Employment Agreement with Michelle C. Wirtz, dated February 21, 2022

Contract Categories: Human Resources - Employment Agreements
EX-10.1 2 elmd220749_ex10-1.htm EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Employment Agreement (“Agreement”) is made effective as of February 21, 2022 (“Effective Date”) by and between Electromed, Inc., a Minnesota corporation (the “Corporation”) and Michelle Wirtz an individual residing in Minnesota (“Employee”) (collectively “Parties” or individually “Party”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Corporation desires to employ Employee pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and Employee desires to accept such employment; and

 

WHEREAS, during Employee’s employment with the Corporation, Employee will become acquainted with technical and nontechnical information which the Corporation has developed, acquired and uses, or which the Corporation will develop, acquire or use, and which is commercially valuable to the Corporation and which the Corporation desires to protect, and Employee may contribute to such information through inventions, discoveries, improvements or otherwise.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the employment of Employee by the Corporation, and further in consideration of the salary, wages or other compensation and benefits to be provided by the Corporation to Employee, and for additional mutual covenants and conditions, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Corporation and Employee, intending legally to be bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

AGREEMENT

 

In consideration of the above recitals and the mutual promises set forth in this Agreement, the Parties agree as follows:

 

1.Nature and Capacity of Employment.

 

1.1           Title and Duties. Effective as of the Effective Date, the Corporation will employ Employee as its Corporate Controller or such other title as may be assigned to Employee by the Corporation’s Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee from time to time, pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. Employee will perform such duties and responsibilities for the Corporation as the Corporation’s Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee may assign to Employee from time to time consistent with Employee’s position. Employee shall serve the Corporation faithfully and to the best of Employee’s ability and shall at all times act in accordance with the law. Employee shall devote Employee’s full working time, attention and efforts to performing Employee’s duties and responsibilities under this Agreement and advancing the Corporation’s business interests. Employee shall follow applicable policies and procedures adopted by the Corporation from time to time, including without limitation the Corporation’s Confidentiality Policy and other Corporation policies, including those relating to business ethics, conflict of interest and non-discrimination. Employee shall not, without the prior written consent of the Corporation’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) accept other employment or engage in other business activities during Employee’s employment with the Corporation that may prevent Employee from fulfilling the duties or responsibilities as set forth in or contemplated by this Agreement.

 

2.1           Location. Employee’s employment will be a hybrid arrangement consistent of working from home in Minneapolis and coming into the New Prague corporate office 1 to 2 days per week.

 

 

 

 

2.           Term. Unless terminated at an earlier date in accordance with Section 5, the term of Employee’s employment with the Corporation under the terms and conditions of this Agreement will be for the period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on the two (2) year anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Initial Term”). On the two (2) year anniversary of the Effective Date, and on each succeeding one-year anniversary of the Effective Date (each an “Anniversary Date”), the Term shall be automatically extended until the next Anniversary Date (each a “Renewal Term”), subject to termination on an earlier date in accordance with Section 5 or unless either Party gives written notice of non-renewal to the other Party at least ninety (90) days prior to the Anniversary Date on which this Agreement would otherwise be automatically extended that the Party providing such notice elects not to extend the Term; provided, however, that if a Change of Control (as defined in Section 6.4) occurs during the Initial Term or during any Renewal Term then the Term will expire on the one-year anniversary of the date of the Change of Control. The Initial Term together with any Renewal Terms is the “Term.” If Employee remains employed by the Corporation after the Term ends for any reason, then such continued employment shall be according to the terms and conditions established by the Corporation from time to time (provided that any provisions of this Agreement and the Restrictive Covenants Agreement (as defined in Section 3) that by their terms survive the termination of the Term shall remain in full force and effect).

 

3.           Restrictive Covenants Agreement. Effective as of the Effective Date, and as a condition of Employee’s employment with the Corporation and the Corporation entering into this Agreement, Employee is entering into a Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation, and Confidentiality Agreement (the “Restrictive Covenants Agreement”). Employee acknowledges that Employee has a copy of the Restrictive Covenants Agreement, that Employee has read the Restrictive Covenants Agreement before signing this Agreement, and that the consideration Employee is receiving in exchange for signing the Restrictive Covenants Agreement is adequate and reasonable. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to modify, amend, cancel or supersede the Restrictive Covenants Agreement in any manner.

 

4.Compensation, Benefits and Business Expenses.

 

4.1.          Base Salary. As of the Effective Date, the Corporation agrees to pay Employee an annualized base salary of $180,000 (the “Base Salary”) for full-time employment, less all legally required and authorized deductions and withholdings, which Base Salary will be earned by Employee on a pro rata basis as Employee performs services and which shall be paid according to the Corporation’s normal payroll practices. Employee shall be eligible for a merit-based increase of the Base Salary payable under this Section 4.1 on or about July 1, 2022 and on or about July 1 of each year during the Term thereafter, with any adjustment to Employee’s Base Salary subject to approval by the Corporation’s Chief Financial Officer.

 

4.2           Annual Incentive Compensation. For each of the Corporation’s fiscal years during the Term starting with the Corporation’s 2022 fiscal year, Employee will be eligible to earn an annualized cash bonus as determined by the Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer in his or her discretion and subject to the terms of any written document addressing such annual cash bonus as the Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer may adopt in Employee’s sole discretion. For the Corporation’s 2022 fiscal year, Employee’s target annualized cash bonus under this Section 4.2 will be twenty percent (20%) of Employee’s annualized Base Salary for the Corporation’s 2022 fiscal year, subject to the terms and conditions identified in the Corporation’s Fiscal Year 2022 Management Bonus Plan. Future annual cash bonus opportunities will be determined by Corporation’s Chief Financial Officer in his or her discretion. Unless specified otherwise a written annual cash bonus document applicable to Employee, Employee must be employed on the date any annual cash bonus is paid in order to each such bonus.

 

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4.3         Employee Benefits. While Employee is employed by the Corporation during the Term, Employee shall be entitled to participate in the retirement plans, health plans, and all other employee benefits made available by the Corporation, and as they may be changed from time to time. Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee will be subject to all eligibility requirements and all other provisions of these benefits plans, and that the Corporation is under no obligation to Employee to establish and maintain any employee benefit plan in which Employee may participate. The terms and provisions of any employee benefit plan of the Corporation are matters within the exclusive province of the Board, subject to applicable law.

 

4.4         Vacation and Sick Leave. While Employee is employed by the Corporation during the Term, Employee shall be entitled to the Electromed’s standard Discretionary Time Off policy.

 

4.5         Business Expenses. While Employee is employed by the Corporation during the Term, the Corporation shall reimburse Employee for all reasonable and necessary out-of-pocket business, travel and entertainment expenses incurred by Employee in the performance of Employee’s duties and responsibilities hereunder, subject to the Corporation’s normal policies and procedures for expense verification and documentation.

 

4.6         Other Benefits: The Corporation shall provide a corporate credit card for approved business expenses and shall otherwise reimburse the Employee for, or pay directly, all reasonable business expenses incurred by the Employee in the performance of Employee’s duties under this Agreement, provided that the Employee incurs and accounts for such expenses in accordance with all Corporation policies and directives in effect from time to time.

 

5.Termination of Employment.

 

5.1         Termination of Employment Events. Employee’s employment with the Corporation is at-will. Employee’s employment with the Corporation will terminate immediately upon:

 

(a)The date of Employee’s receipt of written notice from the Corporation of the termination of Employee’s employment (or any later date specified in such written notice from the Corporation);

 

(b)Employee’s abandonment of Employee’s employment or the effective date of Employee’s resignation for any reason (as specified in written notice from Employee);

 

(c)Employee’s Disability (as defined below); or

 

(d)Employee’s death.

 

5.2        Termination Date. The date upon which Employee’s termination of employment with the Corporation is effective is the “Termination Date.” For purposes of Section 6.1 only, with respect to the timing of the Severance Payment and the Benefits Continuation Payments thereunder, the Termination Date means the date on which a “separation from service” has occurred for purposes of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and the regulations and guidance thereunder (the “Code”).

 

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6.Payments Upon Termination of Employment.

 

6.1.        Termination of Employment Without Cause During the Term and Within Twelve (12) Months After the First Change of Control. If Employee’s employment with the Corporation is terminated during the Term by the Corporation for any reason other than for Cause (as defined in Section 6.3), and the Termination Date occurs on the date of the first Change of Control (as defined in Section 6.4) to occur during the Term or before the twelve (12) month anniversary of such Change of Control, then the Corporation shall, in addition to paying Employee’s Base Salary and other compensation earned through the Termination Date, and subject to Section 6.7,

 

(a)pay to Employee as severance pay an amount equal to the sum of one times (100%) the Employee’s annualized Base Salary as of the Termination Date, plus (ii) an amount equal to 100 percent (100%) of Employee’s target annual bonus based on Employee’s individual performance for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs, plus (iii) an amount equal to Employee’s target annual bonus based on the Corporation’s performance for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days Employee was employed by the Corporation during the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs and the denominator of which is 365, less all legally required and authorized deductions and withholdings, payable in a lump sum on the Corporation’s first regular payroll date that is after the expiration of all rescission periods identified in the Release (as defined in Section 6.7) but in no event later than seventy-five (75) days after the Termination Date (the “Severance Payment”); and

 

(b)if Employee is eligible for and takes all steps necessary to continue Employee’s group health insurance coverage with the Corporation following the Termination Date (including completing and returning the forms necessary to elect COBRA coverage), pay for the portion of the premium costs for such coverage that the Corporation would pay if Employee remained employed by the Corporation, at the same level of coverage that was in effect as of the Termination Date, through the earliest of: (i) the twelve (12) month anniversary of the Termination Date, (ii) the date Employee becomes eligible for group health insurance coverage from any other employer, or (iii) the date Employee is no longer eligible to continue Employee’s group health insurance coverage with the Corporation under applicable law (“Benefits Continuation Payments”).

 

6.2.        Other Termination of Employment Events. If Employee’s employment with the Corporation is terminated by the Corporation or Employee for any reason upon or following the expiration of the Term, or if Employee’s employment with the Corporation is terminated during the Term by reason of:

 

(a)Employee’s abandonment of Employee’s employment or Employee’s resignation for any reason;

 

(b)termination of Employee’s employment by the Corporation for Cause;

 

(c)termination of Employee’s employment by the Corporation without Cause before the date of the first Change of Control to occur during the Term; or

 

(d)Employee’s death or Disability,

 

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then the Corporation shall pay to Employee or Employee’s beneficiary or Employee’s estate, as the case may be, Employee’s Base Salary and other compensation earned through the Termination Date and Employee shall not be eligible or entitled to receive any severance pay or benefits from the Corporation.

 

6.3.        Cause Defined. “Cause” hereunder means:

 

(a)Employee’s material failure to perform Employee’s job duties competently as reasonably determined by the Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer or the Board;

 

(b)gross misconduct by Employee which the Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer or the Board determines is (or will be if continued) demonstrably and materially damaging to the Corporation;

 

(c)fraud, misappropriation, or embezzlement by Employee;

 

(d)conviction of a felony crime or a crime of moral turpitude;

 

(e)conduct in the course of employment that the Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer or the Board determines is unethical; or

 

(f)the material breach of this Agreement of the Restrictive Covenants Agreement by Employee.

 

With respect to Section 6.3(a) and Section 6.3(e), the Corporation shall first provide Employee with written notice and an opportunity to cure such breach, if curable, in the reasonable discretion of the Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer or the Board, and identify with specificity the action needed to cure within thirty (30) days of Employee’s receipt of written notice from the Corporation. If the Corporation terminates Employee’s employment for Cause pursuant to this Section 6.3, then Employee shall not be eligible or entitled to receive any severance pay or benefits from the Corporation.

 

6.4.        Change of Control Defined. “Change of Control” hereunder means:

 

(a)A “change in ownership,” as described in Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(v) of the Treasury Regulations;

 

(b)A “change in effective control,” as described in Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(vi) of the Treasury Regulations; or

 

(c)A “change in ownership of a substantial portion of the assets,” as described in Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(vii) of the Treasury Regulations.

 

6.5.        Disability Defined. “Disability” hereunder means the inability of Employee to perform on a full-time basis, with or without reasonable accommodation, the duties and responsibilities of Employee’s employment with the Corporation by reason of Employee’s illness or other physical or mental impairment or condition, if such inability continues for an uninterrupted period of at least one hundred (100) days or more during any 360-day period. A period of inability shall be “uninterrupted” unless and until Employee returns to full-time work for a continuous period of at least thirty (30) days.

 

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6.6.        The Corporation’s Sole Obligation. In the event of termination of Employee’s employment, the sole obligation of the Corporation shall be its obligation to make the payments called for by Section 6.1 or Section 6.2, as the case may be, and the Corporation shall have no other obligation to Employee or to Employee’s beneficiary or Employee’s estate, except for any amounts due under the terms of any employee benefit plans or programs then maintained by the Corporation in which Employee participates.

 

6.7.        Conditions To Receive the Severance Payment and the Benefits Continuation Payments. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 6, the Corporation will not be obligated to make the Severance Payment or the Benefits Continuation Payments to or on behalf of Employee under Section 6.1 unless (a) Employee signs a release of claims in favor of the Corporation in a form to be prescribed by the Corporation (the “Release”), (b) all applicable consideration periods and rescission periods provided by law with respect to the Release have expired without Employee rescinding the Release, and (c) Employee is in strict compliance with the terms of this Agreement and the Restrictive Covenants Agreement and any other written agreement between Employee and the Corporation.

 

7.            Section 409A and Taxes Generally.

 

7.1          Taxes. The Corporation shall be entitled to withhold on and report the making of such payments as may be required by law as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Corporation. Except for any tax amounts withheld by the Corporation from any compensation that Employee may receive in connection with Employee’s employment with the Corporation and any employer taxes required to be paid by the Corporation under applicable laws or regulations, Employee is solely responsible for payment of any and all taxes owed in connection with any compensation, benefits, reimbursement amounts or other payments Employee receives from the Corporation under this Agreement or otherwise in connection with Employee’s employment with the Corporation. The Corporation does not guarantee any particular tax consequence or result with respect to any payment made by the Corporation.

 

7.2          Section 409A. This Agreement is intended to provide for payments that satisfy, or are exempt from, the requirements of Section 409A, including Sections 409A(a)(2), (3) and (4) of the Code and current and future guidance and regulations interpreting such provisions, and should be interpreted accordingly. In furtherance of the foregoing, the provisions set forth below shall apply notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement:

 

(a)           all payments to be made to Employee hereunder, to the extent they constitute a deferral of compensation subject to the requirements of Section 409A (after taking into account all exclusions applicable to such payments under Section 409A), shall be made no later, and shall not be made any earlier, than at the time or times specified in this Agreement or in any applicable plan for such payments to be made, except as otherwise permitted or required under Section 409A;

 

(b)           the date of Employee’s “separation from service”, as defined in Section 409A (and as determined by applying the default presumptions in Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(h)(1)(ii)), shall be treated as the date of Employee’s termination of employment for purposes of determining the time of payment of any amount that becomes payable to Employee related to Employee’s termination of employment under Section 6.1, and any reference to Employee’s “Termination Date” or “termination” of Employee’s employment in Section 6.1 shall mean the date of Employee’s “separation from service”, as defined in Section 409A (and as determined by applying the default presumptions in Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(h)(1)(ii));

 

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(c)           in the case of any amounts payable to Employee under this Agreement that may be treated as payable in the form of “a series of installment payments”, as defined in Treas. Reg. §1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii), Employee’s right to receive such payments shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments for purposes of Treas. Reg. §1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii);

 

(d)           to the extent that the reimbursement of any expenses eligible for reimbursement or the provision of any in-kind benefits under any provision of this Agreement would be considered deferred compensation under Section 409A (after taking into account all exclusions applicable to such reimbursements and benefits under Section 409A): (i) reimbursement of any such expense shall be made by the Corporation as soon as practicable after such expense has been incurred, but in any event no later than December 31st of the year following the year in which Employee incurs such expense; (ii) the amount of such expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits to be provided, during any calendar year shall not affect the amount of such expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits to be provided, in any calendar year; and (iii) Employee’s right to receive such reimbursements or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit;

 

(e)           to the extent any payment or delivery otherwise required to be made to Employee hereunder on account of Employee’s separation from service is properly treated as a deferral of compensation subject to Section 409A after taking into account all exclusions applicable to such payment and delivery under Section 409A, and if Employee is a “specified employee” under Section 409A at the time of Employee’s separation from service, then such payment and delivery shall not be made prior to the first business day after the earlier of (i) the expiration of six months from the date of Employee’s separation from service, or (ii) the date of Employee’s death (such first business day, the “Delayed Payment Date”), and on the Delayed Payment Date, there shall be paid or delivered to Employee or, if Employee has died, to Employee’s estate, in a single payment or delivery (as applicable) all entitlements so delayed, and in the case of cash payments, in a single cash lump sum, an amount equal to aggregate amount of all payments delayed pursuant to the preceding sentence. Except for any tax amounts withheld by the Corporation from the payments or other consideration hereunder and any employment taxes required to be paid by the Corporation, Employee shall be responsible for payment of any and all taxes owed in connection with the consideration provided for in this Agreement; and

 

(f)           the Parties agree that this Agreement may be amended, as may be necessary to fully comply with, or to be exempt from, Section 409A and all related rules and regulations in order to preserve the payments and benefits provided hereunder without additional cost to either Party.

 

8.           Miscellaneous.

 

8.1.        Integration. This Agreement and the Restrictive Covenants Agreement embody the entire agreement and understanding among the Parties relative to subject matter hereof and combined supersede all prior agreements and understandings relating to such subject matter, including but not limited to any earlier offers to Employee by the Corporation.

 

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8.2.          Applicable Law. All matters relating to the interpretation, construction, application, validity and enforcement of this Agreement are governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule, whether of the State of Minnesota or any other jurisdiction, that would cause the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Minnesota.

 

8.3.          Choice of Jurisdiction. Employee and the Corporation consent to jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Minnesota and/or the federal district courts, District of Minnesota, for the purpose of resolving all issues of law, equity, or fact, arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or Employee’s employment with the Corporation or the termination of such employment. Any action involving claims for interpretation, breach or enforcement of this Agreement or related to Employee’s employment with the Corporation or the termination of such employment shall be brought in such courts. Each party consents to personal jurisdiction over such party in the state and/or federal courts of Minnesota and hereby waives any defense of lack of personal jurisdiction or inconvenient forum.

 

8.4.          Employee’s Representations. Employee represents that Employee is not subject to any agreement or obligation that would prevent or limit Employee from entering into this Agreement or that would be breached upon performance of Employee’s duties under this Agreement, including but not limited to any duties owed to any former employers not to compete. If Employee possesses any information that Employee knows or should know is considered by any third party, such as a former employer of Employee’s, to be confidential, trade secret, or otherwise proprietary, Employee shall not disclose such information to the Corporation or use such information to benefit the Corporation in any way.

 

8.5.          Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts and as so executed shall constitute one agreement binding on the Parties.

 

8.6.          Assignment and Successors. The rights and obligations of the Corporation under this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and will be binding upon the successors and assigns of the Corporation. Neither party may, without the written consent of the other party, assign or delegate any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement except that the Corporation may, without any further consent of Employee, assign or delegate any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement to any corporation or other business entity (a) with which the Corporation may merge or consolidate, (b) to which the Corporation may sell or transfer all or substantially all of its assets or capital stock or equity, or (c) any affiliate or subsidiary of the Corporation. After any such assignment or delegation by the Corporation, the Corporation will be discharged from all further liability hereunder and such assignee will thereafter be deemed to be the “Corporation” for purposes of all terms and conditions of this Agreement, including this Section 8.6. Employee may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder. Any purported or attempted assignment or transfer by Employee of this Agreement or any of Employee’s duties, responsibilities, or obligations hereunder is void.

 

8.7.          Modification. This Agreement shall not be modified or amended except by a written instrument signed by the Parties.

 

8.8.          Severability. The invalidity or partial invalidity of any portion of this Agreement shall not invalidate the remainder thereof, and said remainder shall remain in fully force and effect.

 

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8.9.         Opportunity to Obtain Advice of Counsel. Employee acknowledges that Employee has been advised by the Corporation to obtain legal advice prior to executing this Agreement, and that Employee had sufficient opportunity to do so prior to signing this Agreement.

 

8.10.       280G Limitations. In the event that the severance and other benefits provided for in this Agreement or otherwise payable to Employee (a) constitute “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and (b) would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Code Section 4999, then such benefits shall be either be: (i) delivered in full, or (ii) delivered as to such lesser extent which would result in no portion of such severance benefits being subject to excise tax under Code Section 4999, whichever of the foregoing amounts, taking into account the applicable federal, state and local income and employment taxes and the excise tax imposed by Code Section 4999, results in the receipt by Employee, on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of benefits, notwithstanding that all or some portion of such benefits may be subject to excise tax under Code Section 4999. Any determination required under this Section 8.10 will be made in writing by an accounting firm selected by the Corporation or such other person or entity to which the parties mutually agree (the “Accountants”), whose determination will be conclusive and binding upon Employee and the Corporation for all purposes. For purposes of making the calculations required by this Section 8.10, the Accountants may make reasonable assumptions and approximations concerning applicable taxes and may rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application of Code Sections 280G and 4999. The Corporation and the Employee shall furnish to the Accountants such information and documents as the Accountants may reasonably request in order to make a determination under this Section. The Corporation shall bear all costs the Accountants may reasonably incur in connection with any calculations contemplated by this Section 8.10. Any reduction in payments and/or benefits required by this Section 8.10 shall occur in the following order: (A) cash payments shall be reduced first and in reverse chronological order such that the cash payment owed on the latest date following the occurrence of the event triggering such excise tax will be the first cash payment to be reduced; (B) accelerated vesting of stock awards, if any, shall be cancelled/reduced next and in the reverse order of the date of grant for such stock awards (i.e., the vesting of the most recently granted stock awards will be reduced first), with full-value awards reversed before any stock option or stock appreciation rights are reduced; and (C) deferred compensation amounts subject to Section 409A shall be reduced last.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT was voluntarily and knowingly executed by the Parties effective as of the Effective Date first set forth above.

 

  ELECTROMED, INC.
   
Date: March 10, 2022
By:

Mike MacCourt

  Its: Chief Financial Officer
 
  EMPLOYEE:
Date: March 10, 2022
  Michelle Wirtz
  Its: Corporate Controller