Employment Agreement dated as of September 14, 2020, among the Company and Diane Jones
employment agreement
THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of September 14, 2020 (“Effective Date”), is entered into by and between General Cannabis Corp., a Colorado corporation (the “Company”), and Diane Jones, an individual (“Employee”).
WHEREAS, the Company wishes to employ Employee, and Employee wishes to accept such employment, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual promises, terms, provisions, and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Paid Time Off. During Employee’s employment with the Company, Employee shall be entitled to paid vacation and holidays in accordance with the Company’s policy. Notwithstanding any Company policy, at all times Employee will be entitled to not less than four 4 weeks of vacation per calendar year during her employment with the Company. Employee shall also be entitled to such periods of sick leave as is customarily provided by the Company to its employees of comparable rank and status of Employee.
Severance Compensation shall be an amount equal to six (6) months of the annual base salary being paid to Employee at the time of termination. If Employee is entitled to Severance Compensation, the Severance Compensation shall be payable for a period of six (6) months following termination, subject to all required deductions and tax withholdings. The Company will pay the Severance Compensation to Employee on its regularly scheduled payroll dates or, in its discretion, in a lump sum.
In the event a court of competent jurisdiction finds Employee breached the Release or any of the post-employment obligations set out in Sections 6, 7 and 8, Employee shall not be entitled to any Severance Compensation, and Employee shall immediately repay to the Company any and all Severance Compensation received by Employee.
Notices to Employee:
Diane Jones
Notices to Company:
General Cannabis Corp.
6565 East Evans Avenue
Denver, CO 80224
Attention: Steve Gutterman
Email: ***@***
or such other address or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party shall have specified by prior written notice to the sending party. Any notices required or permitted hereunder shall be deemed given upon personal delivery to the appropriate address, or three (3) days after the date of mailing if sent by certified or registered mail, or one (1) day after the date of mailing if sent by overnight delivery service, or the day of transmission of such notice by facsimile or email if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and if sent after normal business hours of the recipient then on the next business day. Each party may change its address, facsimile number or email address for receipt of notice by giving notice of the change to the other party.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Employment Agreement as of the date first written above.
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General Cannabis Corp.
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By: | /s/ Steve Gutterman | |
Name: |
| Steve Gutterman |
Title: |
| CEO |
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/s/ Diane Jones
DIANE JONES
EXHIBIT A
GENERAL RELEASE
THIS GENERAL RELEASE (“Release”) is entered into as of __________, by Diane Jones, an individual (“Employee”), for the benefit of General Cannabis Corp., a Colorado corporation (the “Company”), and the other Released Parties (as defined below). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Employment Agreement (as defined below).
WHEREAS, Employee is a holder of equity of the Company and a former employee of the Company and its subsidiaries; and
WHEREAS, in consideration for the receipt of the Severance Compensation to be paid by the Company, as described further in Section 5(b) of the Employment Agreement, Employee hereby desires to release and forever discharge as of the date hereof the Released Parties to the extent provided below.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises, agreements and covenants contained herein, and for other valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, Employee, intending to be legally bound, agrees as follows:
BY SIGNING THIS RELEASE, EMPLOYEE REPRESENTS AND AGREES (EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW) THAT:
EMPLOYEE HAS READ THIS RELEASE CAREFULLY;
EMPLOYEE UNDERSTANDS ALL OF THE TERMS OF THE RELEASE AND KNOWS THAT EMPLOYEE IS GIVING UP IMPORTANT RIGHTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, RIGHTS UNDER THE AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ACT OF 1967, AS AMENDED, TITLE VII OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, AS AMENDED; THE EQUAL PAY ACT OF 1963, THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990; AND THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED;
EMPLOYEE VOLUNTARILY CONSENTS TO EVERYTHING IN THIS RELEASE;
EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN ADVISED TO CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY BEFORE EXECUTING THIS RELEASE AND EMPLOYEE HAS DONE SO OR, AFTER CAREFUL READING AND CONSIDERATION EMPLOYEE HAS CHOSEN NOT TO DO SO OF EMPLOYEE’S OWN VOLITION;
EMPLOYEE HAS HAD AT LEAST 21 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF HIS RECEIPT OF THIS RELEASE;
EMPLOYEE UNDERSTANDS THAT SHE HAS SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE EXECUTION OF THIS RELEASE TO REVOKE IT AND THAT THIS RELEASE SHALL NOT BECOME EFFECTIVE OR ENFORCEABLE UNTIL SUCH REVOCATION PERIOD HAS EXPIRED;
EMPLOYEE HAS SIGNED THIS RELEASE KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY AND WITH THE ADVICE OF ANY COUNSEL RETAINED TO ADVISE EMPLOYEE WITH RESPECT TO IT; AND
EMPLOYEE AGREES THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS RELEASE MAY NOT BE AMENDED, WAIVED, CHANGED OR MODIFIED EXCEPT BY AN INSTRUMENT IN WRITING SIGNED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMPANY AND BY EMPLOYEE.
This Release shall not become effective until the eighth (8th) day following Employee’s execution of it.
[Signature Pages Follow]
DATE: _______________
DIANE JONES
Exhibit B
Employee Proprietary Information Agreement
As a condition of my becoming employed by General Cannabis Corp., a Colorado corporation (the “Company”), and in consideration of my employment relationship with the Company and my receipt of the compensation now and hereafter paid to me by the Company, I agree to the following:
1.Employment Relationship. I understand and acknowledge that this Agreement does not alter, amend or expand upon any rights I may have to continue in an employment relationship with, or in the duration of my employment relationship with, the Company under any existing agreements between the Company and me, including but not limited to the employment agreement entered into by and between the Company and me, dated as of the date hereof (the “Employment Agreement”), or under applicable law. Any employment relationship between the Company and me shall be referred to herein as the “Relationship.”
2.Inventions.
(a)Inventions Retained and Licensed. I have attached hereto, as Exhibit I, a list describing with particularity all inventions, original works of authorship, developments, improvements, and trade secrets which were made by me prior to the commencement of the Relationship (collectively referred to as “Prior Inventions”), which belong solely to me or belong to me jointly with another, which relate in any way to any of the Company’s proposed businesses, products or research and development, and which are not assigned to the Company hereunder; or, if no such list is attached, I represent that there are no such Prior Inventions. If, in the course of my Relationship with the Company, I incorporate into a Company product, process or machine a Prior Invention owned by me or in which I have an interest, the Company is hereby granted and shall have a non-exclusive, royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to make, have made, copy, modify, make derivative works of, use, sell and otherwise distribute such Prior Invention as part of or in connection with such product, process or machine.
(b)Assignment of Inventions. I agree that I will promptly make full written disclosure to the Company, will hold in trust for the sole right and benefit of the Company, and hereby assign to the Company, or its designee, all my right, title and interest throughout the world in and to any and all inventions, original works of authorship, developments, concepts, know-how, improvements or trade secrets, whether or not patentable or registrable under copyright or similar laws, which I may solely or jointly conceive or develop or reduce to practice, or cause to be conceived or developed or reduced to practice, during the period of time in which I am employed by the Company (collectively referred to as “Inventions”).
(c)Maintenance of Records. I agree to keep and maintain adequate and current written records of all Inventions made by me (solely or jointly with others) during the term of my Relationship with the Company. The records may be in the form of notes, sketches, drawings, flow charts, electronic data or recordings, laboratory notebooks, and any other format. The records will be available to and remain the sole property of the Company at all times. I agree not to remove such records from the Company’s place of business except as expressly permitted
by Company policy which may, from time to time, be revised at the sole election of the Company for the purpose of furthering the Company’s business. I agree to return all such records (including any copies thereof) to the Company at the time of termination of my Relationship with the Company as provided for in Section 3.
(d)Patent and Copyright Rights. I agree to assist the Company, or its designee, at its expense, in every proper way to secure the Company, or its designee’s, rights in the Inventions and any copyrights, patents, trademarks, mask work rights, moral rights, or other intellectual property rights relating thereto in any and all countries, including the disclosure to the Company or its designee of all pertinent information and data with respect thereto, the execution of all applications, specifications, oaths, assignments, recordations, and all other instruments which the Company or its designee shall deem necessary in order to apply for, obtain, maintain and transfer such rights and in order to assign and convey to the Company or its designee and any successors, assigns and nominees the sole and exclusive rights, title and interest in and to such Inventions, and any copyrights, patents, mask work rights or other intellectual property rights relating thereto. I further agree that my obligation to execute or cause to be executed, when it is in my power to do so, any such instrument or papers shall continue after the termination of this Agreement until the expiration of the last such intellectual property right to expire in any country of the world. If the Company or its designee is unable because of my mental or physical incapacity or unavailability or for any other reason to secure my signature to apply for or to pursue any application for any United States or foreign patents, copyright, mask works, or other registrations covering Inventions or original works of authorship assigned to the Company or its designee as above, then I hereby irrevocably designate and appoint the Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as my agent and attorney in fact, to act for and in my behalf and stead to execute and file any such applications and to do all other lawfully permitted acts to further the application for, prosecution, issuance, maintenance or transfer of letters patent, copyright or other registrations thereon with the same legal force and effect as if originally executed by me. I hereby waive and irrevocably quitclaim to the Company or its designee any and all claims, of any nature whatsoever, which I now or hereafter have for infringement of any and all proprietary rights assigned to the Company or such designee.
3.Company Property; Returning Company Documents. I acknowledge and agree that I have no expectation of privacy with respect to the Company’s telecommunications, networking or information processing systems (including, without limitation, stored company files, e-mail messages and voice messages) and that my activity and any files or messages on or using any of those systems may be monitored at any time without notice. I further agree that any property situated on the Company’s premises and owned by the Company, including disks and other storage media, filing cabinets or other work areas, is subject to inspection by Company personnel at any time with or without notice. I agree that, at the time of termination of my Relationship with the Company, I will deliver to the Company (and will not keep in my possession, recreate or deliver to anyone else) any and all devices, records, data, notes, reports, proposals, lists, correspondence, specifications, drawings, blueprints, sketches, laboratory notebooks, materials, flow charts, equipment, other documents or property, or reproductions of any of the aforementioned items, developed by me pursuant to the Relationship or otherwise belonging to the Company, its successors or assigns. In the event of the termination of the Relationship, I agree to sign and deliver the “Termination Certification” attached hereto as Exhibit II, however, my failure to sign
and deliver the Termination Certificate shall in no way diminish my continuing obligations under this Agreement.
4.Representations and Covenants.
(a)Facilitation of Agreement. I agree to execute promptly any proper oath or verify any proper document required to carry out the terms of this Agreement upon the Company’s written request to do so.
(b)Conflicts. I represent that my performance of all the terms of this Agreement does not and will not breach any agreement I have entered into, or will enter into with any third party, including without limitation any agreement to keep in confidence proprietary information acquired by me in confidence or in trust prior to commencement of my Relationship with the Company.
(c)Voluntary Execution. I certify and acknowledge that I have carefully read all of the provisions of this Agreement and that I understand and will fully and faithfully comply with such provisions.
5.General Provisions.
(a)Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Colorado, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws.
(b)Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement and understanding between the Company and me relating to the subject matter herein and merges all prior discussions between us. No modification or amendment to this Agreement, nor any waiver of any rights under this Agreement, will be effective unless in writing signed by both parties.
(c)Severability. If any term or provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any circumstance shall, in any jurisdiction and to any extent, be invalid or unenforceable, such term or provision shall be ineffective as to such jurisdiction to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability without invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement or the application of such terms and provisions to circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid or unenforceable, and a suitable and equitable term or provision shall be substituted therefor to carry out, insofar as may be valid and enforceable, the intent and purpose of the invalid or unenforceable term or provision.
(d)Successors and Assigns. This Agreement will be binding upon my heirs, executors, administrators and other legal representatives, and my successors and assigns.
(e)Survival. The provisions of this Agreement shall survive the termination of the Relationship and the assignment of this Agreement by the Company to any successor in interest or other assignee.
(f)Remedies. I acknowledge and agree that violation of this Agreement by me may cause the Company irreparable harm, and therefore agree that the Company will be
entitled to seek extraordinary relief in court, including but not limited to temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions without the necessity of posting a bond or other security and in addition to and without prejudice to any other right and remedies that the Company may have for a breach of this Agreement.
(g) Counterparts; Electronic Signature. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement may be executed by facsimile or electronic (.pdf) signature and a facsimile or electronic (.pdf) signature shall constitute an original for all purposes.
(h)ADVICE OF COUNSEL. I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, IN EXECUTING THIS AGREEMENT, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL, AND I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD ALL OF THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AGAINST ANY PARTY BY REASON OF THE DRAFTING OR PREPARATION HEREOF.
[Signature Page Follows]
The parties have executed this Employee Proprietary Information Agreement on the respective dates set forth below:
General Cannabis Corp.
By:/s/ Steve Gutterman
Name: Steve Gutterman
Title: CEO
/s/ Diane Jones
DIANE JONES
EXHIBIT I
PRIOR INVENTIONS
None.
EXHIBIT II
TERMINATION CERTIFICATION
This is to certify that I do not have in my possession, nor have I failed to return, any devices, records, data, notes, reports, proposals, lists, correspondence, specifications, drawings, blueprints, sketches, laboratory notebooks, flow charts, materials, equipment, other documents or property, or copies or reproductions of any aforementioned items belonging to General Cannabis Corp., a Colorado corporation (the “Company”).
I further certify that I have complied with all the terms of the Company’s Employee Proprietary Information Agreement signed by me, including the reporting of any inventions and original works of authorship (as defined therein), conceived or made by me (solely or jointly with others) covered by that agreement.
I further agree that, in compliance with the Employee Proprietary Information Agreement, I will preserve as confidential all trade secrets, confidential knowledge, data or other proprietary information relating to products, processes, know-how, designs, formulas, developmental or experimental work, computer programs, data bases, other original works of authorship, customer lists, business plans, financial information or other subject matter pertaining to any business of the Company or any of its employees, clients, consultants or licensees.
I further agree that for twelve (12) months from the date of this Certificate, I shall not either directly or indirectly solicit, induce, recruit or encourage any of the Company’s employees or consultants to terminate their relationship with the Company, or attempt to solicit, induce, recruit, encourage or take away, hire, or otherwise engage the services of employees or consultants of the Company, either for myself or for any other person or entity. Further, I shall not at any time use any Confidential Information of the Company to negatively influence any of the Company’s clients or customers from purchasing Company products or services or to solicit or influence or attempt to influence any client, customer or other person either directly or indirectly, to direct his or its purchase of products and/or services to any person, firm, corporation, institution or other entity in competition with the business of the Company.
Date:
(Employee’s Signature)