AARONS, INC. 2001 STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN MASTER RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT (AARONS MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE PLAN)
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Human Resources
- Bonus & Incentive Agreements
EX-10.2 3 c20999exv10w2.htm EXHIBIT 10.2 Exhibit 10.2
Exhibit 10.2
AARONS, INC.
2001 STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN
MASTER RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT
(AARONS MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE PLAN)
This Master Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (the Agreement) is made and entered into by and between AARONS, INC. (the Company) and the GRANTEE to whom a separate notice of grant (the Grant Notice) has been provided (Grantee).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Company maintains the Aarons, Inc. 2001 Stock Option and Incentive Award Plan (the Plan), and Grantee has been selected to receive a grant of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) under the Plan based upon the attainment of certain performance criteria in the Aarons Management Performance Plan (the AMP Plan);
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED, by and between the Company and Grantee, as follows:
1. Award of Restricted Stock Units
1.1 The Company hereby grants to Grantee an award of the number of RSUs shown on the Grant Notice, subject to, and in accordance with, the restrictions, terms and conditions set forth in the Grant Notice, this Agreement and in the Plan. The grant date of this award of RSUs is shown on the Grant Notice (Grant Date).
1.2 This Agreement shall be construed in accordance and consistent with, and subject to, the provisions of the Plan (the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference) and, except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, the capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall have the same definitions as set forth in the Plan. For purposes of this Agreement, employment with any subsidiary of the Company shall be considered employment with the Company.
1.3 The award of RSUs is conditioned on Grantees acceptance of the award, and all terms and conditions of such award as provided in the Grant Notice, this Agreement, and the Plan. If the award is not accepted by Grantee within sixty (60) days of the Grant Date, it may be canceled by the Compensation Committee of the Companys Board of Directors (the Committee) or its designee, resulting in the immediate forfeiture of all RSUs. Acceptance of the award may be evidenced by electronic means acceptable to the Committee, or its designee.
2. Restrictions; Vesting
2.1 Subject to Sections 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, and 9 below, if Grantee remains employed by the Company, Grantee shall become fully vested in the RSUs on the vesting date shown on the Grant Notice (the Vesting Date).
2.2 If, prior to the Vesting Date, Grantee dies, the RSUs shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable as of the date of Grantees death. Except for death, or as provided in Section 2.3, if Grantee terminates employment prior to the Vesting Date (for any reason including retirement or disability), the RSUs shall be forfeited and all rights of Grantee to such RSUs shall be terminated.
2.3 Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control prior to Grantees Vesting Date, the RSUs shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable as of the date of the Change in Control, subject to the requirements of Section 9 below.
2.4 These RSUs have been granted based upon the attainment of certain earnings and revenue goals under the AMP Plan. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, in the event of a restatement of the Companys financials or a change in the pretax profit or revenue of one or more Company stores, if the number of RSUs that would have been granted hereunder based on the corrected financials is less than the number of RSUs actually granted, Grantee shall forfeit the number of RSUs in excess of the number that would have been granted with the corrected financials.
3. Settlement
3.1 Vested RSUs shall be settled by delivering to Grantee a number of shares of common stock of the Company (the Shares) equal to the number of vested RSUs. It is intended that RSUs that vest pursuant to Section 2.1 above (i.e. not due to death or a Change in Control) shall be settled on or about September 1st of the year in which the RSUs vest or such other delivery date specified in the Grant Notice (the Delivery Date). In the case of vesting due to Grantees death, the Shares shall be delivered to Grantees beneficiary or personal representative of his estate as soon as practical after Grantees date of death. With respect to RSUs that vest due to a Change in Control, the Shares shall generally be settled as of the date of the Change in Control or as soon thereafter as administratively practicable. Under all circumstances, vested RSUs not otherwise forfeited, shall be settled no later than March 15th of the year following the year in which the RSUs vest as provided in Section 2 above.
3.2 The Company may deliver the Shares by the delivery of physical stock certificates or by certificateless book-entry issuance. The Company may, at the request of Grantee or the personal representative of his estate, deliver the Shares to Grantees or the estates broker-dealer or similar custodian and/or issue the Shares in street name, either by delivery of physical certificates or electronically.
4. Stock; Dividends; Voting
4.1 Except as provided in Section 4.2, Grantee shall not have voting or any other rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to the RSUs. Upon settlement of the RSUs and delivery of Shares, Grantee will obtain full voting and other rights as a shareholder of the Company.
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4.2 In the event of any adjustments in authorized Shares as provided in Article 4 of the Plan, the number and class of RSUs and Shares or other securities to which Grantee shall be entitled pursuant to this Agreement shall be appropriately adjusted or changed to reflect such change, provided that any such additional RSUs, Shares or additional or different shares or securities shall remain subject to the restrictions in this Agreement.
4.3 Grantee represents and warrants that he is acquiring the RSUs and the Shares under this Agreement for investment purposes only, and not with a view to distribution thereof. Grantee is aware that the RSUs and the Shares may not be registered under the federal or any state securities laws and that, in addition to the other restrictions on the RSUs and the Shares, the Company may not be able to settle the RSUs or to deliver the Shares if prohibited under any federal or state securities laws. By making this award of RSUs, the Company is not undertaking any obligation to register the RSUs or Shares under any federal or state securities laws.
5. Nontransferability.
Unless the Committee specifically determines otherwise, the RSUs are personal to Grantee and the RSUs may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Any such purported transfer or assignment shall be null and void.
6. No Right to Continued Employment
Nothing in this Agreement or the Plan shall be interpreted or construed to confer upon Grantee any right with respect to continuance of employment by the Company or a subsidiary, nor shall this Agreement or the Plan interfere in any way with the right of the Company or a subsidiary to terminate at any time Grantees employment, subject to Grantees rights under this Agreement.
7. Taxes and Withholding
Grantee shall be responsible for all federal, state and local income and employment taxes payable with respect to this Award of RSUs and the delivery of Shares in satisfaction of the RSUs. Unless Grantee otherwise provides for the satisfaction of the withholding requirements in advance, upon delivery of the Shares, the Company shall withhold and cancel a number of Shares having a market value equal to the minimum amount of taxes required to be withheld. The Company shall have the right to retain and withhold from any payment or distribution to Grantee the amount of taxes required by any government to be withheld or otherwise deducted and paid with respect to such payment. The Company may require Grantee to reimburse the Company for any such taxes required to be withheld and may withhold any payment or distribution in whole or in part until the Company is so reimbursed.
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8. Plan Documents; Grantee Bound by the Plan
Grantee hereby acknowledges (i) the receipt of a copy of the Plan, the Plan Prospectus and the Companys latest annual report to shareholders or annual report on Form 10-K, or (ii) the availability to Grantee of the Plan, the Plan Prospectus and the Companys latest annual report to shareholders or annual report on Form 10-K on the Companys intranet. Grantee agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions of the Plan.
9. Employee Agreement; Restrictive Covenants
9.1 Grantee hereby acknowledges that the Company may disclose (and/or has already disclosed) to Grantee and Grantee may be provided with access to and otherwise make use of, certain valuable, confidential information of the Company. Grantee also acknowledges that due to Grantees relationship with the Company, Grantee will develop (and/or has developed) special contacts and relationships with the Companys employees, customers, suppliers and vendors and that it would be unfair and harmful to the Company if Grantee took advantage of these relationships to the detriment of the Company. To protect the Company from such harm, the Company and the Grantee hereby agree to and accept all the terms and provisions of the Employee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (or separately provided to the Grantee but identified as Exhibit A to this Agreement). For purposes of this Section 9, references to the Company shall be deemed to include references to any subsidiary of the Company.
9.2 If, during his employment with the Company or at any time during the restrictive periods described in the Employee Agreement, the Grantee violates the restrictive covenants set forth in the Employee Agreement, then the Committee may, notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, cancel any outstanding RSUs that have not yet vested. The parties further agree and acknowledge that the rights conveyed by this Agreement are of a unique and special nature and that the Company will not have an adequate remedy at law in the event of a failure by the Grantee to abide by its terms and conditions nor will money damages adequately compensate for such injury. It is, therefore, agreed between the parties that, in the event of a breach by the Grantee of any of his obligations contained in the Employee Agreement, the Company shall have the right, among other rights, to damages sustained thereby and to obtain an injunction or decree of specific performance from any court of competent jurisdiction to restrain or compel the Grantee to perform as agreed herein. The Grantee agrees that this Section 9 and the Employee Agreement shall survive the termination of his or her employment. Nothing contained herein shall in any way limit or exclude any other right granted by law or equity to the Company.
10. Modification of Agreement
No provision of this Agreement may be materially amended or waived unless agreed to in writing and signed by the Committee (or its designee). Any such amendment to this Agreement that is materially adverse to Grantee shall not be effective unless and until Grantee consents, in writing or by electronic means, to such amendment. The failure to exercise, or any delay in exercising, any right, power or remedy under this Agreement shall not waive any right, power or remedy which the Company has under this Agreement.
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11. Severability
Should any provision of this Agreement be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable or invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected by such holding and shall continue in full force in accordance with their terms.
12. Governing Law
The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Georgia without giving effect to the conflicts of laws principles thereof.
13. Successors in Interest
This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the Company and its successors and assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of Grantees legal representatives. All obligations imposed upon Grantee and all rights granted to the Company under this Agreement shall be final, binding and conclusive upon Grantees heirs, executors, administrators and successors.
14. Resolution of Disputes
Any dispute or disagreement which may arise under, or as a result of, or in any way relate to the interpretation, construction or application of this Agreement shall be determined by the Committee (or its designee). Any determination made hereunder shall be final, binding and conclusive on Grantee and the Company for all purposes.
15. Code Section 409A
This Agreement and each award of RSUs is intended to be exempt from Code Section 409A as a short-term deferral. Each award of RSUs with a different Grant Date is intended to be a separate payment for purposes of Code Section 409A. If any RSU is not exempt from Code Section 409A, each such RSU subject to Code Section 409A shall comply with Code Section 409A and any regulations or guidance that may be adopted thereunder from time to time. This Agreement shall be interpreted and administered by the Committee (or its designee) as it determines necessary or appropriate in accordance with Code Section 409A to avoid a plan failure under Code Section 409A(a)(1). However, the Company does not guarantee any particular tax treatment, and the Grantee is solely responsible for any taxes owed as a result of this Agreement.
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Exhibit A
(to the Master Restricted Stock Unit Agreement)
(to the Master Restricted Stock Unit Agreement)
EMPLOYEE AGREEMENT
Aarons, Inc., a Georgia corporation having its executive offices and principal place of business in Atlanta, Georgia (Aarons or Company) and the Grantee of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) to whom a separate notice of grant (the Grant Notice) has been provided (Employee), agree to the terms and conditions in this Employee Agreement (the Employee Agreement), which is integral to and forms a part of the Master Restricted Stock Unit Agreement, as of the date the RSUs are accepted by the Employee.
Reasons for this Employee Agreement. Employee and Aarons agree and acknowledge that during Employees employment with Aarons as a management or executive employee, Employee has learned or will learn important confidential information relating to Companys business of (1) renting, leasing and selling residential furniture, electronic goods, household appliances, home furnishings, and related equipment and accessories, automobile and truck tires and rims and related accessories, and (2) manufacturing furniture and bedding (Companys Business). Employee acknowledges that such confidential information is not generally available to the public and may include:
Information About Companys Customers, including names, addresses, telephone numbers, contact persons and other identifying information for Companys customers; compilations and lists of information with respect to the needs and requirements of Companys customers; information dealing with the nature of customers accounts, including the dates on which agreements between Aarons and such customers will end and be subject to renewal; and rate and price information and history relating to products and services provided by Aarons to its customers;
Information About Companys Business Operations, including information on the development, maintenance and use of unique techniques, concepts and knowledge with respect to renting, leasing, and selling practices; and information relating to the machinery, equipment, and processes by which Aarons manufactures products for its business; and
Information About Companys Finances and Operations, including personnel data relating to Companys employees, such as compensation arrangements; information with respect to Companys suppliers and the availability of all goods used in its business; and other financial information relating to Companys income, expenses, profits and general financial standing.
Employee understands that the confidential customer, business, financial and operational information which has been learned or will be learned about Companys business could be used to compete unfairly with Aarons and could also be of great value to Companys competitors.
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Employee acknowledges that as an employee of Aarons, Employee will use confidential information supplied by Aarons or developed as an employee of Aarons to become a principal contact with customers of Aarons. Employee understands that the relationship which has developed or will develop with such customers as a result of Companys investment in Employee and Employees commitment of time while in the employ of Aarons will involve elements of personal service and trust, and acknowledges that Employee will develop goodwill for Aarons with such customers, all of which are the sole and exclusive property of Aarons.
Employees services as an employee of Aarons and Employees own individual career development depend to a significant degree on Employees use of and access to Companys confidential information, because such information is critical to informed business decisions. If Aarons management did not feel confident that such information would neither be disclosed to outsiders nor used in competition with the Company and if management were not certain that Employees relationships with employees or customers would not be used to the detriment of the Company, Aarons management would not readily share such information and promote its relationship with Employee, and Employees job performance and career opportunities would thereby suffer. Aarons and Employee understand and agree that the provisions listed below are necessary and reasonable for the protection of Companys goodwill, its confidential information and its financial investment in Employee, should Employees employment with Aarons be terminated, and are appropriate and necessary to permit and facilitate Employees employment and career development.
Agreement. In consideration of the foregoing and the following, which consideration is acknowledged to be sufficient, Employee and Aarons desire to enter into and be bound by this Employee Agreement for their mutual benefit and to provide circumstances which will permit Aarons and Employee to function as herein described.
1. Definitions. For purposes of this Employee Agreement, the following terms shall have the meaning specified below:
(a) Person any individual, corporate entity, bank, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust or unincorporated organization.
(b) Services The services Employee shall provide and the services the Employee has been performing during the twelve months, if applicable, prior to the execution of this Employee Agreement as a management or executive employee of any divisions or subsidiaries of Aarons, are set forth on Schedule A attached hereto or separately provided to the Employee, and may include, but are not limited to, exercising authority over and responsibility for the following area(s):
| Multi-unit Operations Management: operations management for multiple stores. |
| Financial, Accounting, and Audit: financial and fiscal planning, analysis and reporting, general accounting, tax matters, financial control systems, financial/operational audit and compliance. |
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| Administrative: community, employee, industrial and shareholder relations, personnel, compensation and benefits, training, promotion of employee morale and loyalty, relations with political and governmental entities and financial community. |
| Real Estate/Construction Management: asset deployment, site selection, negotiation for and acquisition of facilities and real estate by lease or purchase, and long range expansion programs. |
| Insurance and Employee Benefits: develop, implement and administer property, casualty and other operating lines of insurance; group medical, dental and long-term disability insurance; loss prevention and control programs; 401(k) retirement and other employee benefit programs including deferred compensation. |
| Materials Management: inventory control, contract compliance, securing sources of supply, planning, procurement, scheduling and effecting purchases, quality assurance, relations with suppliers and interdivisional transfer pricing policies and procedures. |
| Engineering and Manufacturing: product development and engineering, plant management and operations, cost control, and quality assurance. |
| Information Technology: information systems and services, programming, computer systems development and analysis. |
| Marketing: sales, leasing, merchandising methods and strategies, market forecasts and expansion studies, pricing strategy, advertising, customer service and interdivisional transfer pricing policies and procedures. |
| Franchise Administration: marketing, promotion and sales of franchises; franchise operations; franchise administration and relations. |
| Other: |
(c) Business Operations The areas of business in which Employee shall provide Services, and in which Employee shall be prohibited from providing Services in competition with Aarons in accordance with the terms of this Employee Agreement, will be set forth on Schedule A attached hereto or separately provided to the Employee, and may include one or more of the following areas:
| Residential Merchandise Leasing: rental, leasing and sales of new or reconditioned residential furniture, consumer electronics, computers (including hardware, software and accessories), appliances, household goods and home furnishings. |
| Manufacturing: design, manufacture and reconditioning of residential furniture/bedding of a type specially suited to the leasing, rental and sales business. |
| Automotive: rental, leasing and sales of automobile and truck tires, rims and related accessories. |
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(d) Territory the geographic area within fifty (50) miles of every facility identified in Schedule A, which is the territory in which Employee will provide Services, and in which Aarons continues to conduct Business Operations, and any territory within which Employee performed Services for Aarons at any time during the twelve (12) calendar months preceding termination of employment as an employee of Aarons, which territory is identified in an agreement with Aarons in effect during such twelve (12) month period and within which Aarons continues Business Operations.
Employee acknowledges that Employee has been provided the exact street addresses of existing Aarons facilities identified in Schedule A and that Employee is therefore aware of the current locations of Aarons facilities and, accordingly, the scope of the Territory.
(e) Customers all customers of Aarons in the Territory (i) with whom Employee has had contact on behalf of Aarons, (ii) whose dealings with Aarons were coordinated or supervised by Employee, or (iii) about whom Employee obtained Confidential Information (as defined below), in each case during the two (2) years immediately prior to termination of Employees Services in the Territory.
(f) Confidential Information information, without regard to form and whether or not in writing, relating to Companys customers, operation, finances, and business that derives value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to other Persons, including, but not limited to, technical or non-technical data (including personnel data relating to Aarons employees), formulas, patterns, compilations (including compilations of customer information), programs, devices, methods, techniques (including rental, leasing, and sales techniques and methods), processes, financial data (including rate and price information concerning products and services provided by Aarons), or lists of actual or potential customers (including identifying information about customers). Such information and compilations of information shall be contractually subject to protection under this Employee Agreement whether or not such information constitutes a trade secret and is separately protectable at law or in equity as a trade secret. Confidential Information includes information disclosed to Aarons by third parties that Aarons is obligated to maintain as confidential.
2. Amendments to Schedule A. Employee agrees that the Services, Business Operations, and Territory described in Schedule A may be amended from time to time as necessary to accurately reflect any changes in Employees Services, Business Operations, and Territory. Employee further acknowledges and agrees that such amendments to Schedule A may be made in conjunction with additional grants of RSUs and that Employees acceptance of such grants of RSUs (including through an electronic signature) and acceptance of the amended Schedule A applicable to such grants will constitute a valid, enforceable amendment of this Employee Agreement as of the time of such acceptance, augmenting and supplanting such descriptions previously in effect.
3. Employment. Employee acknowledges and understands that nothing herein creates an employment agreement, express or implied, for employment for a specified time.
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4. Consideration. Employee is agreeing to the terms of this Employee Agreement in connection with the grant of restricted stock units awarded to Employee under the 2001 Aarons Stock Option and Incentive Award Plan. The parties acknowledge and agree that such award of restricted stock units shall constitute sufficient and adequate consideration for purposes of this Employee Agreement.
5. Confidential Information. Employee agrees to protect Companys Confidential Information. Employee will not use, except in connection with work for Aarons, and will not disclose or give to others during or after employment any of Companys Confidential Information.
6. Return of Materials. Upon termination of Employees employment for any reason or at any time at Companys request, Employee agrees to deliver promptly to Aarons all materials, documents, plans, records, notes, drawings, other papers, computer files, diskettes, CDs or other electronic storage media, and any copies thereof, that relate in any way to Companys business and are within Employees possession or under Employees control, including in particular all notes or records Employee has relating to customers of Aarons, all of which shall, at all times, remain the property of Aarons.
7. Employment with Competitors. Prior to and for a period of one (1) year after termination of Employees employment as a management or executive employee, Employee agrees not to own, be a franchisee of or provide Services to or for, directly or indirectly, within the Territory, any Person engaged in a business that competes directly or indirectly with the Companys Business without the prior written consent of the Chief Executive Officer of Aarons, who may or may not provide such approval in his sole and absolute discretion. Businesses that compete with Aarons specifically include, but are not limited to, the following entities and each of their subsidiaries, affiliates, franchises, assigns or successors in interest: Rent-A-Center, Inc. (including, but not limited to, Colortyme); Easyhome, Inc.; Premier Rental-Purchase, Inc.; Discover Rentals; New Avenues, LLC; and Bi-Rite Co., d/b/a Buddys Home Furnishings.
8. Solicitation of Customers. Prior to and for a period of one (1) year after termination of Employees employment with Aarons for any reason or at any time, Employee agrees not to solicit Customers, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of providing products or services identical to or reasonably substitutable with the products or services of the Business Operations.
9. Post-Employment Solicitation of Aarons Employees. Employee agrees that, during employment and for a period of one (1) year immediately following termination of employment with Aarons for any reason or at any time, Employee will not, directly or indirectly, solicit any person who is or was, during the last year of Employees employment with Aarons, an employee of Aarons to terminate his or her relationship with Aarons.
10. Interpretation; Severability of Invalid Provisions. All rights and restrictions contained in this Employee Agreement may be exercised and shall be applicable and binding only to the extent that they do not violate any applicable laws and are intended to be limited to the extent necessary so that they will not render this Employee Agreement illegal, invalid or unenforceable. If any term of this Employee Agreement shall be held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining terms shall remain in full force and effect. If a court determines that any restriction in this Employee Agreement is overbroad, the parties intend that the court modify such restriction and enforce it to the fullest extent legally allowed.
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The provisions of this Employee Agreement do not in any way limit or abridge Companys rights under the laws of unfair competition, trade secret, trademark or any other applicable law(s), all of which are in addition to and cumulative of Aarons rights under this Employee Agreement. Employee agrees that the existence of any claim by Employee against Aarons, whether predicated on this Employee Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to enforcement by Aarons of any or all of such provisions or covenants.
11. Work For Hire Acknowledgment; Assignment. Employee acknowledges that work on and contributions to documents, programs, and other expressions in any tangible medium (collectively, Works) are within the scope of Employees employment and part of Employees duties, responsibilities, or assignment. Employees work on and contributions to the Works will be rendered and made by Employee for, at the instigation of, and under the overall direction of, Company, and all such work and contributions, together with the Works, are and at all times shall be regarded, as work made for hire as that term is used in the United States Copyright Laws. Without limiting this acknowledgment, Employee assigns, grants, and delivers exclusively to Company all rights, titles, and interests in and to any such Works, and all copies and versions, including all copyrights and renewals. Employee will execute and deliver to Company, or its successors and assigns, any assignments and documents Company requests for the purpose of complete, exclusive, perpetual, and worldwide ownership of all rights, titles, and interests of every kind and nature, including all copyrights in and to the Works, and Employee constitutes and appoints Company as its agent to execute and deliver any assignments or documents Employee fails or refuses to execute and deliver, this power and agency being coupled with an interest and being irrevocable.
12. Inventions, Ideas, Patents, Proprietary Information. Employee shall disclose promptly to Company, and only to Company, any invention, idea, innovation, technology, trade secret, know-how, design, process or method that relates in any way to Companys Business (Proprietary Information) and that was developed, conceived, created or made by Employee (alone or with others) during employment by Company or within six months after termination of Employees employment. Employee assigns to Company all right, title and interest in any Proprietary Information that is in any way connected with or related to Employees employment, Companys Business, Companys research or development, or its demonstrably anticipated research or development. Employee will cooperate with Company and sign all papers deemed necessary by Company to enable it to obtain, maintain, protect, and defend patents, trade secret rights, or other legal protection applicable to Proprietary Information and to confirm Companys exclusive ownership of all rights in Proprietary Information, and Employee irrevocably appoints Company as its agent to execute and deliver any assignments or documents Employee fails or refuses to execute and deliver promptly, this power and agency being coupled with an interest and being irrevocable. This constitutes formal written notice that this assignment does not apply to any Proprietary Information for which no equipment, supplies, facility or confidential or proprietary information of Company were used, and which was developed entirely independently of the Employees employment by Company, unless (a) the Proprietary Information relates (i) directly to Companys Business, or (ii) to Companys actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, or (b) the Proprietary Information results from work performed by Employee for, or on behalf of, Company.
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13. Relief. The parties acknowledge and agree that a breach or threat to breach any of the terms of this Employee Agreement by Employee would result in material and irreparable damage and injury to Aarons, and that it would be difficult or impossible to establish the full monetary value of such damage. Therefore, Aarons shall be entitled to injunctive relief by a court of appropriate jurisdiction in the event of Employees breach or threatened breach of any of the terms contained in this Employee Agreement. In the event of any breach or threatened breach of this Employee Agreement by Employee, Employee shall reimburse Aarons for its reasonable attorneys fees and other expenses incurred to enforce this Employee Agreement.
14. Previous Agreements Terminated. This Employee Agreement supersedes and replaces any previous agreements between Aarons and Employee with respect to the subject matter herein, except that, if this Employee Agreement is entered into in connection with or because of a transfer or other change in Employees territory, any provision or portion of a provision in a previous agreement pertaining to competition with Aarons, solicitation of its customers or employees, use or disclosure of Companys confidential information, return of Company property, or assignment of intellectual property rights, that is effective upon transfer or other change in Employees territory shall remain in effect in accordance with its terms.
15. Agreement Binding. This Employee Agreement shall inure to the benefit of Aarons and its successors, assignees, and designees and shall be binding upon Employee and Employees heirs, executors, administrators and personal representatives.
16. Choice of Law; Exclusive Jurisdiction and Venue. This Employee Agreement will be interpreted under and governed by the laws of the State of Georgia. Each party irrevocably (a) consents to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and superior courts of Fulton County, Georgia and federal courts in the Atlanta Division of the Northern District of Georgia, in any action arising under or relating to this Employee Agreement, and (b) waives any jurisdictional defenses (including personal jurisdiction and venue) to any such action.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Aarons has caused this Employee Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized officer, and Employee has executed this Employee Agreement, to be effective as of the date the Employee accepts the grant of RSUs that is subject to this Employee Agreement.
AARONS, INC. | ||||
By: | ||||
309 E. Paces Ferry, Rd., N.E. | ||||
Atlanta Georgia, 30305-2377 |
If Employee is accepting grants of RSUs electronically such as through an online grant acceptance system, Employees acceptance of each grant of RSUs, to which the Master Restricted Stock Unit Agreement and, thus, this Employee Agreement relates, constitutes Employees acceptance of and agreement to be bound by, the terms and conditions of this Employee Agreement, and the Employees execution and delivery of this Employee Agreement, without the necessity for a manual signature below or completion of the date and address fields below.
EMPLOYEE | ||||
By: | ||||
(Print) | ||||
Employee Address: | ||||
Date: | ||||
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SCHEDULE A
(to the Employee Agreement)
(to the Employee Agreement)
Employee Name: ___________________
Services Employees Services include, but are not limited to, exercising authority over and responsibility for the following area(s) [check all areas that apply]:
o | Multi-unit Operations Management: operations management for multiple stores. | ||
o | Financial, Accounting, and Audit: financial and fiscal planning, analysis and reporting, general accounting, tax matters, financial control systems, financial/operational audit and compliance. | ||
o | Administrative: community, employee, industrial and shareholder relations, personnel, compensation and benefits, training, promotion of employee morale and loyalty, relations with political and governmental entities and financial community. | ||
o | Real Estate/Construction Management: asset deployment, site selection, negotiation for and acquisition of facilities and real estate by lease or purchase, and long range expansion programs. | ||
o | Insurance and Employee Benefits: develop, implement and administer property, casualty and other operating lines of insurance; group medical, dental and long-term disability insurance; loss prevention and control programs; 401(k) retirement and other employee benefit programs including deferred compensation. | ||
o | Materials Management: inventory control, contract compliance, securing sources of supply, planning, procurement, scheduling and effecting purchases, quality assurance, relations with suppliers and interdivisional transfer pricing policies and procedures. | ||
o | Engineering and Manufacturing: product development and engineering, plant management and operations, cost control, and quality assurance. | ||
o | Information Technology: information systems and services, programming, computer systems development and analysis. | ||
o | Marketing: sales, leasing, merchandising methods and strategies, market forecasts and expansion studies, pricing strategy, advertising, customer service and interdivisional transfer pricing policies and procedures. | ||
o | Franchise Administration: marketing, promotion and sales of franchises; franchise operations; franchise administration and relations. | ||
o | Other: |
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Business Operations The areas of business in which Employee shall provide Services, and in which Employee shall be prohibited from providing Services in competition with Aarons in accordance with the terms of this Employee Agreement include the following areas [check all areas that apply]:
o | Residential Merchandise Leasing: rental, leasing and sales of new or reconditioned residential furniture, bedding, consumer electronics, computers (including hardware, software and accessories), appliances, household goods and home furnishings. |
o | Manufacturing: design, manufacture and reconditioning of residential furniture of a type specially suited to the leasing, rental and sales business. |
o | Automotive: rental, leasing and sales of automobile and truck tires, rims and related accessories. |
Territory The following facilities are applicable in determining the Employees Territory under the Employee Agreement:
[List all Facilities] |
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