Exhibit 3.1
RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INCORPORATED
The present name of the corporation is Quest Diagnostics Incorporated. The corporation was incorporated under the name “Corning Lab Services Inc.” by the filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on December 12, 1990. This Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the corporation only restates and integrates and does not further amend the provisions of the corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, as heretofore amended or supplemented, and there is no discrepancy between the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, as heretofore amended or supplemented, and the provisions of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation. This Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The Certificate of Incorporation of the corporation, as heretofore amended or supplemented, is hereby integrated and restated to read in its entirety as follows:
1. Name. The name of the Corporation is Quest Diagnostics Incorporated.
2. Address. The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, City of Wilmington, 19808, County of New Castle. The name of the Registered Agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.
3. Corporate Purpose. The purpose of the Corporation is (i) to own and operate medical, clinical, industrial and research laboratories, and (ii) to research, manufacture, design, construct, use, buy, sell, lease, hire and deal in and with articles and property of all kinds, to render services of all kinds, and (iii) generally to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of Delaware.
4. Capitalization. The total number of shares which the Corporation may henceforth have is 610,000,000, of which 10,000,000 shares are to have a par value of $1.00 each and 600,000,000 shares are to have a par value of $0.01 each, which shares shall be classified as follows:
10,000,000 shares, of the par value of $1.00 each, are to be Series Preferred Stock; and
600,000,000 shares, of the par value of $0.01 each, are to be Common Stock.
The relative voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights, preferences and limitations of the shares of each class are as follows:
I. The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each such series to have the number of shares and designation, and the shares of each such series to have such relative rights, preferences or limitations, as the Board of Directors, subject to the limitations prescribed by law or provided herein, may from time to time fix, before issuance, by filing an appropriate certificate (“Certificate of Designation”) with the Secretary of State pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to each series shall include, but not be limited to, the fixing of the following:
(a) The number of shares to constitute the series and the distinctive designation thereof;
(b) The dividend rate on the shares of the series; whether dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from what date or dates;
(c) Whether or not the shares of the series shall be redeemable and, if redeemable, the terms upon which the shares of the series may be redeemed and the premium, if any, over and above the par value thereof and any dividends accrued thereon which the share of the series shall be entitled to receive upon the redemption thereof;
(d) Whether or not the shares of the series shall be subject to the operation of a retirement or sinking fund to be applied to the purchase or redemption of such shares for retirement and, if such retirement or sinking fund be established, the annual amount thereof and the terms and provisions relative to the operation thereof;
(e) Whether or not the shares of the series shall be convertible into shares of any class or classes of stock of the Corporation, with or without par value, or of any other series of the same class and, if convertible, the conversion price or prices or the rate at which such conversion may be made and the method, if any, of adjusting the same;
(f) The rights of the shares of the series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation;
(g) The restrictions, if any, on the payment of dividends upon, and the making of the distributions to any class of stock ranking junior to the shares of the series, and the restrictions, if any, on the purchase or redemption of the shares of any such junior class;
(h) Whether the series shall have voting rights, in addition to the voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights; and
(i) Any other relative rights, preferences and limitations of the series.
II. Holders of shares of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board of Directors, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, dividends at the rates fixed by the Board of Directors for the respective series, before any dividends shall be declared and paid, or set apart for payment, on any other class of stock of the Corporation ranking junior to the Preferred Stock either as to dividends or assets, with respect to the same dividend period.
III. Whenever, at any time, dividends on the then outstanding Preferred Stock as may be required by the terms of the certificate creating the series representing the shares outstanding shall have been paid or declared and set apart for payment on the then outstanding Preferred Stock and after complying with all the provisions with respect to any retirement or sinking fund or funds for any series of Preferred Stock, the Board of Directors may, subject to the provisions of any certificate creating any series of Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends on any other class or classes of stock, declare and pay dividends on the Common Stock, and the Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to share therein.
IV. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, after payment if any is required, shall have been made in full to the Preferred Stock as provided in any certificate creating any series thereof, but not prior thereto, the Common Stock shall, subject to the respective terms and provisions, if any, of any such certificate, be entitled to receive any and all assets remaining to be paid or distributed, and the Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to share therein.
V. No holder of Common Stock or any series of Preferred Stock shall, as such holder, have any preemptive or preferential right of subscription to any stock of any class of the Corporation or to any obligations convertible into any such stock or to any right of subscription to, or to any warrant or option for, the purchase of any stock, other than such, if any, as the Board of Directors of the Corporation in its discretion may determine from time to time.
VI. The holders of the Common Stock shall have the right to vote on all questions to the exclusion of all other classes of stock, except as by law expressly provided or as otherwise expressly provided with respect to the holders of any other class or classes of stock.
5. Directors.
(a) The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by a Board of Directors consisting of not less than three nor more than twelve persons. The exact number of directors within the minimum and maximum limitations specified in the preceding sentence shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors; and such exact number shall be six unless otherwise determined by a resolution so adopted by a majority of the entire Board of Directors. As used in this Certificate of Incorporation, the term “entire Board of Directors” means the total authorized number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies.
As of the Distribution Date (as defined in the Transaction Agreement dated as of November 22, 1996 among Corning Incorporated, Corning Life Sciences Inc., the Corporation, Covance and Corning Clinical Laboratories Inc. (Michigan) (the “Distribution Date”), the directors shall be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, with the term of office of the first class to expire at the 1998 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the term of office of the second class to expire at the 1999 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, and the terms of office of the third class to expire at the 2000 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Commencing with the 1998 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms have thereupon expired shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding Annual Meeting of Stockholders after their election. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation, the successors of the directors whose terms expire at that meeting shall be elected for a term expiring at the 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation; at the 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation, the successors of the directors whose terms expire at that meeting shall be elected for a term expiring at the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation; and at each annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation thereafter, the directors shall be elected for terms expiring at the next succeeding annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, with each director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. Commencing with the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation, the classification of the Board of Directors shall cease.
(b) Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock or any other class of capital stock of the Corporation (other than the Common Stock) then outstanding, vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from a newly created directorship, death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors of the entire Board of Directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by the sole remaining director. Any director so elected shall hold office until the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation (or, if so elected prior to the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation, until the next election of the class for which such directors shall have been chosen) and until his successor is elected and qualified. No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
(c) Whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately by series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall be governed by this Paragraph 5 unless expressly otherwise provided by the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation of such series.
(d) Until the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock or any other class of capital stock of the Corporation (other than the Common Stock) then outstanding, any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed by the stockholders from office at any time prior to the expiration of his term of office, but only for cause, and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of record of outstanding shares representing a majority of the voting power of all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation and subject to the other provisions of this Paragraph 5, the Board of Directors shall determine the rules and procedures that shall affect the Directors’ power to manage and direct the business and affairs of the Corporation. Without limiting the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall designate and empower committees of the Board of Directors, shall elect and empower the officers of the Corporation, may appoint and empower other officers and agents of the Corporation, and shall determine the time and place of, and the notice requirements for, Board meetings, as well as quorum and voting requirements for, and the manner of taking, Board actions.
6. Reserved.
7. Special Stockholder Meetings. Except as otherwise required by law, special meetings of the stockholders shall be called only by (a) the Board of Directors or (b) the Secretary, but only upon the written request of a stockholder or group of stockholders of record of the Corporation who own, as of the Stockholder Meeting Request Record Date (as defined below), at least fifteen percent (15%) in the aggregate of the Common Stock issued, outstanding and entitled to vote, who have owned that amount in a net long position continuously for at least one year, and who have complied in full with all of the requirements set forth in this Paragraph 7 and the Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Corporation (as amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”) (such request, a "Stockholder Meeting Request"). The record date for determining stockholders entitled to make a Stockholder Meeting Request shall be requested pursuant to a notice given in writing by a stockholder of record by delivery to the Secretary at the corporation’s principal executive offices (which notice shall comply in all respects with this Paragraph 7 and the Bylaws) and fixed by the Board of Directors as set forth in the Bylaws (the “Stockholder Meeting Request Record Date”). Any disposition by a requesting party (as defined below) after the date of the Stockholder Meeting Request or after a request to fix a Stockholder Meeting Request Record Date, as the case may be, of any shares of Common Stock (or, in the case of a stockholder making a Stockholder Meeting Request or a request to fix a Stockholder Meeting Request Record Date on behalf of the beneficial owner of shares, any disposition by such beneficial owner of beneficial ownership of such shares) shall be deemed a revocation of the Stockholder Meeting Request and any request to fix a Stockholder Meeting Request Record Date, as the case may be, with respect to such shares.
For the purposes of this Paragraph 7, “net long position” shall be determined with respect to each stockholder making a Stockholder Meeting Request and each beneficial owner, if any, who is directing such stockholder to act on such owner’s behalf (each stockholder and owner, a “requesting party”) in accordance with the definition thereof set forth in Rule 14e-4 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time (the “Exchange Act”), provided that (x) for purposes of such definition, in determining such requesting party’s “short position,” the reference in Rule 14e-4 to “the date that a tender offer is first publicly announced or otherwise made known by the bidder to holders of the security to be acquired” shall be deemed to be the Stockholder Meeting Request Record Date, and the reference to the “highest tender offer price or stated amount of the consideration offered for the subject security” shall be deemed to refer to the closing sales price of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange (or such other securities exchange designated by the Board of Directors if the Common Stock is not listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange) on such Stockholder Meeting Request
Record Date (or, if such date is not a trading day, the next succeeding trading day) and (y) the net long position of such requesting party shall be reduced by the number of shares as to which the Board of Directors determines that such requesting party does not, or will not, have the right to vote or direct the vote as of the Stockholder Meeting Request Record Date or as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting to be called pursuant to the Stockholder Meeting Request, or as to which the Board of Directors determines that such requesting party has entered into any derivative or other agreement, arrangement or understanding that hedges or transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such shares.
Whenever this Paragraph 7 or Paragraph 8 of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of the Bylaws requires one or more persons (including a record or beneficial owner of capital stock of the Corporation) to give or deliver any notice, request, consent (including any Consent (as defined below)), revocation, or any other documents or materials (the “Documents”) to the Corporation or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents, unless the Corporation consents or requests otherwise, such Documents shall be in writing and shall be delivered exclusively by hand (including, without limitation, overnight courier service) or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and not by electronic transmission or any other means. The Corporation shall not be required to accept delivery of any Document given by a stockholder or beneficial owner of capital stock of the Corporation pursuant to Paragraph 7 or Paragraph 8 or any provision of the Bylaws that is not (x) in written form and (y) delivered in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence. For the avoidance of doubt, with respect to any Document given by any such stockholder or beneficial owner to the Corporation pursuant to this Paragraph 7 or Paragraph 8 of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of the Bylaws, the Corporation expressly opts out of Section 116 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware to the fullest extent permitted by law.
8. Action by Written Consent.
(a) Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by stockholders at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting and without a vote if a Consent or Consents setting forth the action so taken shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation in the manner required by Section 228 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and this Certificate of Incorporation (each such consent, a ”Consent”); provided, however, that no such action of stockholders in lieu of a meeting may be taken or authorized except in accordance with this Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, and applicable law.
(b) In order for stockholders to authorize or take corporate action by consent in lieu of a meeting, a stockholder of record seeking to have stockholders authorize or take such action (a “Written Consent Requesting Stockholder”) shall deliver to the Secretary of the Corporation at its principal executive offices a written request containing the information required by this Paragraph 8 and the Bylaws (such request, a “Written Consent Request”). Stockholders shall not be entitled to authorize or take corporate action in lieu of a meeting unless the Corporation shall have first received Written Consent Requests from a stockholder or group of stockholders of record of the Corporation who own, as of the close of business on the date the first Written Consent Request is delivered to the Corporation (the “Written Consent Request Record Date”), at least fifteen percent (15%) in the aggregate of Common Stock issued, outstanding and entitled to vote and who have owned that position in a net long position continuously for at least one year (the “Requisite Percent”) in accordance with this Paragraph 8 and all other conditions and requirements under this Paragraph 8 and the Bylaws shall have been fully satisfied or complied with. For purposes of this Paragraph 8, “net long position” shall be determined with respect to each Written Consent Requesting Stockholder (and each beneficial owner, if any, who is directing such stockholder to act on such owner’s behalf in accordance with the definition thereof set forth in Rule 14e-4 under the Exchange Act; provided that (x) for purposes of such definition, in determining such Written Consent Requesting Stockholder’s (or beneficial owner’s) “short position,” the reference in Rule 14e-4 to “the date that a tender offer is first publicly announced or otherwise made known by the bidder to holders of the security to be
acquired” shall be deemed to be the Written Consent Request Record Date, and the reference to the “highest tender offer price or stated amount of the consideration offered for the subject security” shall be deemed to refer to the closing sales price of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange (or such other securities exchange designated by the Board of Directors if the Common Stock is not listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange) on such Written Consent Request Record Date (or, if such date is not a trading day, the next succeeding trading day) and (y) the net long position of such Written Consent Requesting Stockholder (or such beneficial owner) shall be reduced by the number of shares as to which the Board of Directors determines that such Written Consent Requesting Stockholder (or such beneficial owner) does not, or will not, have the right to vote or direct the vote as of the Written Consent Request Record Date or the Written Consent Record Date (as defined below), or as to which the Board of Directors determines that such Written Consent Requesting Stockholder (or such beneficial owner) has entered into any derivative or other agreement, arrangement or understanding that hedges or transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such shares. Following the date on which the Corporation shall have received Written Consent Request(s) representing the Requisite Percent in accordance herewith (the “Written Consent Request Effective Time”), the Board of Directors shall, by the later of (i) twenty (20) days after the Written Consent Request Effective Time and (ii) five (5) days after
delivery to the Corporation by any Written Consent Requesting Stockholder of any information requested by the Corporation to determine the validity of such Written Consent Request(s) (the later of the dates in the immediately preceding clauses (i) and (ii), the “Determination Outside Date”), determine the validity of such Written Consent Request(s) (including whether such Written Consent Requests were delivered in accordance with this Certificate of Incorporation and whether the proposed action is a proper matter for stockholder action under this Certificate of Incorporation) and, if appropriate, adopt a resolution fixing the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to the action(s) set forth in such Written Consent Request(s) (the “Written Consent Record Date”) (unless the Board of Directors shall have previously fixed such a Written Consent Record Date). The Written Consent Record Date shall be no more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing such record date is adopted by the Board of Directors and shall not precede the date upon which such resolution is adopted. If the Board of Directors determines that Written Consent Requests from Written Consent Requesting Stockholders representing the Requisite Percent have been validly delivered in accordance with this Certificate of Incorporation and relate to an action that may be effected by consent in lieu of a meeting pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation, or if no such determination shall have been made by the Determination Outside Date, and in either event no Written Consent Record Date has been fixed by the Board of Directors, the Written Consent Record Date shall be the first date following the Determination Outside Date on which a signed Consent relating to the action taken or proposed to be taken by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting pursuant to the Written Consent Request is delivered to the Corporation in accordance with paragraph (g) of this Paragraph 8 and applicable law.
(c) Each Written Consent Requesting Stockholder shall include with his, her or its Written Consent Request written evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation of his, her or its ownership of shares of Common Stock as of the Written Consent Request Record Date and continuous net long position as required by paragraph (b) of this Paragraph 8 (provided, however, that if any Written Consent Requesting Stockholder is not the beneficial owner of the shares as to which any Written Consent Request is made, then such Written Consent Request must also include documentary evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation as to such ownership by the beneficial owner on whose behalf such request is made). Each Written Consent Requesting Stockholder (or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf a Written Consent Request is made) must include with his, her or its Written Consent Request an agreement by such Written Consent Requesting Stockholder (or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf a Written Consent Request is made) to solicit Consents in accordance with paragraph (e) of this Paragraph 8; provided that an agreement by one such Written Consent Requesting Stockholder (or beneficial owner) shall be deemed to constitute such agreement on the part of all such Written Consent Requesting Stockholders. Each Written Consent Request must describe the action proposed to be taken by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting and contain all such information and representations, to the extent applicable, with respect to each Written Consent Requesting Stockholder (and each beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf a Written Consent Request is made) and the proposed action of stockholders by consent in lieu of a meeting as
would be required by the Bylaws to present any item of business (other than the election of directors) before a meeting of stockholders, as applicable, including, without limitation, a detailed summary of the proposed action to be taken (including the text of any resolutions to be adopted by written consent of stockholders and, if any resolution proposes to amend the Bylaws, the exact language of any such proposed amendment). The Corporation may require each Written Consent Requesting Stockholder to furnish such other information as may be requested by the Corporation to determine the validity of any Written Consent Request and whether any proposed action set forth in the Written Consent Request may be effected by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting under paragraph (d) of this Paragraph 8. In connection with an action or actions proposed to be taken by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting in accordance with this Paragraph 8 and applicable law, each Written Consent Requesting Stockholder shall further update and supplement the information previously provided to the Corporation in connection therewith so that it is true and correct (i) as of the Written Consent Record Date and (ii) as of each tenth day thereafter until the earlier of the date each action is duly adopted and the Consent Termination Date (as defined below), with such updated or supplemental information being delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation at its principal executive office in the manner required in this Paragraph 8 within five (5) business days after the date as of which the information is required to be updated or supplemented. Any Written Consent Requesting Stockholder may revoke his, her or its Written Consent Request at any time by written revocation delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation at the Corporation’s principal executive offices. Any disposition by a Written Consent Requesting Stockholder of any shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to consent to the action to which a Written Consent Request relates (or, in the case of a Written Consent Requesting Stockholder that has submitted a Written Consent Request on behalf of the beneficial owner of shares, a disposition by such beneficial owner of beneficial ownership of such shares) after the date of the Written Consent Request shall be deemed a revocation of his, her or its Written Consent Request with respect to such shares. If, at any time after the Written Consent Request Effective Time and before the Written Consent Certification Date (as defined below), the Written Consent Request(s) represent in the aggregate less than the Requisite Percent due to any revocation of a Written Consent Request or any deemed revocation of shares of Common Stock with respect to any such request, no Written Consent Record Date shall be fixed (and any Written Consent Record Date theretofore fixed shall be cancelled), and no action by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting as provided in such Written Consent Request(s) shall be taken pursuant thereto. In determining whether Written Consent Request(s) have been delivered by Written Consent Requesting Stockholders representing in the aggregate the Requisite Percent in accordance with this Paragraph 8, multiple Written Consent Requests delivered to the Secretary will be considered together only if each such Written Consent Request (x) identifies substantially the same purpose or purposes of the action proposed to be taken by consent of stockholders and substantially the same matters proposed to be taken by written consent of stockholders, as determined by the Board of Directors (which, if such purpose is the removal of one or more directors, will mean that each Written Consent Request includes an identical list of directors proposed to be removed by the action by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting that is the subject of the request), and (y) has been dated and delivered to the Secretary as provided herein on the Written Consent Request Record Date or within thirty (30) days thereafter.
(d) Stockholders shall not be entitled to act by consent in lieu of a meeting if (i) the action relates to an item of business that is not a proper subject for stockholder action under applicable law, (ii) the Written Consent Request Effective Time occurs during the period commencing one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the first anniversary of the annual meeting of stockholders for the immediately preceding annual meeting and ending on the thirtieth (30th) calendar day after the first anniversary of the date of the immediately preceding annual meeting, (iii) an identical or substantially similar item (as determined by the Board of Directors, a “Similar Item”) was presented at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation held not more than twelve (12) months before the Written Consent Request Record Date in respect of any Written Consent Request (provided that, for purposes of this clause (iii), an election of directors at any such meeting shall not be deemed to be a Similar Item with respect to any proposal to remove one or more directors), (iv) the action relates to a removal of directors occurring at any time within 90 days after any meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, (v) a Similar Item is included in the Corporation’s notice as an item of business to be brought before a meeting of stockholders that has been called by the Written Consent Request Record Date in respect of a
Written Consent Request but has not yet been held or that is called for a date within ninety (90) days after the Written Consent Request Effective Time, (vi) the Board of Directors calls an annual or special meeting of stockholders for purposes of presenting a Similar Item or solicits action by written consent of stockholders of a Similar Item pursuant to paragraph (i) of this Paragraph 8 or (vii) the Written Consent Request(s) otherwise giving rise to a Written Consent Request Effective Time were made in a manner that either did not comply with this Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws or involved a violation of Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act or other applicable law.
(e) Stockholders of the Corporation may take action by consent in lieu of a meeting only if consents are solicited by (i) the Board of Directors or (ii) the Written Consent Requesting Stockholder or group (or the beneficial owner(s), if any, on whose behalf any such Written Consent Requesting Stockholder is acting) seeking to take action by written consent of stockholders in accordance with this Paragraph 8, Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act (without reliance upon any exemption in Regulation 14A, including the exemption contained in clause (iv) of Rule 14a-1(l)(2) or Rule 14a-2(b) thereunder) (or any subsequent provisions replacing such act or regulations) and any other applicable law, from all holders of shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to give consent the proposed action.
(f) No Consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless such Consent is dated and delivered to the Corporation in accordance with this Paragraph 8 and applicable law and, within sixty (60) days after the first date on which a Consent is validly delivered in the manner required by paragraph (g) of this Paragraph 8 and applicable law (and in any event not later than one hundred and twenty (120) days after the Written Consent Record Date), Consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to take such action are so delivered to the Corporation. A Consent shall not be valid if it purports to provide (or if the person signing such Consent provides, through instructions to an agent or otherwise) that it will be effective at a future time or at a time determined upon the happening of an event.
(g) No Consents may be delivered to the Corporation until (i) sixty (60) days after the Written Consent Request Effective Time, or (ii) such later date as may be determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, which determination shall be conclusive and binding, in the event it concludes, consistent with its fiduciary duties, that additional time is required for stockholders to make an informed decision in connection with such Consent. Consents must be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation. In the event of the receipt by the Corporation of one or more Consents, the Secretary of the Corporation, or such other officer of the Corporation as the Board of Directors may designate, shall provide for the safe-keeping of such Consents and any related revocations and shall promptly conduct such ministerial review of the sufficiency of all Consents and any related revocations and of the validity of the action to be taken by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting as the Secretary of the Corporation or such other officer deems necessary or appropriate to determine whether the stockholders of a number of shares of capital stock having the requisite voting power to authorize or take the action specified in Consents have given consent. The Board of Directors may appoint an independent person to serve as inspector (“Inspector”) to conduct the ministerial review referenced in the immediately preceding sentence, and such Inspector shall provide a report with respect to such review to the Corporation promptly upon the completion thereof. Subject to paragraph (h) of this Paragraph 8, if, after completion of the review required by this paragraph (g), the Secretary of the Corporation or such other officer as the Board of Directors shall have designated shall determine that the action purported to have been taken is duly authorized by the Consents, the Secretary or such other officer shall certify that fact on the records of the Corporation kept for the purpose of recording the proceedings of meetings of stockholders and the Consents shall be filed in such records. No action by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting shall be effective until such date as the Secretary or such other officer certifies to the Corporation that the Consents delivered to the Corporation in accordance with this paragraph (g) represent at least the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to take the corporate action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, in accordance with the General Corporation Law, the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws (the “Written Consent Certification Date”).
(h) If the Board of Directors shall determine, which determination shall be conclusive and binding, that any Written Consent Request or any proposed action by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting was not properly made or effected in accordance with this Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws or applicable law, including, without limitation, due to the fact that one or more Written Consent Requests or Consents were not delivered in compliance with the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws or applicable law regulating action by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting, then the Board of Directors shall not be required to fix a Written Consent Record Date and any such purported action by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting shall be null and void to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Nothing contained in this Paragraph 8 shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any stockholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any Consent or related revocations, whether before or after such certification by the Secretary of the Corporation, such other officer of the Corporation as the Board of Directors may designate or the Inspectors, as the case may be, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement or prosecution of any action, suit or proceeding, or the defense of any litigation, with respect thereto, and the seeking of a declaratory judgment, injunctive relief or other remedy at law or in equity).
(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth above, (x) none of the foregoing provisions of this Paragraph 8 or any related provisions of the Bylaws shall apply to any solicitation of stockholder action by written consent by or at the direction of the Board of Directors and (y) the Board of Directors shall be entitled to solicit action by consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting in accordance with applicable law.
9. Bylaws. The Board of Directors shall have the right to make, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation, subject to the right of the stockholders of the Corporation to alter or repeal any Bylaw made by the Board of Directors.
10. Elections. The election of directors of the Corporation need not be by written ballot, unless the Bylaws of the Corporation otherwise provide.
11. Indemnification.
(a) No director of the Corporation shall have any personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that this provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
(b) Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action either in an official capacity as a director or officer or in any other capacity while serving as a director or officer, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expenses, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, excise taxes pursuant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided, however, that the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof)
was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. The right to be indemnified conferred in this Paragraph 11 shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that the payment of such expenses incurred by the director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is to be rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan), in advance of the final disposition of proceeding, shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this Paragraph or otherwise. The Corporation may also provide indemnification to employees and agents of the Corporation with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors and officers.
(c) The indemnification provided by this Paragraph 11 shall not limit or exclude any rights, indemnities or limitations of liability to which any person may be entitled, whether as a matter of law, under the By-Laws of the Corporation, by agreement, vote of the stockholders or disinterested directors of the Corporation or otherwise.
(d) If a claim under paragraph (b) of this Paragraph 11 is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty (60) days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard or conduct set forth in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(e) The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any such expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
12. Amendment or Repeal. In addition to any other vote required by law or this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to a series of Preferred Stock), the affirmative vote of the holders of record of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation representing at least a majority of the voting power of all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be required to amend, alter or repeal, or adopt any provision of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has caused this Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be executed by its duly authorized officer on this 10th day of August, 2022.
QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INCORPORATED
By:
William J. O’Shaughnessy, Jr.
Secretary
EXHIBIT 10.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INCORPORATED
EXECUTIVE OFFICER SEVERANCE PLAN
1. Purpose. The purpose of the Quest Diagnostics Incorporated Executive Officer Severance Plan (together with the attached schedules, appendices and exhibits, the “Plan”) is to secure the continued services of the executive officers of the Company and provide these executives with certain termination benefits in the event of a Qualifying Termination (as defined in Section 2) and to ensure their continued dedication to their duties in the event of any threat or occurrence of a Change in Control of the Company (as defined in Section 2).
2. Definitions. As used in this Plan, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:
(a) “Annual Performance Bonus” means the annual cash bonus awarded under the Company’s applicable incentive plans, as in effect from time to time (as of the date of adoption of this Plan the “Bonus” within the meaning of Section 5(a) of the Company’s Senior Management Incentive Plan, effective as of May 13, 2003 and under the Company’s Management Incentive Plan such plans referred to herein as the “Company Incentive Plan”).
(b) “Base Salary” means the Participant’s annual rate of base salary as in effect on the Date of Termination, provided, however, that Base Salary for the Termination Period shall mean the Participant’s highest annual rate of base salary during the twelve-month period immediately prior to the Participant’s Date of Termination.
(c) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company and, after a Change in Control, the “board of directors” of the surviving corporation. References herein to the Board include any committee or person to whom the Board has designated its authority.
(d) “Bonus Amount” means the Participant’s target Annual Performance Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Participant’s Date of Termination occurs, provided, however, that if the Participant’s Qualifying Termination is on account of Good Reason pursuant to a reduction in a Participant’s compensation or compensation opportunity under Section 2(k)(ii), “Bonus Amount” shall be the Participant’s target Annual Performance Bonus for the prior fiscal year if higher.
(e) “Cause” means (i) the willful and continued failure of the Participant to perform substantially his duties with the Company (other than any such failure resulting from the Participant’s incapacity due to physical or mental illness or any such failure subsequent to the Participant being delivered a notice of termination without Cause by the Company or delivering a notice of termination for Good Reason to the Company) after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to the Participant by or on behalf of the Board which specifically identifies the manner in which the Board believes that the Participant has not substantially performed his duties, (ii) the willful engaging by the Participant in illegal conduct or gross misconduct which is demonstrably and materially injurious to the Company or its affiliates, (iii) the engaging by the Participant in conduct or misconduct that materially harms the reputation or financial position of the Company, (iv) the Participant (x) obstructs or impedes, (y) endeavors to influence, obstruct or impede or (z) fails to materially cooperate with, an Investigation, (v) the commission of a felony by the Participant or (vi) the Participant is found liable in any Securities and Exchange Commission or other civil or criminal securities law action.
For purposes of this paragraph (e), no act or failure to act by the Participant shall be considered “willful” unless done or omitted to be done by the Participant in bad faith and without reasonable belief that the Participant’s action or omission was in the best interests of the Company or its affiliates. Any act, or failure to act, in accordance with authority duly given by the Board, based upon the advice of counsel for the Company (including counsel employed by the Company) shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Participant in good faith and in the best interests of the Company.
A Participant who is designated on Schedule A (and, after a Change in Control, a Participant who is designated on Schedule B) shall not be considered to have been terminated for Cause unless and until the Company has delivered to the Participant a copy of a resolution duly adopted by
three-quarters (3/4) of the entire Board (excluding the Participant from both the numerator and denominator if the Participant is a Board member) at a meeting of the Board called and held for such purpose (after reasonable notice to the Participant and an opportunity for the Participant, together with counsel, to be heard before the Board), finding that in the good faith opinion of the Board an event set forth in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), or (vi) has occurred and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, if, following a termination of the Participant’s employment by the Company for Cause based upon the conviction of the Participant for a felony, such conviction is overturned in a final determination on appeal, the Participant shall be entitled to the payments and the economic equivalent of the benefits the Participant would have received if his employment had been terminated by the Company without Cause.
(f) “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any one of the following events:
(i)any person is or becomes a “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d 3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 40% of the total voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities generally eligible to vote for the election of directors (the “Company Voting Securities”), provided, however, that any of the following acquisitions shall not be deemed to be a Change in Control: (1) by the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate, (2) by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate, (3) by any underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, or (4) pursuant to a Non-Qualifying Transaction (as defined in paragraph (ii));
(ii)the consummation of a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates that requires the approval of the Company’s stockholders whether for such transaction or the issuance of securities in the transaction (a “Business Combination”), unless immediately following such Business Combination:
(A)more than 50% of the total voting power of (x) the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (the “Surviving Corporation”), or (y) if applicable, the ultimate parent corporation that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of 95% of the voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Corporation (the “Parent Corporation”), is represented by Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which such Company Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Business Combination), and such voting power among the holders thereof is in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of such Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business Combination,
(B)no person (other than any employee benefit plan (or any related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Corporation or the Parent Corporation), is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) representing 40% of the total voting power of the securities then outstanding generally eligible to vote for the election of directors of the Parent Corporation (or the Surviving Corporation), and
(C)at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) following the consummation of the Business Combination were Incumbent Directors at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination;
(Any Business Combination which satisfies all of the criteria specified in (A), (B) and (C) above
shall be deemed to be a “Non-Qualifying Transaction”);
(iii)individuals who, on the effective date of this Plan, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to the effective date of this Plan, whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without written objection to such nomination) shall be an Incumbent director; provided, however, that no individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any person other than the Board shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director; or
(iv)the shareholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or the consummation of a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to an entity that is not an affiliate of the Company (other than pursuant to a Non-Qualifying Transaction).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control of the Company shall not be deemed to occur solely because any person acquires beneficial ownership of more than 40% of Company Voting Securities as a result of the acquisition of Company Voting Securities by the Company which reduces the number of Company Voting Securities outstanding; provided, that if after such acquisition by the Company such person becomes the beneficial owner of additional Company Voting Securities that increases the percentage of outstanding Company Voting Securities beneficially owned by such person, a Change in Control of the Company shall then occur.
(g) “Company” means Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, a Delaware corporation.
(h) “Date of Termination” means (i) the effective date on which the Participant’s employment by the Company terminates as specified in a prior written notice by the Company or the Participant, as the case may be, to the other, delivered pursuant to Section 12 or (ii) if the Participant’s employment by the Company terminates by reason of death, the date of death of the Participant.
(i) “Disability” shall have the same meaning ascribed to that term in Section 22(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(j) “Equity Incentive Compensation” means all equity-based compensation (including stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and performance shares) awarded under the Company’s incentive plan(s), as in effect from time to time (as of the date of adoption of this Plan the Amended and Restated Employee Long-Term Incentive Plan).
(k) “Good Reason” means the occurrence of one or more of the following circumstances, without the Participant’s express written consent, and which circumstance(s) are not remedied by the Company within thirty (30) days of receipt of a written notice from the Participant describing in reasonable detail the Good Reason event that has occurred (which notice must be provided within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s obtaining knowledge of the event):
(i) (A) any material change in the duties, responsibilities or status (including reporting
responsibilities) of the Participant that is inconsistent in any material and adverse respect with the Participant’s position(s), duties, responsibilities or authority with the Company immediately prior to such Change in Control (including any material and adverse diminution of such duties or responsibilities); provided, however, that Good Reason shall not be deemed to occur upon a change in duties, responsibilities (other than reporting responsibilities) or status that is solely and directly a result of the Company no longer being a publicly traded entity and does not involve any other event set forth in this Section 2(k) or (B) a material and adverse change in the Participant’s titles or offices (including, if applicable, membership on the Board) with the Company as in effect immediately prior to such Change in Control;
(ii) a material reduction by the Company in the Participant’s aggregate rate of annual base salary, Annual Performance Bonus opportunity and Equity Incentive Compensation target opportunity (including any material and adverse change in the formula for such targets) as in effect immediately prior to such Change in Control;
(iii) the Company’s requiring the Participant to be based at any office or location more than fifty (50) miles from the office where the Participant is located at the time of the Change in Control and as a result causing the Participant’s commute from his residence at the time of the Change in Control to the new location to increase by more than fifty (50) miles;
(iv) the failure of the Company to continue in effect any employee benefit plan, compensation plan, welfare benefit plan or fringe benefit plan in which the Participant is participating immediately prior to such Change in Control or the taking of any action by the Company, in each case which would materially adversely affect the Participant, unless the Participant is permitted to participate in other plans providing the Participant with materially equivalent benefits in the aggregate (at materially equivalent or lower cost with respect to welfare benefit plans); or
(v) the failure of the Company to obtain the assumption of the Company’s obligations hereunder from any successor as contemplated in Section 11(b).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent action taken in good faith and which is remedied by the Company within thirty (30) days after receipt of notice thereof given by the Participant shall not constitute Good Reason. The Participant’s right to terminate employment for Good Reason shall not be affected by the Participant’s incapacities due to mental or physical illness and the Participant’s continued employment shall not constitute consent to, or a waiver of rights with respect to, any event or condition constituting Good Reason. The Participant may terminate his employment for a “Good Reason” event that is not reasonably remedied by the Company provided that the Participant shall have delivered a notice of termination within ninety (90) days after delivery of the notice describing the Good Reason event giving rise to such termination.
(l) “Investigation” means an investigation authorized by the Board, a self-regulatory organization empowered with self-regulatory responsibilities under federal or state laws or a governmental department or agency.
(m) “Participant” means an executive officer of the Company selected, from time to time, by the Board for participation in this Plan and who is designated on Schedule A or B at the applicable time but only if such executive has completed at least one year of continuous employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries at the applicable time (unless such one year employment requirement has been waived in writing by the Board).
(n) “Potential Change in Control” means the execution or entering into of any agreement by the Company the consummation of which can be expected to be a Change in Control.
(o) “Qualifying Termination” means a termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company that occurs on or after January 1, 2008 (i) prior to a Change in Control, by the Company other than for Cause and (ii) after a Change in Control, by the Company other than for Cause or by the Participant for Good Reason. Termination of the Participant’s employment on account of death, Disability or Retirement shall not be treated as a Qualifying Termination. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the death of the Participant after notice of termination for Good Reason or without Cause has been validly provided shall be deemed to be a Qualifying Termination.
(p) “Retirement” means the Participant’s voluntary termination of employment on or after he or she attains age 60 with five (5) years of service.
(q) “Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect ownership interest of 50% or more of the total combined voting power of the then outstanding securities or interests of such corporation or other entity entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (or members of any similar governing body) or in which the Company has the right to receive 50% or more of the distribution of profits or 50% of the assets or liquidation or dissolution.
(r) “Termination Period” means the period of time beginning with a Change in Control and ending two (2) years following such Change in Control. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, if (i) the Participant’s employment is terminated prior to a Change in Control for reasons that would have constituted a Qualifying Termination if they had occurred following a Change in Control; (ii) the Participant reasonably demonstrates that such termination (or Good Reason event) was at the request of a third party who had indicated an intention or taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control; and (iii) a Change in Control involving such third party (or a party competing with such third party to effectuate a Change in Control) does occur within six (6) months from the date of such termination, then for purposes of this Plan, the date immediately prior to the date of such termination of employment or event constituting Good Reason shall be treated as a Change in Control. For purposes of determining the timing of payments and benefits to the Participant under Section 5, the date of the actual Change in Control shall be treated as the Participant’s Date of Termination under Section 2(h), and for purposes of determining the amount of payments and benefits owed to the Participant under Section 5, the date the Participant’s employment is actually terminated shall be treated as the Participant’s Date of Termination under Section 2(h).
3. Eligibility. (a) The Board shall determine in its sole discretion which executives of the Company shall be Participants in this Plan and whether a Participant shall be designated on Schedule A or B.
(b) The Board may, in its sole discretion, remove any executive from Schedule A and add such executive to Schedule B but may not remove any executive from participation in this Plan entirely; provided, that a Participant who is designated on Schedule A as of immediately prior to a Change in Control may not be removed from such Schedule without his or her prior written consent within the two year period following a Change in Control.
(c) The Board may delegate its authority to determine which senior executives of the Company shall be Participants in this Plan, to designate the Participants on Schedule A or B and to remove a Participant from Schedule A to the Compensation Committee (or any successor committee) of the Board.
4. Payments Upon Termination of Employment Prior to a Change in Control. If the
employment of the Participant is terminated pursuant to a Qualifying Termination, then, subject to the Participant’s execution of a Separation Agreement and Release in the form attached to this Plan as Exhibit A (the “Separation Agreement and Release”) which shall be provided to the Participant no later than two (2) days after the Date of Termination and must be executed by the Participant, become effective and not be revoked by the Participant by the fifty-fifth (55th) day following the Date of Termination, the Company shall provide to the Participant:
(a) A cash payment equal to the Participant’s Base Salary multiplied by either (i) 2.00 for a Participant designated on Schedule A or (ii) 1.00 for a Participant designated on Schedule B;
(b) A cash payment equal to the Bonus Amount times (i) 2.00 for a Participant designated on Schedule A or (ii) 1.00 for a Participant designated on Schedule B;
(c) For eighteen (18) months for a Participant designated on Schedule A or (ii) twelve (12) months for a Participant designated on Schedule B, following the Date of Termination, group medical and life insurance coverage to the Participant (and his eligible dependents), under the terms prevailing at the time immediately preceding the Date of Termination; the Company shall continue to provide such coverage on the same terms as provided by the Company to similarly situated executives; provided, that the Company shall cease to provide such coverage if the Participant obtains alternate employment and is eligible for substantially comparable group medical or life insurance coverage with such employer; provided further, that the Participant shall notify the Company within 10 days of securing such alternate employment; provided further, that in the event of the disability of the Participant, group medical coverage shall continue for a longer period consistent with the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (“COBRA”) and, provided, further, to the extent that any plan does not permit continuation of the Participant’s or his eligible dependents’ participation throughout such period, the Company shall pay the Participant an amount, on an after-tax basis, equal to the Company’s cost of providing such benefits;
(d) For one (1) year following the Date of Termination, the Participant will be entitled to receive executive outplacement assistance from Lee Hecht Harrison or an equivalent career placement firm at the Company’s expense and in accordance with the Company’s policies for similarly situated executives; and
(e) A cash payment equal to any matching contributions made by the Company on behalf of the Participant to the Company’s 401(k) plan and the Company’s Supplemental Deferred Compensation Plan during the year preceding the Date of Termination.
The cash payments specified in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (e) of this Section 4 shall be paid no later than the sixtieth (60th) day (or the next following business day if the sixtieth day is not a business day) following the Date of Termination, but may be made earlier provided that the Separation Agreement has been executed by the Participant and the revocation period thereunder has lapsed. Each such cash payment shall be deemed to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
5. Payments Upon Termination of Employment After a Change in Control. If during the Termination Period the employment of the Participant is terminated pursuant to a Qualifying Termination, then, subject to the Participant’s execution of a Separation Agreement and Release which shall be provided to the Participant no later than two (2) days after the Date of Termination and must be
executed by the Participant, become effective and not be revoked by the Participant by the fifty-fifth (55th) day following the Date of Termination, the Company shall provide to the Participant:
(a) A cash payment equal to the result of multiplying the sum of the Participant’s Base Salary plus the Participant’s Bonus Amount by (i) either 3.00 for a Participant designated on Schedule A or (ii) 2.00 for a Participant designated on Schedule B; and
(b) A cash payment equal to the Participant’s target Annual Performance Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Participant’s Date of Termination occurs, multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the number of days the Participant was employed by the Company during the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurred and the denominator of which is 365;
(c) The benefits and payments specified in paragraphs (c), (d) and (e) of Section 4.
(d) The provisions of Appendix A shall apply if a Participant listed on Schedule A or Schedule B is subject to the Excise Tax, as defined in Appendix A.
The cash payments specified in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 5 shall be paid no later than the sixtieth (60th) day (or the next following business day if the sixtieth day is not a business day) following the Date of Termination, but may be made earlier provided that the Separation Agreement has been executed by the Participant and the revocation period thereunder has lapsed. Each such cash payment shall be deemed to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Code.
6. Key Employees. It is the intent of the Company that no payments or benefits provided under this Plan shall be considered “non-qualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the Plan shall be interpreted accordingly. If and to the extent that any payment or benefit is determined by the Company (a) to constitute “non-qualified deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code, (b) such payment or benefit is provided to a Participant who is a “specified employee” (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and as determined pursuant to procedures established by the Company) and (c) such payment or benefit must be delayed for six months from the Participant’s Date of Termination (or an earlier date) in order to comply with Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code and not cause the Participant to incur any additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, then the Company will delay making any such payment or providing such benefit until the expiration of such six month period. The Company shall set aside those payments that would have been made but for payment delay required by the preceding sentence in a trust that is in compliance with Rev. Proc. 92‑64 which may, but need not be, the trust established under the Company’s Supplemental Deferred Compensation Plan; provided, however, that no payment will be made to the Rabbi Trust if it would be contrary to law or cause the Participant to incur additional tax under Section 409A.
7. Participant’s Obligations. The Participant agrees that:
(a) Without the consent of the Company, the Participant will not terminate employment with the Company without giving 30 days prior notice to the Company, and during such 30‑day period the Participant will assist the Company, as and to the extent reasonably requested by the Company, to effect an orderly transition of the Participant’s duties and responsibilities with the Company.
(b) In the event that the Participant has received any benefits from the Company under Section 4 of this Agreement, then, during the period of 36 months following the Date of Termination, the Participant, upon request by the Company:
(i) Will consult with one or more of the executive officers concerning the business and affairs of the Company for not to exceed four hours in any month at times and places selected by the Participant as being convenient to him or her, all without compensation other than what is provided for in Section 4 of this Agreement; and
(ii) Will testify as a witness on behalf of the Company in any legal proceedings involving the Company which arise out of events or circumstances that occurred or existed prior to the Date of Termination (except for any such proceedings relating to this Plan), without compensation other than what is provided for in Section 4 of this Agreement; provided, that all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Participant in connection with serving as a witness shall be paid by the Company.
The Participant shall not be required to perform the Participant’s obligations under this Section 7 if and so long as the Company is in default with respect to performance of any of its obligations under this Agreement.
8. Withholding Taxes. The Company may withhold from all payments due to the Participant (or his beneficiary or estate) hereunder all taxes which, by applicable federal, state, local or other law, the Company is required to withhold therefrom.
9. Reimbursement of Expenses. Following a Change in Control, if any contest or dispute shall arise under this Plan involving termination of a Participant’s employment with the Company or involving the failure or refusal of the Company to perform fully in accordance with the terms hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Participant on a current basis for all reasonable legal fees and related expenses, if any, incurred by the Participant in connection with such contest or dispute (regardless of the result thereof), together with interest in an amount equal to the prime rate as reported in The Wall Street Journal, but in no event higher than the maximum legal rate permissible under applicable law, such interest to accrue thirty (30) days from the date the Company receives the Participant’s statement for such fees and expenses through the date of payment thereof, regardless of whether or not the Participant’s claim is upheld by a court of competent jurisdiction or an arbitration panel; provided, however, that the Participant shall be required to repay immediately any such amounts to the Company to the extent that a court or an arbitration panel issues a final and non-appealable order setting forth the determination that the position taken by the Participant was frivolous or advanced by the Participant in bad faith.
10. No Guarantee of Employment. Nothing in this Plan shall be deemed to entitle the Participant to continued employment with the Company or its Subsidiaries.
11. Successors; Binding Agreement. (a) This Plan shall not be terminated by any Business Combination. In the event of any Business Combination, the provisions of this Plan shall be binding upon the Surviving Corporation, and such Surviving Corporation shall be treated as the Company hereunder.
(b) The Company agrees that in connection with any Business Combination, it will cause any successor entity to the Company unconditionally to assume all of the obligations of the Company hereunder. Failure of the Company to obtain such assumption prior to the effectiveness of any such Business Combination that constitutes a Change in Control, shall be a breach of this Plan and shall constitute Good Reason hereunder and shall entitle the Participant to compensation and other benefits from the Company in the same amount and on the same terms as the Participant would be entitled hereunder if the Participant’s employment were terminated following a Change in Control by reason of a Qualifying Termination. For purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date on which any such Business Combination becomes effective shall be deemed the date Good Reason occurs, and shall be the Date of Termination if requested by a Participant.
(c) The benefits provided under this Plan shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Participant’s personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees. If the Participant shall die while any amounts would be payable to the Participant hereunder had the Participant continued to live, all such amounts, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Plan to such person or persons appointed in writing by the Participant to receive such amounts or, if no person is so appointed, to the Participant’s estate.
12. Notice. (a) For purposes of this Plan, all notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered or five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, certified and return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If to the Participant: the address listed as the Participant’s address in the Company’s personnel files.
If to the Company:
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
1290 Wall Street West
Lyndhurst, NJ 07071
Attention: General Counsel
or to such other address as either party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith, except that notices of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.
(b) A written notice of the Participant’s Date of Termination by the Company or the Participant, as the case may be, to the other, shall (i) indicate the specific termination provision in this Plan relied upon, (ii) to the extent applicable, set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Participant’s employment under the provision so indicated and (iii) specify the date of termination, which date shall be not less than fifteen (15) nor more than sixty (60) days after the giving of such notice; provided, however, that the Company may in its sole discretion accelerate such date to an earlier date or, alternatively, place the Participant on paid leave during such period. The failure by the Participant or the Company to set forth in such notice any fact or circumstance which contributes to a showing of Good Reason or Cause shall not waive any right of the Participant or the Company hereunder or preclude the Participant or the Company from asserting such fact or circumstance in enforcing the Participant’s or the Company’s rights hereunder.
13. Full Settlement; Resolution of Disputes and Costs. (a) The Company’s obligation to make any payments provided for in this Plan and otherwise to perform its obligations hereunder shall be in lieu and in full settlement of all other severance payments to the Participant under any other severance or employment agreement between the Participant and the Company, and any severance plan of the Company. In no event shall the Participant be obligated to seek other employment or take other action by way of mitigation of the amounts payable to the Participant under any of the provisions of this Plan and, except as provided in the Separation Agreement and Release, such amounts shall not be reduced whether or not the Participant obtains other employment.
(b) Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Plan shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in New Jersey by three arbitrators in accordance with the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) then in effect. One arbitrator shall be selected by the Company, the other by the Participant and the third jointly by these arbitrators (or if they are unable to agree within thirty (30) days of the commencement of arbitration the third arbitrator will be appointed by the AAA). Judgment may be entered on the arbitrators’ award in any court having jurisdiction. In the event of any such dispute or controversy arising during a Termination Period, the Company shall bear all costs and expenses arising in connection with any arbitration proceeding on the same terms as set forth in Section 9 of this Plan.
14. Employment with Subsidiaries. Employment with the Company for purposes of this Plan shall include employment with any Subsidiary.
15. Survival. The respective obligations and benefits afforded to the Company and the Participant as provided in Sections 4 (to the extent that payments or benefits are owed as a result of a termination of employment that occurs during the term of this Plan) 5, 6, 8(c) and 10 shall survive the termination of this Plan.
16. GOVERNING LAW; VALIDITY. THE INTERPRETATION, CONSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE OF THIS PLAN SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLE OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS, AND APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAWS. THE INVALIDITY OR UNENFORCEABILITY OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS PLAN SHALL NOT AFFECT THE VALIDITY OR ENFORCEABILITY OF ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS PLAN, WHICH OTHER PROVISIONS SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT.
17. Amendment and Termination. The Board may amend or terminate the Plan at any time; provided, however, that (i) Sections 3(b), 4(a) and 4(b) may not be amended in a manner which is materially adverse to any Participant then listed on Schedule A or B without such Participant's written consent, (ii) during the period commencing on a Change in Control and ending on the second anniversary of the Change in Control, the Plan (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Schedules, Appendices and Exhibits) may not be amended or terminated by the Board in any manner which is materially adverse to any Participant then listed on Schedule A or B without such Participant's written consent and (iii) any termination or amendments to the Plan (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Schedules, Appendices and Exhibits) that are materially adverse to the interests of any Participant then listed on Schedule A or B, and that occur during the period of time beginning on a date three (3) months prior to a Potential Change
in Control and ending on the termination of the agreement that constituted the Potential Change in Control, shall be void unless consented to in writing by the affected Participant.
18. Interpretation and Administration. The Plan shall be administered by the Board. The Board may delegate any of its powers under the Plan to the Compensation Committee of the Board (or any successor committee). With respect to those Participants who are not subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the Committee may delegate any of its powers under the Plan to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. The Board, the Compensation Committee (or any successor committee) and the Chief Executive Officer (to the extent of the powers delegated to him) shall have the authority in its sole and absolute discretion to: (i) exercise all of the powers granted to it under this Plan; (ii) construe, interpret and implement this Plan; (iii) prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to this Plan, including rules and regulations governing its own operations; (iv) make all determinations necessary or advisable in administering this Plan; (v) correct any defect, supply any omission and reconcile any inconsistency in this Plan; and (vi) amend this Plan to reflect changes in or interpretations of applicable law, rules or regulations. The determination of the Board on all matters relating to the Plan and any amounts payable thereunder shall be final, binding and conclusive on all parties; provided, however, that following a Change in Control, notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, any court, tribunal or arbitration panel that adjudicates any dispute, controversy or claim arising between a Participant and the Company, or any of their delegates or successors, in respect of a Participant’s Qualifying Termination, will apply a de novo standard of review to any determinations made by such person and such de novo standard shall apply notwithstanding the grant of full discretion hereunder to any such person or characterization of any such decision by such person as final, binding or conclusive on any party.
19. Claims and Appeals. Participants may submit claims for benefits by giving notice to the Company pursuant to Section 12 of this Plan. If a Participant believes that he or she has not received coverage or benefits to which he or she is entitled under the Plan, the Participant may notify the Board in writing of a claim for coverage or benefits. If the claim for coverage or benefits is denied in whole or in part, the Board shall notify the applicant in writing of such denial within thirty (30) days (which may be extended to sixty (60) days under special circumstances), with such notice setting forth: (i) the specific reasons for the denial; (ii) the Plan provisions upon which the denial is based; (iii) any additional material or information necessary for the applicant to perfect his or her claim; and (iv) the procedures for requesting a review of the denial. Upon a denial of a claim by the Board, the Participant may: (i) request a review of the denial by the Board or, where review authority has been so delegated, by such other person or entity as may be designated by the Board for this purpose; (ii) review any Policy documents relevant to his or her claim; and (iii) submit issues and comments to the Board or its delegate that are relevant to the review. Any request for review must be made in writing and received by the Board or its delegate within sixty (60) days of the date the applicant received notice of the initial denial, unless special circumstances require an extension of time for processing. The Board or its delegate will make a written ruling on the applicant’s request for review setting forth the reasons for the decision and the Plan provisions upon which the denial, if appropriate, is based. This written ruling shall be made within thirty (30) days of the date the Board or its delegate receives the applicant’s request for review unless special circumstances require an extension of time for processing, in which case a decision will be rendered as soon as possible, but not later than sixty (60) days after receipt of the request for review. All extensions of time permitted by this Section 16 will be permitted at the sole discretion of the Board or its delegate. If the Board does not provide the Participant with written notice of the denial of his or her appeal, the Participant’s claim shall be deemed denied.
20. Type of Policy. This Plan is intended to be, and shall be interpreted as an unfunded employee welfare plan under Section 3(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) and Section 2520.104‑24 of the Department of Labor Regulations, maintained primarily for the purpose of providing employee welfare benefits, to the extent that it provides welfare benefits, and under Sections 201, 301 and 401 of ERISA, as a plan that is unfunded and maintained primarily for the purpose of providing deferred compensation, to the extent that it provides such compensation, in each case for a select group of management or highly compensated employees.
21. No Duplication of Benefits. Except as otherwise expressly provided pursuant to this Plan, this Plan shall be construed and administered in a manner which avoids duplication of compensation and benefits which may be provided under any other plan, program, policy, or other arrangement. In the event a Participant is covered by any other plan, program, policy, individually negotiated agreement or other arrangement, in effect as of his or her Date of Termination, that may duplicate the payments provided in Sections 4 or 5, as applicable, the Company is specifically empowered to reduce or eliminate the duplicative benefits provided for under the Plan. In taking such action, the
Company will be guided by the principles that (1) such a Participant will otherwise be treated, for the purpose of the Sections specified above, no more or no less favorably than are other Participants who are not covered by such other plan, program, policy, individually negotiated agreement or other arrangement and (2) the provisions of such other plan, program, policy, individually negotiated agreement or other arrangement (including, but not limited to, a special individual pension, a special deferral account and/or a special equity based grant) which are not duplicative of the payments provided in Sections 4 or 5, as applicable, will not be considered in determining elimination and/or reductions in Plan benefits.
22. Nonassignability. Benefits under the Plan may not be assigned by the Participant. The terms and conditions of the Plan shall be binding on the successors and assigns of the Company.
23. Effective Date. The Plan, as amended and restated, shall be effective as of May 10, 2012.
Schedule A
Stephen H. Rusckowski Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President
Michael E. Prevoznik Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Schedule B
James E. Davis CEO-Elect
Sam A. Samad Executive President and Chief Financial Officer
Catherine T. Doherty Senior Vice President, Regional Businesses
Appendix A
Cutback to 280G Safe Harbor Cap in Certain Circumstances -
Schedule A and Schedule B Participants
(a) Anything in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event it shall be determined that (i) any payment, award, benefit or distribution (or any acceleration of any payment, award, benefit or distribution) by the Company (or any of its affiliated entities) or any entity which effectuates a Change in Control (or any of its affiliated entities) to or for the benefit of the Participant (whether pursuant to the terms of this Plan or otherwise) (the “Payments”) would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (such excise tax, the “Excise Tax”), and (ii) the reduction of the amounts payable to the Participant under this Plan to the maximum amount that could be paid to the Participant without giving rise to the Excise Tax (the “Safe Harbor Cap”) would provide the Participant with a greater after-tax amount than if such amounts were not reduced, then the amounts payable to the Participant under this Plan shall be reduced (but not below zero) to the Safe Harbor Cap. The reduction of the Payments, if applicable, shall be made by reducing the payments and benefits under the following sections of this Plan in the following order: (i) Section 5(a), (ii) Section 5(b) and (iii) Section 5(c) (in the order set forth in such Section 5(c)). For purposes of reducing the Payments to the Safe Harbor Cap, only amounts payable under this Plan (and no other Payments) shall be reduced. If the reduction of the amounts payable hereunder would not result in a greater after tax result to the Participant, no amounts payable under this Plan shall be reduced pursuant to this provision.
(b) All determinations required to be made under this Appendix A shall be made by a public accounting firm that is retained by the Company as of the date immediately prior to the Change in Control (the “Accounting Firm”) which shall provide detailed supporting calculations both to the Company and the Participant within fifteen (15) business days of the receipt of notice from the Company or the Participant that there has been a Payment, or such earlier time as is requested by the Company (collectively, the “Determination”). For the avoidance of doubt, the Accounting Firm may use the Option Redetermination Amount (as defined in paragraph (c), below) in determining the reduction of the Payments to the Safe Harbor Cap. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event (i) the Board shall determine prior to the Change in Control that the Accounting Firm is precluded from performing such services under applicable auditor independence rules or (ii) the Audit Committee of the Board determines that it does not want the Accounting Firm to perform such services because of auditor independence concerns or (iii) the Accounting Firm is serving as accountant or auditor for the person(s) effecting the Change in Control, the Board shall appoint another nationally recognized public accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder (which accounting firm shall then be referred to as the Accounting Firm hereunder). All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Company, and the Company shall enter into any agreement reasonably requested by the Accounting Firm in connection with the performance of the services hereunder. If the Accounting Firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable by a Participant, it shall furnish the Participant with a written opinion to such effect, and to the effect that failure to report the Excise Tax, if any, on the Participant’s applicable federal income tax return will not result in the imposition of a negligence or similar penalty. In the event the Accounting Firm determines that the Payments shall be reduced to the Safe Harbor Cap, it shall furnish the Participant with a written opinion to such effect. The Determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and the Participant.
(c) As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of the Code at the time of the Determination, it is possible that Payments will have been made to, or provided for the benefit of, a Participant by the Company, which are in excess of the limitations provided in Paragraph (a) (hereinafter referred to as an “Overpayment”), such Overpayment shall be deemed for all purposes to be a loan to the Participant made on the date the Participant received the Overpayment and the Participant shall repay the Overpayment to the Company on demand, together with interest on the Overpayment at the applicable federal rate (as defined in Section 1274(d) of the Code) from the date of the Participant’s receipt of such Overpayment until the date of such repayment. As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of the Code at the time of the Determination, it is possible that Payments which will not have been made by the Company should have been made to a Participant (an “Underpayment”), consistent with the calculations required to be made under this Appendix A. In the event that it is determined (i) by the Accounting Firm, the Company (which shall include the position taken by the Company, or together with its consolidated group, on its federal income tax return) or the IRS or (ii) pursuant to a determination by a court, that an Underpayment has occurred, the Company shall pay an amount equal to such Underpayment to the Participant within ten (10) days of such determination together with interest on such amount at the applicable federal rate from the date such amount would have been paid to the Participant until the date of payment. The Participant shall cooperate, to the extent his or her expenses are reimbursed by the Company, with any reasonable requests by the Company in connection with any contests or disputes with the IRS in connection with the Excise Tax. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that amounts payable under this Plan were
reduced pursuant to Paragraph (a) and the value of stock options is subsequently redetermined by the Accounting Firm within the context of Treasury Regulation §1.280G-1 Q/A 33 that reduces the value of the Payments attributable to such options (the “Option Redetermination Amount”), the Company shall pay to the Participant (on the first business day of the calendar year following the year the Option Redetermination is made) any cash payments payable under this Plan that were not previously paid solely as a result of Paragraph (a) up to the Safe Harbor Cap, plus interest from the date such amount would have been paid to the participant until the date of payment at the 3 month Treasury Bill rate.
Exhibit A
FORM OF SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND RELEASE
(HEREIN “AGREEMENT”)
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (the “Company”) and _______________ (“Executive”) agree as follows:
1.Executive’s employment with the Company will terminate effective [Date].
2. Executive agrees to make himself reasonably available to the Company to respond to requests by the Company for information concerning litigation, regulatory inquiry or investigation, involving facts or events relating to the Company that may be within his knowledge. Executive will cooperate fully with the Company in connection with any and all future litigation or regulatory proceedings brought by or against the Company to the extent the Company reasonably deems Executive’s cooperation necessary. Executive will be entitled to reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (not including counsel fees) incurred in connection with fulfilling his obligations under this Section 2.
3. In consideration of Executive’s undertakings herein, the Company will pay an amount equal to $____________ in accordance with Section 4 of the Company’s Executive Severance Plan (the “Severance Plan”), less required deductions (including, but not limited to, federal, state and local tax withholdings) as separation/severance pay (the “Severance Payment”). The Severance Payment will be paid in accordance with the Severance Plan. Payment of the Severance Payment is contingent upon the execution of this Agreement by Executive and Executive’s compliance with all terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Severance Plan. Executive agrees that if this Agreement does not become effective, the Company shall not be required to make any further payments to Executive pursuant to this Agreement or the Severance Plan and shall be entitled to recover all payments already made by it (including interest thereon).
4. Executive understands and agrees that any amounts that Executive owes the Company, including any salary or other overpayments related to Executive’s employment with the Company, will be offset and deducted from Executive’s final paycheck from the Company. Executive specifically authorizes the Company to offset and deduct any such amounts from his final paycheck. Executive agrees and acknowledges that, to the extent the amount of Executive’s final paycheck is not sufficient to repay the full amount that Executive owes to the Company, if any, the full remaining amount owed to the Company, if any, will be offset and deducted from the amount of the Severance Payment. Executive specifically authorizes the Company to offset and deduct any such amounts from his Severance Payment.
5. Executive agrees that, after payment of Executive’s final paycheck on [Date] and the Severance Payment, Executive will have received all compensation and benefits that are due and owing to Executive by the Company, including but not limited to salary, vacation pay, bonus, commissions and incentive/override compensation but excluding any benefits or services provided pursuant to Sections 4(e) and 4(f) of the Severance Plan.
6. Executive represents that he has returned to the Company all property or information, including, without limitation, all reports, files, memos, plans, lists, or other records (whether electronically stored or not) belonging to the Company or its affiliates, including copies, extracts or other documents derived from such property or information. Executive will immediately forfeit all rights and benefits under this Agreement and the Severance Plan, including, without limitation, the right to receive any Severance Payment if Executive, directly or indirectly, at any time (i) discloses to any third party or entity any trade secrets or other proprietary or confidential information pertaining to the Company or any of its affiliates or uses such secrets or information without the prior written consent of the General Counsel of the Company or (ii) takes any actions or makes or publishes any statements, written or oral, or instigates, assists or participates in the making or publication of any such statements which libel, slander or disparage the Company or any of its past or present directors, officers or employees.
Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or prohibit Executive or the Company from responding to an order, subpoena, other legal process or regulatory inquiry directed to them or from providing information to or making a filing with a governmental or regulatory body. Executive agrees that upon learning of any order, subpoena or other legal process seeking information that would otherwise be prohibited from disclosure under this Agreement, he will promptly notify the Company, in writing, directed to the Company’s General Counsel. In the event disclosure is so required, Executive agrees not to oppose any action by the Company to seek or obtain a protective order or other appropriate remedy.
7. Executive agrees that Executive’s Employment and Confidentiality Agreement (the “Employment and Confidentiality Agreement”) shall continue to be in full force and effect, including but not limited to all non-competition and non-solicitation provisions contained therein.
8. Executive hereby represents that he has not filed any action, complaint, charge, grievance or arbitration against the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with any matters relating, directly or indirectly, to his employment, and covenants and agrees not to file any such action, complaint or arbitration or commence any other judicial or arbitral proceedings against the Company or any of its affiliates with respect to events occurring prior to the termination of his employment with the Company or any affiliates thereof.
9. Effective on [Date], the Company will cease all health benefit coverage and other benefit coverage for Executive.
10. GENERAL RELEASE - Effective as of the Effective Date, and in return for the consideration set forth above, Executive agrees not to sue or file any action, claim, or lawsuit against the Company, agrees not to pursue, seek to recover or recover any alleged damages, seek to obtain or obtain any other form of relief or remedy with respect to, and cause the dismissal or withdrawal of, any lawsuit, action, claim, or charge against the Company, and Executive agrees to waive all claims and release and forever discharge the Company, its officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, parents, attorneys, shareholders and employees from any claims, demands, actions, causes of action or liabilities for compensatory damages or any other relief or remedy, and obligations of any kind or nature whatsoever, based on any matter, cause or thing, relating in any way, directly or indirectly, to his employment, from the beginning of time through the Effective Date of this Agreement, whether known or unknown, fixed or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, and whether arising from tort, statute, or contract, including, but not limited to, any claims arising under or pursuant to the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1871, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Occupational Safety & Health Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (“ADEA”), New York State Labor Law, New York State Human Rights Law, New York Human Rights Law, and any other state, federal, city, county or local statute, rule, regulation, ordinance or order, or the national or local law of any foreign country, any claim for future consideration for employment with the Company, any claims for attorneys’ fees and costs and any employment rights or entitlement law, and any claims for wrongful discharge, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, libel or slander, payment of wages, outrageous behavior, breach of contract or any duty allegedly owed to Executive, discrimination based upon race, color, ethnicity, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or another unlawful criterion or circumstance, and any other theory of recovery. It is the intention of the parties to make this release as broad and as general as the law permits.
[Executive acknowledges that he is aware of, has read, has had explained to him by his attorneys, understands and expressly waives any and all rights he has or may have under Section 1542 of the California Civil Code, which provides as follows:
“A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him must have materially
affected his or her settlement with the debtor.”] Include bracketed language for California employees.
11. Executive acknowledges that he may later discover facts different from or in addition to those which he knows or believes to be true now, and he agrees that, in such event, this Agreement shall nevertheless remain effective in all respects, notwithstanding such different or additional facts or the discovery of those facts.
12. This Agreement may not be introduced in any legal or administrative proceeding, or other similar forum, except one concerning a breach of this Agreement or the Severance Plan.
13. Executive acknowledges that Executive has made an independent investigation of the facts, and does not rely on any statement or representation of the Company in entering into this Agreement, other than those set forth herein.
14. Executive agrees that, without limiting the Company’s remedies, should he commence, continue, join in, or in any other manner attempt to assert any claim released in connection herewith, or otherwise violate in a material fashion any of the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall not be required to make any further payments to the Executive pursuant to this Agreement or the Severance Plan and shall be entitled to recover all payments already made by it (including interest thereon), in addition to all damages, attorneys’ fees and costs the Company incurs in connection with Executive’s breach of this Agreement. Executive further agrees that the Company shall be entitled to the repayments and recovery of damages described above without waiver of or prejudice to the release granted by him in connection with this Agreement, and that his violation or breach of any provision of this Agreement shall forever release and discharge the Company from the performance of its obligations arising from the Agreement.
15. Executive has been advised and acknowledges that he has been given forty-five (45) days to sign this Agreement, he has seven (7) days following his signing of this Agreement 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 revocation period has expired (the “Effective Date”).
16. Executive acknowledges that Executive has been advised hereby to consult with, and has consulted with, an attorney of his choice prior to signing this Agreement.
17. Executive acknowledges that Executive has fully read this Agreement, understands the contents of this Agreement, and agrees to its terms and conditions of his own free will, knowingly and voluntarily, and without any duress or coercion.
18. Executive understands that this Agreement includes a final general release, and that Executive can make no further claims against the Company or the persons listed in Section 10 of this Agreement relating in any way, directly or indirectly, to his employment. Executive also understands that this Agreement precludes Executive from recovering any damages or other relief as a result of any lawsuit, grievance, charge or claim brought on Executive’s behalf against the Company or the persons listed in Section 10 of this Agreement.
19. Executive acknowledges that Executive is receiving adequate consideration (that is in addition to what Executive is otherwise entitled to) for signing this Agreement.
20. This Agreement and the Severance Plan constitute the complete understanding between Executive and the Company regarding the subject matter hereof and thereof. No other promises or agreements regarding the subject matter hereof and thereof will be binding unless signed by Executive and the Company.
21. Executive and the Company agree that all notices or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement shall be given in accordance with Section 9 of the Severance Plan.
22. Executive and the Company agree that any disputes relating to any matters covered under the terms of this Agreement shall be resolved in accordance with Section 10 of the Severance Plan.
23. By entering into this Agreement, the Company does not admit and specifically denies any liability, wrongdoing or violation of any law, statute, regulation or policy, and it is expressly understood and agreed that this Agreement is being entered into solely for the purpose of amicably resolving all matters of any kind whatsoever between Executive and the Company.
24. 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.
25. 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.
26. Unless expressly specified elsewhere in this Agreement, this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without reference to the principles of conflict of law.
27. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts.
Company Executive
By: By:
Date: Date: