Senior Officer Severance Plan – EnPro Industries Inc.
EnPro Industries, Inc.
Senior Officer Severance Plan
(Effective as of August 4, 2010)
Purpose:
It is the Company153s policy to provide competitive severance benefits to its
Senior Officers if the Company terminates their employment without
Cause.1
ARTICLE I
Definitions
“Administrator” means the Compensation and Human Resources Committee
of the Board, unless the Company designates another committee or an individual
to serve as Administrator.
“Adverse Benefit Determination” means any of the following: a
denial, reduction, or termination of, or a failure to provide or make payment
(in whole or in part) for, a benefit under this Plan, including any such denial,
reduction, termination, or failure to provide or make payment that is based on a
determination of a Senior Officer153s eligibility to participate in the Plan.
“Annual Incentive Amount” means the amount that would have been
payable to the Senior Officer under the EnPro Industries, Inc. Senior Executive
Annual Performance Plan or Management Annual Performance Plan, as applicable, at
the conclusion of the year in which the Qualifying Termination occurs had the
Senior Officer remained employed through the end of such year, based upon the
Company153s actual financial results for such year, not to exceed the amount that
would have been paid had Target Performance Levels been achieved for such year.
“Base Salary” means the regular salary paid to the Senior Officer
immediately prior to the Senior Officer153s date of termination, as reflected in
the Company153s payroll records. Base Salary shall not include commissions,
bonuses, overtime pay, incentive compensation, benefits paid under any qualified
or nonqualified plan, any group medical, dental or other welfare benefit plan,
noncash compensation or any other additional compensation or benefits.
“Benefit Continuation” means the continuation of benefits set forth
in Article III.B of this Plan during the Senior Officer153s Benefit Continuation
Period.
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Capitalized terms and phrases used in this Plan shall have the meanings set |
“Benefit Continuation Period” means the period the Senior Officer is
entitled to receive Benefit Continuation as specified in the Benefits Schedule
set forth in Article III below.
“Board” means the board of directors of the Company from time to
time.
“Cause” means (i) a Senior Officer153s commission of an act of fraud,
dishonesty or moral turpitude in the course of the Senior Officer153s employment
or that has an adverse effect on the Company, its business, reputation or
interest; (ii) a Senior Officer153s commission of, indictment for or pleading
guilty or nolo contendere to a felony; (iii) the willful and continued failure
of a Senior Officer to perform any of his or her material duties with the
Company (other than for any such failure resulting from the Senior Officer153s
incapacity due to physical or mental illness), after written notice of such
failure has been provided to the Senior Officer and a reasonable opportunity to
cure the failure has been provided to the Senior Officer; (iv) a Senior
Officer153s material violation of the Company153s code of conduct, code of ethics or
other written policy of the Company or a material breach by the Senior Officer
of a fiduciary duty or responsibility to the Company; (v) a Senior Officer153s
unauthorized use or disclosure of any confidential or proprietary information of
the Company; (vi) the willful misconduct or gross negligence of a Senior Officer
with regard to the Company or in the performance of a Senior Officer153s duties
that is materially injurious to the Company; (vii) the refusal of a Senior
Officer to follow the lawful directives of the Board or a more senior officer
within five days of the provision of written notice thereof to the Senior
Officer; or (viii) the willful failure of a Senior Officer to cooperate in a
Company investigation.
“Change in Control” means “Change in Control” as defined in the
EnPro Industries, Inc. 2002 Equity Compensation Plan, as amended and restated
from time to time, or in any comparable equity award plan of the Company.
“Claimant” means a Senior Officer who claims a benefit under this
Plan.
“COBRA” means the Consolidated Budget Omnibus Reconciliation Act of
1985, as amended.
“Compensation Committee” means the Compensation and Human Resources
Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Company” means EnPro Industries, Inc., its affiliates and any
successors thereto.
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“Disability” means the physical or mental impairment of a Senior
Officer that would qualify as a disability under the Company153s long-term
disability plan without regard to any waiting periods set forth in such plan.
“Interim LTIP Payment” has the meaning provided in the LTIP Plan.
“LTIP Amount” means the amount that would have been payable to the
Senior Officer under the LTIP Plan at the conclusion of the Performance Period
had the Senior Officer remained employed through the end of the Performance
Period, based upon the Company153s actual financial results for the Performance
Period, not to exceed the amount that would have been payable had Target
Performance Levels been achieved for such period.
“The LTIP Plan” means the EnPro Industries, Inc. Long-Term Incentive
Plan as amended from time to time.
“Months of Service” means, with respect to a given Performance
Period, each completed month of employment service by a Senior Officer following
the grant date of an award under the LTIP Plan.
“Offer of Comparable Employment” means an offer of employment that
has each of the following features:
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Base Salary. The Base Salary for the position is not less than the |
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2. |
Annual Performance Award. If the Senior Officer is a participant in |
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3. |
Employment Location. The position does not require the Senior Officer |
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“Performance Period” means each multi-year performance cycle
applicable to an award under the LTIP Plan.
“Plan” means the EnPro Industries, Inc. Senior Officer Severance
Plan.
“Prior Health Costs” means the average monthly amount previously
expended by the Company for the continued participation by the President and
Chief Executive Officer of the Company in the Company153s medical and dental
plans.
“Qualifying Termination” means the termination of a Senior Officer153s
employment by the Company without Cause. A “Qualifying Termination” does not
include (i) a termination of employment by the Senior Officer; (ii) a
termination of the Senior Officer153s employment by the Company with Cause; (iii)
a termination of a Senior Officer153s employment on account of the Senior
Officer153s retirement, death or Disability; (iv) the “termination” by the Company
of a Senior Officer153s employment with an affiliate of the Company, if the Senior
Officer continues employment with another affiliate of the Company; or (v) a
termination of employment by the Company following or in connection with the
Sale of a Business Unit in which the Senior Officer receives an Offer of
Comparable Employment.
“Sale of a Business Unit” means the sale of one of the Company153s
business units (whether a subsidiary or unincorporated division) accomplished
through a stock sale, asset sale, outsourcing transaction, joint venture
transaction or other business transaction or combination.
“Senior Officer” means the President and Chief Executive Officer, a
Senior Vice President, a Corporate Vice President or a Division President of the
Company. A Senior Officer does not include contract employees or consultants.
“Target Performance Levels” means, for a Senior Officer, the
financial or other goals established as the “target” performance goals for a
given performance period under (i) the Company153s Senior Executive Annual
Performance Plan or Management Annual Performance Plan, as applicable and (ii)
the LTIP Plan.
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ARTICLE II
Eligibility
A Senior Officer is eligible to receive severance benefits under this Plan if
the Senior Officer experiences a Qualifying Termination and signs and does not
revoke a release and waiver of all claims and a non-competition and
non-solicitation agreement in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the
Company for a term that expires at the end of the applicable severance period.
If the Senior Officer is covered by a management continuity agreement or a
change-of-control agreement and becomes entitled to payments or benefits
thereunder, no benefits shall be payable under this Plan.
ARTICLE III
Severance Benefits Provided By The Plan
An eligible Senior Officer shall be afforded Base Salary, Benefit
Continuation and a pro-rata bonus payment as set forth below.
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Benefits Schedule |
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Job Title |
Base Salary and Benefit Continuation Period |
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President & Chief Executive Officer |
24 months of Base Salary and Benefit Continuation |
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Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, |
12 months of Base Salary and Benefit Continuation |
A. Base Salary.
A Senior Officer who experiences a Qualifying Termination shall be entitled
to receive his or her Base Salary during the period set forth above. The
Administrator has the sole and exclusive discretion to pay this amount: (i) in
the form of salary continuation payments distributed on normal payroll dates in
accordance with the Company153s regular payroll practices for the Benefit
Continuation Period or (ii) in a lump sum, which lump sum shall be payable no
later than March 15 of the year following termination of the Senior Officer153s
employment.
Provided, further, that if the total severance benefits payable hereunder to
the Senior Officer exceed two (2) times the maximum amount that may be taken
into account under a qualified plan pursuant to I.R.C. § 401(a)(17), as provided
in 26
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C.F.R. § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii)(A)(2), such benefits shall be payable in
a lump sum no later than March 15 of the year following termination of the
Senior Officer153s employment.
B. Benefit Continuation.
A Senior Officer who experiences a Qualifying Termination shall be entitled
to receive medical and dental coverage, an extended stock option exercise period
and outplacement services according to the terms set forth below. In order to be
eligible to receive continued medical and dental coverage, the Senior Officer
must have been the recipient of such benefits immediately prior to the Senior
Officer153s Qualifying Termination. The components of Benefit Continuation are as
follows:
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1. |
Medical and Dental Coverage. Subject to (i) the Senior Officer153s |
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With respect to the President and Chief Executive Officer, and provided there |
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Executive Officer shall continue to be responsible for payment of premiums at |
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2. |
Stock Option Exercisability. Notwithstanding any provision of the |
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3. |
Outplacement Services. The Company shall provide the Senior Officer |
C. Pro-rata Bonus.
A Senior Officer who experiences a Qualifying Termination shall be entitled
to receive a pro-rata portion of the Senior Officer153s Annual Incentive Amount
(based upon the period of time from the beginning of the applicable performance
period through the Senior Officer153s termination date) in a lump sum cash payment
made no later than March 15 of the year following termination of the Senior
Officer153s employment.
D. Pro-rata LTIP Award.
A Senior Officer who experiences a Qualifying Termination shall be entitled
to receive a pro-rata portion of the award amount that would have been paid to
the Senior Officer under the LTIP Plan. This amount shall equal the product of
(i) the Months of Service divided by the total number of months in the given
Performance Period and (ii) the LTIP Amount, less (iii) any Interim LTIP
Payment paid or payable to the Senior Officer. This pro-rata portion shall be
paid not later than March 15 of the year following the end of the applicable
Performance Period, but no earlier than six months following the Senior
Officer153s
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termination if the Senior Officer is a “specified employee” as defined in
I.R.C. § 409A.
E. Conditions.
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1. |
Releases and Waivers of Claims. Any amounts payable under, or |
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2. |
Cooperation. As a condition to the receipt of any severance benefits |
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3. |
Re-employment. If during the Senior Officer153s Benefit Continuation |
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4. |
Confidentiality and Noncompetition Compliance. The Senior Officer |
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substance reasonably acceptable to the Company for a term that expires at the |
ARTICLE IV
Plan Administration
This Plan shall be administered by the Administrator on behalf of the Company
(as plan administrator under Section 3(16)(A) of ERISA). In that regard, the
Administrator shall be empowered and shall have full discretion to interpret all
provisions of this Plan, make all eligibility decisions and to perform all of
the duties and powers granted to it under the terms of this Plan. The
Administrator may adopt such rules and regulations for the administration of
this Plan as are consistent with the terms hereof and shall keep adequate
records of its proceedings and acts. All interpretations and decisions made
(both as to law and fact) and other action taken by the Administrator with
respect to this Plan shall be conclusive and binding upon all parties having or
claiming to have an interest under this Plan. Not in limitation of the
foregoing, the Administrator shall have full discretionary authority to decide
any factual or interpretative issues that may arise in connection with its
administration of this Plan (including without limitation any determination as
to eligibility and the amount of benefits payable under this Plan), and the
Administrator153s exercise of such discretionary authority shall be conclusive and
binding on all affected parties as long as it is not determined by a court of
law to be arbitrary and capricious. The Administrator may delegate any of the
Administrator153s duties and powers hereunder to the extent permitted by
applicable law.
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ARTICLE V
Claims And Appeals Procedure
A. A Claimant shall have the right to submit a claim for benefits under the
Plan and to appeal any denial of a claim for benefits. Any request for a Plan
benefit or to clarify the Claimant153s rights to future benefits under the terms
of the Plan shall be considered to be a claim. (However, this claims procedure
does not govern casual inquiries about benefits or the circumstances under which
benefits might be paid under the terms of the Plan, nor does it govern a request
for a determination regarding eligibility for coverage except such a
determination as is requested or necessary in connection with a claim for
benefits.) An authorized representative of the Claimant may act on behalf of the
Claimant in pursuing a benefit claim or appeal of an Adverse Benefit
Determination. The individual or individuals responsible for deciding the
benefit claim or appeal, as applicable, may require the representative to
provide reasonable written proof that the representative has in fact been
authorized to act on behalf of the Claimant. The Plan requires no fee or other
cost for the making of a claim or appealing an Adverse Benefit Determination.
B. A claim for benefits will be considered as having been made when submitted
in writing by the Claimant to the Administrator, in care of:
EnPro Industries, Inc.
Attn: Senior Vice President : Human Resources (Severance Claim)
5605 Carnegie Blvd., Suite 500
Charlotte, NC 28209
Any claim should include the following:
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Claimant153s name, address, telephone number, and social security number. |
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Claimant153s dates of employment with the Company. |
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Claimant153s job title and position with Company. |
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The reasons for Claimant153s termination of employment; and |
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A statement of the reasons why Claimant is entitled to severance benefits |
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C. The Administrator will determine whether, or to what extent, the claim may
be allowed or denied under the terms of the Plan. If the claim is wholly or
partially denied, the Administrator shall notify the Claimant of the Plan153s
Adverse Benefit Determination within a reasonable period of time, but not later
than 90 days after the Administrator receives the claim, unless the
Administrator determines that special circumstances require an extension of time
for processing the claim.
If such an extension of time for processing is required, written notice of
the extension shall be furnished to the Claimant prior to the termination of the
initial 90-day period. Such extension may not exceed an additional 90 days from
the end of the initial 90-day period. The extension notice shall indicate the
special circumstances requiring an extension of time and the date by which the
Administrator expects to render the final decision.
For the purposes of this Article V.C, the period of time within which a
benefit determination is required to be made shall begin at the time a claim is
filed in accordance with the Plan153s filing requirements, without regard to
whether all the information necessary to make a benefit determination
accompanies the filing.
D. The Administrator shall provide the Claimant with written or electronic
notification of any Adverse Benefit Determination. Any electronic notification
shall comply with the standards imposed by 29 CFR § 2520.104b-1(c)(i), (iii) and
(iv). The notification shall set forth, in a manner calculated to be understood
by the Claimant:
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The specific reason(s) for the Adverse Benefit Determination; |
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2. |
Reference to the specific Plan provisions on which the determination is |
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A description of any additional material or information necessary for the |
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A description of the Plan153s appeal (review) procedures and the time limits |
E. The Claimant may appeal an Adverse Benefit Determination to the
Administrator. The Administrator shall conduct a full and fair review of each
appealed claim and its denial. The Claimant shall have at least 60 days
following
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receipt of a notification of an Adverse Benefit Determination within which to
appeal the determination.
F. The appeal of an Adverse Benefit Determination must be made in writing. In
connection with making such request, the Claimant may submit written comments,
documents, records, and other information relating to the claim for benefits.
Upon written request, the Claimant shall be provided, free of charge, reasonable
access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant
(as defined in Article V.J below) to the Claimant153s claim for benefits. In
considering the appeal the Administrator shall take into account all comments,
documents, records, and other information submitted by the Claimant relating to
the claim, without regard to whether such information was submitted or
considered in connection with the initial benefit determination.
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General procedure. The Administrator shall notify a Claimant of the |
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Calculating time periods. For the purposes of this Article V.F, the |
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Furnishing documents. In the case of an Adverse Benefit |
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access to, and copies of, documents, records, and other information described |
G. The Administrator shall provide a Claimant with written or electronic
notification of the benefit determination on appeal. Any electronic notification
shall comply with the standards imposed by 29 CFR § 2520.104b-1(c)(i), (iii) and
(iv). In the case of an Adverse Benefit Determination on appeal, the
notification shall set forth, in a manner calculated to be understood by the
Claimant:
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The specific reason(s) for the Adverse Benefit Determination; |
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Reference to the specific Plan provisions on which the benefit determination |
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A statement that the Claimant is entitled to receive, upon request and free |
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A statement of the Claimant153s right to bring a civil action under ERISA § |
H. A Claimant must exhaust his or her rights to file a claim and to appeal an
Adverse Benefit Determination before bringing any civil action to recover
benefits due to him under the terms of the Plan, to enforce his or her rights
under the terms of the Plan, or to clarify his or her rights to future benefits
under the terms of the Plan.
I. Benefit claim determinations and decisions on appeals shall be made in
accordance with governing Plan documents. The Plan153s provisions shall be applied
consistently with respect to similarly situated claimants. The Administrator
shall maintain complete records of its proceedings in deciding claims and
appeals. The Administrator shall maintain its records in a manner that permits
it to refer, and it shall so refer, to prior decisions to ensure that the Plan153s
provisions are applied consistently with respect to similarly situated
claimants.
J. For the purposes of this Claims and Appeal Procedure, a document, record,
or other information shall be considered “relevant” to a Claimant153s claim if
such document, record, or other information (i) was relied upon in making the
benefit determination; (ii) was submitted, considered, or generated in the
course of making the benefit determination, without regard to whether such
document, record, or other information was relied upon in making the benefit
determination;
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or (iii) demonstrates compliance with the administrative processes and
safeguards required pursuant to Article V.I above in making the benefit
determination.
ARTICLE VI
Miscellaneous
A. Benefits Unfunded.
This Plan shall at all times be entirely unfunded and no provision shall at
any time be made with respect to segregating assets, accounts or funds of the
Company for payment of any benefits under this Plan. No Senior Officer shall
have any interest in any particular asset, account or fund of the Company by
reason of the right to receive benefits under this Plan and any such Senior
Officer shall have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the
Company with respect to any rights under this Plan. This Plan constitutes an
unfunded compensation arrangement for members of a select group of the Company153s
management, and any exemptions under ERISA, as applicable to such arrangement,
shall be applicable to the Plan.
B. Exclusion of Payments from Plan Compensation.
No payments or benefits provided under this Plan shall be considered
compensation or earnings under any pension, savings or retirement plan sponsored
by the Company, and shall not be eligible for any matching contribution,
deferral or the like provided by any benefit plan sponsored by the Company.
C. Non-Exclusivity of Rights.
This Plan shall not prevent or limit the right of a Senior Officer to receive
any base salary, pension or welfare benefit, bonus or other payment provided by
the Company to the Senior Officer, except for such rights as the Senior Officer
may have specifically waived in writing or as otherwise expressly set forth in
this Plan. Amounts that are vested benefits or which the Senior Officer is
otherwise entitled to receive under any other employee benefit plan or program
provided by the Company shall be payable in accordance with the terms of such
plan or program. Any award that becomes vested in connection with a Change in
Control that occurs prior to a Qualifying Termination shall be payable in
accordance with the written agreement pursuant to which such award was granted.
D. Taxation.
All benefits provided under this Plan shall be subject to applicable federal,
state and local payroll and withholding taxes. The Company shall have the right
to make such provisions as it deems necessary or appropriate to satisfy any
obligations it may have
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to withhold federal, state or local income or other taxes incurred by reason
of payments pursuant to this Plan.
E. Non-Alienation.
No interest of the Senior Officer, or right to receive any payment under this
Plan, shall be subject in any manner to sale, transfer, assignment, pledge,
attachment, garnishment, or other alienation or encumbrance of any kind, nor may
such interest or right be taken, voluntarily or involuntarily, for the
satisfaction of the obligations or debts of, or other claims against, the Senior
Officer or the Senior Officer153s spouse or beneficiary, including claims for
alimony, support, separate maintenance, and claims in bankruptcy proceedings.
F. No Employment Contract.
Nothing contained in this Plan shall confer upon any Senior Officer the right
to be retained in the service of the Company nor limit the right of the Company
to discharge or otherwise discipline any Senior Officer or modify the terms and
conditions of his or her employment.
G. Successors.
For purposes of this Plan, the “Company” shall include any and all successors
and assignees, whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or
otherwise, to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company
and such successors and assignees shall perform the Company153s obligations under
this Plan, in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be
required to perform if no such succession or assignment had taken place.
H. Severability.
In the event any provision of this Plan is held illegal or invalid, the
remaining provisions of this Plan shall not be affected thereby, unless such
determination shall render impossible or impracticable the functioning of this
Plan and in such case, an appropriate provision or provisions shall be adopted,
in the discretion of the Administrator, so that this Plan may continue to
function properly.
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I. Modification or Rescission of Plan.
The Company reserves the right to amend or terminate, in whole or in part,
any or all of the provisions of the Plan at any time. Any such amendment shall
be effective only if contained in a written instrument adopted by resolution of
the Administrator or the Board. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the
contrary, if the Company becomes obligated to make any payment to any Senior
Officer hereunder, then this Plan shall remain in effect for such purposes until
all of the Company153s obligations to such Senior Officer hereunder shall be
fulfilled.
Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, if there is a Change
in Control, then for a period of two (2) years following the Change in Control,
this Plan may not be modified or rescinded in any way that adversely affects the
rights of persons who are eligible Senior Officers on the day before the Change
in Control.
J. Entire Agreement.
Except as specified herein, and in any management continuity agreement or
change-in-control agreement, this Plan sets forth the entire obligations of the
Company with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all existing
severance plans, agreements and understandings (whether oral or written) between
the Company and Senior Officers with respect to the subject matter herein.
K. Applicable Law.
This Plan shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance
with, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or, if not preempted,
the substantive laws of the State of North Carolina (without giving effect to
choice-of-law provisions).
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