDS THE CONTENTS HEREOF, FREELY AND VOLUNTARILY ASSENTS TO ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS HEREOF, AND SIGNS This Agreement AS EMPLOYEE’S OWN FREE ACT, AND WITH THE INTENTION OF RELEASING THE COMPANY FROM EACH AND EVERY CLAIM RELATING IN ANY WAY TO EMPLOYEE’S EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY.
iN WITNESS WHEREOF, and intending to be legally bound, the Parties agree to the terms of this Agreement, effective as of the eighth day after Employee signs the Agreement or once all company owned property is returned, whichever is latest to occur (“Effective Date”), provided that Employee has not revoked Employee’s acceptance during the time period provided in Paragraph 16(c).
Date: _____________ By: ______________________________________
Jason Morgan
For the Company:
Date: _____________ By: ______________________________________
Page 6
EXHIBIT A
EXECUTIVE OFFICER SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
THIS EXECUTIVE OFFICER SEVERANCE AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) made and entered into as of the ____ day of ______, 202_, by and between HELIOS TECHNOLOGIES, INC., a Florida corporation, along with its affiliates and subsidiaries (together, the “Company”) and ________ (“Executive”).
W I T N E S S E TH:
WHEREAS, Executive is the ____________________; and
WHEREAS, the Company wishes to provide severance benefits to Executive in the event of an involuntary terminations of Executive’s employment, as specified herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals and the agreements of the parties contained herein, the parties do hereby agree as follows:
1. Purpose and Intent. The Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) desires to provide certain protections to the Executive in the event of an involuntary termination of his or her employment that does not occur in connection with a change in ownership or control of the Company. Accordingly, the Board has determined that appropriate steps should be taken to enter into an agreement to provide such protections to the Executive. This Agreement is not intended to alter materially the compensation and benefits that Executive could reasonably expect in the absence of an “Involuntary Termination of Employment” (as defined below in Section 4) and, accordingly, this Agreement, although taking effect upon the parties’ execution hereof, will be operative only upon an Involuntary Termination of Employment.
2. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall be effective upon the execution by the parties, and shall remain in effect until the date Executive’s employment by the Company is terminated; provided, however, that if Executive experiences an Involuntary Termination of Employment, the term shall continue in effect until all payments and benefits have been made or provided to Executive under this Agreement.
3. Eligibility for Severance. Executive becomes eligible to receive Severance (as defined below in Section 5) under this Agreement upon an Involuntary Termination of Employment, provided that the Executive:
(a) performs all transition and other matters required of the Executive by the Company prior to Executive’s Involuntary Termination of Employment;
(b) returns to the Company any property of the Company which has come into the Executive’s possession;
(c) returns (and does not thereafter revoke), within sixty (60) days from receipt, a signed original general release in a form acceptable to the Company, in its sole and absolute discretion (the “Release”), under which the Executive, among other things, release and discharges the
Page 7
Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates from all claims and liabilities, including without limitation, claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Equal Pay Act, ERISA, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, Section 1981 of U.S.C. Title 42, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, and the Older Workers’ Benefit Protection Act of 1990; and
(d) complies with the restrictive covenants set forth in any other agreement between the Company and Executive. Executive shall forfeit, and repay if already paid by the Company, the Severance, if he or she violates any of these restrictive covenants.
4. Involuntary Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, an Involuntary Termination of Employment shall be deemed to occur if:
(c) any material breach by the Company of any provision of this Agreement.
5. Compensation Upon an Involuntary Termination of Employment.
(a) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, including but not limited to the satisfaction of the requirements in Section 3, upon an Involuntary Termination of Employment during the term of this Agreement, Executive shall be entitled to receive the following payments and benefits:
Page 8
(i) continuation of Executive’s annual base salary at the time of termination for the twelve (12) month period following the date of the Involuntary Termination of Employment, payable according to the Company’s normal payroll cycle;
(ii) the target value at the time of grant of the annual short-term incentive compensation award to the Executive, if any, granted during the current fiscal year or, if the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors has not yet met to consider the annual short-term incentive compensation award to the Executive for the current fiscal year, then the target value at the time of grant of the annual short-term incentive compensation award to the Executive, if any, granted during the immediately preceding fiscal year, payable within fifteen (15) days following the expiration of the period in which the Executive has the right to revoke the Release described in Section 3(c); and
(iii) continuing medical, dental, life, disability and hospitalization benefits as elected by the Executive under the Company’s employee benefit plans after termination pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“COBRA”), at Company expense, for Executive and his or her family as then in effect, for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of termination.
The employer contribution for COBRA coverage will not be provided to the Executive, however, to the extent that the Company reasonably determines that doing so would subject the Company to the excise tax under Section 4980D of the Code (as a result of discriminatory coverage under an insured health plan). Except as required by law, under no circumstances shall the Company have the right to delay payment of any amounts due under this Agreement.
(b) Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of any payment or benefit provided for in this Agreement be reduced by any amounts earned or accrued through the date of termination or by any amounts to which Executive shall be entitled by law (nor shall payment hereunder be deemed in lieu of such amounts), by any retirement benefits after the date of termination, or otherwise.
(c) The treatment of any equity incentive awards that are held by Executive upon an Involuntary Termination of Employment shall be governed under the terms of the Company’s equity incentive plans and the award agreements under which such awards were granted. No awards shall be subject to accelerated vesting or exercisability as a result of an Involuntary Termination of Employment.
(d) Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, all payments required to be made by the Company hereunder to Executive or his or her estate or beneficiaries shall be subject to the withholding of such amounts, if any, relating to tax and other payroll deductions as the Company may reasonably determine it should withhold pursuant to applicable law or regulation. In lieu of withholding such amounts, the Company may accept other provisions to the end that it has sufficient funds to pay all taxes required to be withheld in respect of any of such payments.
Page 9
6. Tax Matters.
Page 10
Page 11
7. Definition of “For Cause”. The termination of Executive’s employment by the Company shall be deemed “For Cause” if it results from (a) the commission of an act of fraud, embezzlement, theft or proven dishonesty, or any other illegal act or practice (whether or not resulting in criminal prosecution or conviction), including theft or destruction of property of the Company, or any other act or practice which the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) shall, in good faith, deem to have resulted in the recipient’s becoming unbondable under the Company’s fidelity bond; (b) the willful engaging in misconduct which is deemed by the Board, in good faith, to be materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise, including, but not limited to, improperly disclosing trade secrets or other confidential or sensitive business information and data about the Company and competing with the Company, or soliciting employees, consultants or customers of the Company in violation of law or any employment or other agreement to which the recipient is a party; (c) the continued failure or habitual neglect by the Executive to perform his or her duties with the Company; or (d) other disregard of the Company’s Bylaws, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, or other rules or policies of the Company or any subsidiary, or conduct evidencing willful or wanton disregard of the interests of the Company. For purposes of this Agreement, no act or failure to act by the recipient shall be deemed “willful” unless done or omitted to be done by the Executive not in good faith and without reasonable belief that the Executive’s action or omission was in the best interest of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Executive has entered into an employment agreement that is binding as of the date of such event, and if such employment agreement defines “Cause,” then the definition of “Cause” in such agreement shall apply. The determination of whether the Executive has engaged in an act that constitutes Cause shall be made by the Board, which prior to making such determination shall provide written notice of the event of Cause to the Executive and allow the Executive a reasonable opportunity to cure such event.
8. Miscellaneous.
Page 12
(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, Executive’s personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees. If Executive should die while any amount would still be payable to Executive hereunder if Executive had continued to live, all such amounts, shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to Executive’s devisee, legatee or other designee or, if there is no such designee, to Executive’s estate.
(e) Notices. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any notice, demand or payment required or permitted to be given or paid shall be deemed duly given or paid only if personally delivered or sent by United States mail and shall be deemed to have been given when personally delivered or three (3) days after having been deposited in the United States mail, certified mail, return receipt requested, properly addressed with postage prepaid. All notices or demands shall be effective only if given in writing. For the purpose hereof, the addresses of the parties hereto (until notice of a change thereof is given as provided in this Section 8(e), shall be as follows:
The Company: |
Marc A. Greenberg, Esq. General Counsel & Corporate Secretary Helios Technologies, Inc. 7456 16th Street East Sarasota, FL 34243
|
Executive: |
|
Page 13
(g) Entirety. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous agreement or understandings relating to the subject matter hereof.
(h) Non-Exclusivity of Rights. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit Executive’s continuing or future participation in any benefit, bonus, incentive or other plan or program provided by the Company (except for any severance or termination policies, plans, programs or practices) and for which Executive may qualify, nor shall anything in this Agreement limit or reduce such rights as Executive may qualify, nor shall anything in this Agreement limit or reduce such rights as Executive may have under any other agreements with the Company (except for any severance or termination agreement). In the event Executive qualifies for severance benefits under another policy, program or by local law/statute, such severance shall offset (and not paid in addition to) any amounts or benefits due herein. Amounts that are vested benefits or that Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under any plan or program of the Company shall be payable in accordance with such plan or program, except as explicitly modified by this Agreement.
(i) Amendment. This Agreement may be amended only by a written instrument signed by the Company and Executive, which makes specific reference to this Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.
HELIOS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. EXECUTIVE
By:
Josef Matosevic
President and Chief Executive Officer
Page 14