CubeSmart Executive Severance Plan
Exhibit 10.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED CUBESMART EXECUTIVE SEVERANCE PLAN
(Effective August 1, 2023)
CubeSmart, a Maryland real estate investment trust (“CubeSmart”), has adopted this Amended and Restated CubeSmart Executive Severance Plan (the “Plan”) for the benefit of certain senior executive employees of the CubeSmart and CubeSmart’s operating partnership, CubeSmart, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, on the terms and conditions hereinafter stated. All capitalized terms used herein are defined in Section 1 hereof. The Plan, as set forth herein, is intended to help retain qualified employees, maintain a stable work environment and provide economic security to eligible employees in the event of certain qualifying terminations of employment.
The benefits under the Plan are not intended as deferred compensation and no individual shall have a vested right in such benefits. The Plan is not intended to be an “employee pension benefit plan” or “pension plan” within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA. Rather, this Plan is unfunded, has no trustee and is administered by the Plan Administrator. This Plan is intended to be a “welfare benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 3(1) of ERISA and to meet the descriptive requirements of a plan constituting a “severance pay plan” within the meaning of regulations published by the Secretary of Labor at Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 2510.2(b), and is to be administered as a “top-hat” welfare plan exempt from the substantive requirements of ERISA. In addition, the Plan is intended to be a “separation pay plan” under Section 409A to the greatest possible extent, in accordance with the regulations issued thereunder.
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For purposes of this Section 1.4, no act, or failure to act, by an Eligible Employee shall be considered “willful” unless committed in bad faith and without a reasonable belief that the act or omission was in the best interests of the Company or any Subsidiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if there exists (without regard to this sentence) an event or condition that constitutes Cause under clause (c), (d), (e) or (f) above, the Eligible Employee shall have thirty (30) days from the date written notice is given by the Company of such event or condition to cure such event or condition to the extent curable and, if the Eligible Employee does so, such event or condition shall not constitute Cause hereunder.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if there exists (without regard to this sentence) an event or condition that constitutes Good Reason above, the Eligible Employee must deliver to the Company within ninety (90) days following the event or condition that constitutes Good Reason a written notice detailing the event or condition that constitutes Good Reason and the Eligible Employee’s proposed Effective Date of Termination, and the Company shall have thirty (30) days from the date on which the Executive gives the written notice thereof to cure such event or condition. If the Company fails to cure such an event or condition constituting Good Reason during the Company’s thirty (30)-day cure period, the Eligible Employee must terminate employment within fifteen (15) days following the end of the Company’s thirty (30)-day cure period in order for such termination of employment to be for Good Reason. If the Company cures the event or condition that constitutes Good Reason as detailed in the Eligible Employee’s written notice within the Company’s thirty (30)-day cure period, such event or condition shall not constitute Good Reason hereunder.
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Unless a more favorable treatment is otherwise provided in an individual agreement with an Eligible Employee, if any of the payments or benefits provided or to be provided by the Company or its affiliates to an Eligible Employee or for the benefit of an Eligible Employee pursuant to this Plan or otherwise (“Covered Payments”) constitute parachute payments within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and would, but for this Section 4, be subject to the excise tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision thereto) or any similar tax imposed by state or local law or any interest or penalties with respect to such taxes (collectively, the “Excise Tax”), then the Covered Payments shall be payable either (a) in full or (b) reduced to the minimum extent necessary to ensure that no portion of the Covered Payments is subject to the Excise Tax, whichever of the foregoing (a) or (b) results in the Eligible Employee’s receipt on an after-tax basis of the greatest amount of benefits after taking into account the applicable federal, state, local and foreign income, employment and excise taxes (including the Excise Tax).
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The Plan was originally adopted on November 1, 2016, and has been amended and restated effective as of August 1, 2023. The Plan may be terminated or amended by the Board or the Committee at any time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall any termination of the Plan or any amendment of the Plan that reduces benefits or excludes Eligible Employees be effective during the twenty-four (24) month period following a Change in Control without the consent of each affected Eligible Employee.
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CubeSmart
5 Old Lancaster Road
Malvern, PA 19355
Attn: Chief Human Resources Officer
The Plan Administrator shall, within ninety (90) days after receipt of such written claim, decide the claim and send written notification to the Claimant as to its disposition; provided that the Plan Administrator may elect to extend such period for an additional ninety (90) days if special circumstances so warrant and the Claimant is so notified in writing prior to the expiration of the original ninety (90)-day period. If the claim is wholly or partially denied, such written notification shall (a) state the specific reason or reasons for the denial; (b) make specific reference to pertinent Plan provisions on which the denial is based; (c) provide a description of any additional material or information necessary for the Claimant to perfect the claim and an explanation of why such material or information is necessary; and (d) set forth the procedure by which the Claimant may appeal the denial of his or her claim. The Claimant may request a review of such denial by making application in writing to the Plan Administrator within sixty (60) days after receipt of such denial. Such application must be via certified mail. The named appeals fiduciary is the Plan Administrator or the person(s) named by the Plan Administrator to review the Claimant’s appeal. Such Claimant (or his or her duly authorized representative) may, upon written request to the Plan Administrator, review any documents pertinent to his or her claim, and submit in writing issues and comments in support of his or her claim or position. Within sixty (60) days after receipt of a written appeal, the named appeals fiduciary shall decide the appeal and notify the Claimant of the final decision; provided that the named appeals fiduciary may elect to extend such sixty (60)-day period up to an additional 60 (60) days after receipt of the written appeal. The final decision shall be in writing and shall include specific reasons for the decision, written in a manner calculated to be understood by the Claimant, and specific references to the pertinent Plan provisions on which the decision is based.
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Eligible Employees and any severance benefits to which Eligible Employees shall be entitled under the Plan shall be subject to any Company clawback policy maintained by CubeSmart or any affiliate from time to time as necessary to comply with applicable law or exchange listing requirements.
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EXHIBIT A
SEVERANCE AND GENERAL RELEASE AGREEMENT
This agreement made and entered into between CubeSmart, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”), and ____________ (the “Executive”);
WHEREAS, the Executive has been employed by the Company (or its predecessor) since ;
WHEREAS, the Executive’s employment with the Company has been terminated effective ;
WHEREAS, the Executive is an Eligible Employee under the Company’s Amended and Restated Executive Severance Plan (the “Severance Plan”), which provides for certain termination benefits (the “Termination Benefits”), in connection with such termination, upon the terms set forth in such Plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
The Executive hereby irrevocably and unconditionally releases and forever discharges the Company, its subsidiaries, parent companies, and related entities, and each of the Company and its affiliates’ successors, assigns, agents, directors, officers, employees, representatives, and attorneys, and all persons acting by, through, under or in concert with
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any of them (collectively “Released Parties”), or any of them, from any and all charges, complaints, claims, liabilities, obligations, promises, agreements, controversies, damages, actions, causes of action, suits, rights, demands, costs, losses, debts and expenses (including attorney’s fees and costs actually incurred), of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown (“Claims”), which the Executive now has, or claims to have, or which the Executive at any time heretofore had, or claimed to have, against each or any of the Released Parties. The definition of Claims also specifically encompasses all claims of under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 1981(a), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, the Employment Retirement Income Security Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as all claims under state law provided under other applicable state law or local ordinance concerning the Executive’s employment or termination of the Executive’s employment. The Executive is not waiving his right to vested benefits under the written terms of any Company 401(k) Plan, claims for unemployment or workers’ compensation benefits, any medical claim incurred during the Executive’s employment that is payable under applicable medical plans or an employer-insured liability plan, claims arising after the date on which the Executive signs this Agreement, or claims that are not otherwise waivable under applicable law.
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Please take notice that federal law provides criminal and civil immunity to federal and state claims for trade secret misappropriation to individuals who disclose a trade secret to their attorney, a court, or a government official in certain, confidential circumstances that are set forth at 18 U.S.C. §§ 1833(b)(1) and 1833(b)(2), related to the reporting or investigation of a suspected violation of the law, or in connection with a lawsuit for retaliation for reporting a suspected violation of the law.
8. | The Executive agrees to indemnify and hold each and all of the Released Parties harmless from and against any and all loss, costs, damage, or expense, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, incurred by the Released Parties, or any of them, arising out of the Executive’s breach of this Agreement or the fact that any representation made by him herein was false when made. |
9. | In the event of any breach of this Agreement or the Restrictive Covenant Agreement by the Executive, the Company shall be entitled to immediately cease payment of the Termination Benefits in addition to any other remedy it may have. Both parties understand and agree that should either of them breach any material term of this Agreement, the non-breaching party can institute an action to enforce the terms of this Agreement. If legal action is commenced to enforce any provision of this Agreement, the substantially prevailing party in such action shall be entitled to recover its attorneys’ fees and expenses through any and all trial courts or appellate courts, in addition to any other relief that may be granted. |
10. | The Executive represents that he has not heretofore assigned or transferred, or purported to assign or transfer to any person or entity, any Claim or any portion thereof or interest therein. |
11. | The Executive represents and acknowledges that in executing this Agreement he does not rely and has not relied upon any other representation or statement made by any of the Released Parties or by any of the Released Parties’ agents, representatives or attorneys, except as set forth herein, with regard to the subject matter, basis or effect of this Agreement. |
12. | The Executive further agrees that he will not disparage the Company, its business, its employees, officers or agents, or any of the Company’s affiliates or related entities in any manner harmful to their business or business reputation. Except as provided by Section 7, the Executive and the Company agree to keep the matters contained herein confidential. The Executive will not discuss this Agreement with any current or former employee(s) of the Company. This Section 12 shall not prevent the Executive from communicating confidentially with his attorney(s) or |
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spouse, or to the extent required by public disclosure laws or as required by laws, regulations, or a final and binding court order or other compulsory process, including without limitation as set forth in Section 3.2 of the Restrictive Covenant Agreement. Nothing in this Section 12 shall not prevent the Company from communicating confidentially with its attorney(s), officers, or directors of the corporation, or to the extent required by public disclosure laws or as required by laws, regulations, or a final and binding court order or other compulsory process. |
13. | This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company, the Executive and their respective heirs, administrators, representatives, executors, successors, and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of the Released Parties and each of them, and to their heirs, administrators, representatives, executor, successors and assigns. |
14. | All terms not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Severance Plan. |
15. | This Agreement shall in all respects be interpreted, enforced and governed under the laws of the State of Maryland. |
16. | This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement between the parties hereto. Any modification, amendment or change to this Agreement must be made in writing and signed by both parties. |
The Company hereby advises the Executive to consult with an attorney prior to executing this Agreement. The Executive acknowledges that the Executive has been given a period of twenty-one (21) days within which to consider this Agreement. The Executive agrees that changes to this Agreement before its execution, whether material or immaterial, do not restart the Executive’s time to review the Agreement. The Executive further acknowledges that this Agreement may be revoked by the Executive at any time during the seven (7) day period beginning on the date that the Executive has signed this Agreement by providing written notice of revocation to:
CubeSmart
5 Old Lancaster Road
Malvern, PA 19355
Attn: Chief Human Resources Officer
Facsimile No.: (610) 293-5720
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This Agreement shall not become effective if the Executive revokes the Agreement during this 7-day period and will not become effective otherwise until after expiration of the 7-day period. The Executive shall not be entitled to receive any Termination Benefits under this Agreement or otherwise until the expiration of the revocation period.
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EXHIBIT B
RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AGREEMENT
THIS RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of , 20__ by and between CubeSmart, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”), and (the “Executive”).
WHEREAS, the Executive’s employment with the Company, CubeSmart, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership of which the Company is the general partner, or any of their direct or indirect subsidiaries (collectively, the “REIT”) terminated on ___________, 20__ (“Termination Date”).
WHEREAS, as a condition to receiving the applicable termination benefits (“Termination Benefits”) in accordance with the Company’s Amended and Restated Executive Severance Plan (the “Severance Plan”), the Company and the Executive agree that the Executive will not engage in competition with the Company and will refrain from taking certain other actions pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof in an effort to protect the Company’s legitimate business interests and goodwill and for other business purposes.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which hereby are acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
Please take notice that federal law provides criminal and civil immunity to federal and state claims for trade secret misappropriation to individuals who disclose a trade secret to their attorney, a court, or a government official in certain, confidential circumstances that are set forth at 18 U.S.C. §§ 1833(b)(1) and 1833(b)(2), related to the reporting or investigation of a suspected violation of the law, or in connection with a lawsuit for retaliation for reporting a suspected violation of the law.
The Executive shall assign to the Company all rights to trade secrets and other products relating to the Company’s business developed by him alone or in conjunction with others at any time while employed by the Company.
(i)if to the Executive, to the address set forth in the records of the Company; and
(ii)if to the Company:
CubeSmart
5 Old Lancaster Road
Malvern, PA 19355
Attn: Chief Human Resources Officer
Facsimile No.: (610) 293-5720
Execution in Counterparts. To facilitate execution, this Agreement may be executed in as many counterparts as may be required. It shall not be necessary that the signature of or on behalf of each party appears on each counterpart, but it shall be sufficient that the signature of or on behalf of each party appears on one or more of the counterparts. All counterparts shall collectively constitute a single agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has executed and delivered this Agreement, or caused this Agreement to be duly executed on its behalf, as of the date first set forth above.
THE EXECUTIVE: |
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THE COMPANY: |
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CUBESMART |
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Name: |
EXHIBIT C
ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES
Position | Tier |
President and Chief Executive Officer | I |
Chief Financial Officer | II |
Chief Legal Officer | III |
Chief Operating Officer | III |
Chief Human Resources Officer | III |