Employment Agreement between Clinigence Holdings, Inc. and Elisa Luqman dated as of October 29, 2019
Exhibit 10.18
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of October 29, 2019, by and between Clinigence Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Elisa Luqman (the “Employee” and together with the Company referred to as the “Parties”) to become effective as of the date hereof (the “Effective Date”). For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
1. | Positions and Duties |
(a)Position. The Employee shall initially serve as Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of the Company. The Company may change the Employee’s position and/or title to those of another senior executive officer as the Company’s needs change.
(b)Duties. The Employee shall perform for the Company the duties that are customarily associated with being a Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel that are consistent with her experience and skills and such other duties as may be assigned to the Employee from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) and/or the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (the “CEO”) that are consistent with the duties normally performed by those performing the role of the Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of similar entities.
(c)Reporting. The Employee shall report directly to the CEO.
(d)Devotion of Time. The Employee shall devote such working time, attention, knowledge, skills and efforts as maybe required to fulfill the Employee’s duties hereunder and not less than a full-time (40 hours per week) commitment.
(e)Location. The Employee shall be based in St. Petersburg, Florida.
(f)Company Policies. The Employee agrees to comply with the policies and procedures of the Company as may be adopted and changed from time to time. If this Agreement conflicts with such policies or procedures, this Agreement shall control.
(g)Fiduciary Duties. The Employee owes a duty of loyalty to the Company, as well as a duty to perform his duties in a manner that is in the best interests of the Company.
2.Term.The term of this Agreement shall be for a three (3) year period commencing on the Effective Date (the “Initial Term”). The term of this Agreement shall automatically renew for an additional year (each, a “Renewal Term”) following the Initial Term and any Renewal Term unless either Party provides written notice to the other Party at least sixty (60) days before the end of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term, as applicable, that it does not desire to renew this Agreement, in which case this Agreement shall expire at the end of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term, as applicable. The Initial Term and any Renewal Term are referred to herein collectively as the “Term”.
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3.Compensation and Related Matters. The Company shall provide the Employee with the compensation and benefits set forth in this Section 3 during the Term. Authority to take action under this Section 3 with respect to the Employee’s compensation and benefits maybe delegated by the Board to its compensation committee and/or the CEO.
Business Expenses.The Employee shall be entitled to prompt reimbursement of reasonable and usual business expenses incurred on behalf of Company in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy.
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or receive benefits under any employee benefit plan or arrangement which is or may, in the future, be made available by the Company to its employees, subject to and on a basis consistent with the terms, conditions and overall administration of such plan or arrangement.
4.Termination. The Employee’s employment hereunder maybe terminated during the Term without any breach of this Agreement under the following circumstances:
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under Section 4(c) and does not result from the death or Disability of the Employee under Sections 4(a) or 4(b) shall be deemed a termination without Cause under this Section 4(d). Any suspension of the Employee’s employment with pay or benefits pending an investigation of alleged improper activities by the Employee that, if determined to be accurate, would be grounds for a Cause termination, shall not be considered a termination of the Employee’s employment without Cause or provide with Good Reason to terminate employment.
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for purposes of this Agreement. For purposes of determining the time when the lump sum portion of the Severance Amount, if any, is to be paid under Section 5(b)(i) of this Agreement, “Date of Termination” means the Employee’s separation from service as defined under Section 409A.
5.Compensation upon Termination.
(A)No payments shall be made under this paragraph (ii) unless and until the Employee timely elects continued coverage under such plan(s)
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pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 as amended (“COBRA”);
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following the Employee’s separation from service (as defined under Section 409A) with the Company, or (y) the date of Employee’s death.
6.Confidential Information, Non-solicitation, and Cooperation
(a)Definitions.
(b)Confidential Information. As used in this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means information belonging to the Company or its Affiliates which is of value to the Company or any of its Affiliates in the course of conducting its business (whether having existed, now existing, or to be developed or created during Employee’s employment by Company) and the disclosure of which could result in a competitive or other disadvantage to the Company or its Affiliates. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, contract terms and rates; negotiating and contracting strategies; financial information, reports, and forecasts; inventions, improvements and other intellectual property; product plans or proposed product plans; trade secrets; designs, processes or formulae; software; market or sales information, plans or strategies; employee, customer, patient, provider and supplier information; information from patient medical records; financial data; insurance reimbursement methodologies, strategies and practices; product and service pricing methodologies, strategies and practices; contracts with physicians, providers, provider networks, payors, physician databases and contracts with hospitals; regulatory and clinical manuals; and business plans, prospects and opportunities (such as possible acquisitions or dispositions of businesses or facilities) that have been discussed or considered by the Company or its Affiliates, including, without limitation, the management of the Company or its Affiliates. Confidential Information includes information developed by the Employee in the course of the Employee’s employment by the Company, as well as other
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information to which the Employee may have access in connection with the Employee’s employment. Confidential Information also includes the confidential information of others with which the Company or its Affiliates has a business relationship. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Confidential Information does not include information in the public domain, unless due to breach of the Employee’s duties under Section 6(b), unless otherwise due to Employee’s breach of the obligations in this Agreement, or unless due to violation of another Person’s obligations to the Company or its Affiliates that Employee should have taken reasonable measures to prevent but that Employee did not take.
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secret information of the Company or its Affiliates, as a result of which relations between the Company or its Affiliates, and any of their customers, clients, suppliers, distributors or others, may be impaired or which might otherwise be detrimental to the business interests or reputation of the Company or its Affiliates.
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prohibited by law, the Company shall have the right to retain any amounts otherwise payable by the Company to the Employee to satisfy any of the Employee’s obligations as a result of any breach of Section 6 of this Agreement. The Employee hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its Affiliates from and against any damages incurred by the Company or its Affiliates as assessed by a court of competent jurisdiction as a result of any breach of Section 6 of this Agreement by the Employee. The prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs if it prevails in any action to enforce Section 6 of this Agreement. It is the express intention of the parties that the obligations of Section 6 of this Agreement shall survive the termination of the Employee’s employment. The Employee agrees that each obligation specified in Section 6 of this Agreement is a separate and independent covenant that shall survive any termination of this Agreement and that the unenforceability of any of them shall not preclude the enforcement of any other covenants in Section 6 of this Agreement. No change in the Employee’s duties or compensation shall be construed to affect, alter or otherwise release the Employee from the covenants herein.
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materials or (b) any rights the Employee claims to any inventions or ideas before using the same on the Company’s behalf. Otherwise, the Company may conclude that no such conflict exists and the Employee agrees thereafter to make no such claim against the Company. The Company shall receive such disclosures in confidence and consistent with the objectives of avoiding any conflict of obligations and rights or the appearance of any conflict of interest.
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19.Limitation on Payments in Certain Events.
20.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts,
including, but not limited to, electronically signed or scanned images, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be taken to be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same document.
[Signature Page Follows]
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed as a sealed instrument by the Company by its duly authorized officer, and by the Employee, as of the date first above written.
COMPANY: | | |
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CLINIGENCE HOLDINGS, INC.: | | |
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By: | | |
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Printed Name: | Jacob Margolin | |
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Its: | CEO | |
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Date: | October 29, 2019 | |
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EMPLOYEE: | | |
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Printed Name: | Elisa Luqman | |
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Date: | October 29, 2019 | |
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT A
Release of Claims
I, , in consideration of and subject to the performance by CLINIGENCE HOLDINGS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) of its obligations under the Employment Agreement, dated as of , 20__ (as amended from time to time, the “Agreement”), do hereby release and forever discharge as of the date of my execution of this release (this “Release”) the Company, its affiliated and related entities, its and their respective predecessors, successors and assigns, its and their respective employee benefit plans and fiduciaries of such plans, and the current and former officers, directors, shareholders, employees, attorneys, accountants and agents of each of the foregoing in their official and personal capacities (collectively, the “Released Parties”) to the extent provided below.
1. | I understand that any payments or benefits paid or granted to me under Section 5(b) of the Agreement represent, in part, consideration for signing this Release and are not salary, wages or benefits to which I was already entitled. Such payments and benefits will not be considered compensation for purposes of any employee benefit plan, program, policy or arrangement maintained or hereafter established by the Company or its affiliates. |
2. | Releases. |
I knowingly and voluntarily (on behalf of myself, my spouse, my heirs, executors, administrators, agents and assigns, past and present) fully and forever release and discharge the Company and the other Released Parties from any and all claims, suits, controversies, actions, causes of action, cross claims, counterclaims, demands, debts, liens, contracts, covenants, suits, rights, obligations, expenses, judgments, compensatory damages, liquid damages, punitive or exemplary damages, other damages, claims for costs and attorneys’ fees, orders and liabilities of whatever kind of nature, in law and in equity, in contract of in tort, both past and present (through the date this General Release becomes effective and enforceable) and whether known or unknown, vested or contingent, suspected, or claimed, against the Company or any of the Released Parties which I, my spouse, or any of my heirs, executors, administrators or assigns, may have, which arise out of or relate to my employment with, or my separation or termination from, the Company up to the date of my execution of this Release (including, but not limited to, any allegation, claim of violation arising under: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Civil Rights Act of 1991; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended (including the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act), the Equal Pay Act of 1963, as amended; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; the Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act; the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974; the Fair Labor Standards Act; or their state or local counterparts; or under any other federal, state or local civil or human rights law, or under any other local state or federal law, regulation or ordinance; or under any public policy, contract of tort, or under common law; or arising under any policies, practices or procedures of the Company; or any claim for wrongful discharge, breach of the Agreement, infliction of emotional distress or defamation; or any
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claim for costs, fees, or other expenses, including attorneys’ fees incurred in these matters) (collectively, the “Claims”).
Employee agrees that this Agreement is intended to include all claims, if any, that Employee may have against the Company, and that this Agreement extinguishes those claims.
3. | I represent that I have made no assignment of transfer of any right, claim, demand, cause of action, or other matter covered by Section 2 above. |
4. | In signing this Release, I acknowledge and intend that it shall be effective as a bar to each and every one of the claims, demands and causes of action herein above mentioned or implied. I expressly consent that this Release shall be given full force and effect according to each and all of its express terms and provisions, including those relating to unknown and unsuspected claims up to the date of my execution of this Release, if any, as well as those relating to any other claims hereinabove mentioned. I acknowledge and agree that this waiver is an essential and material term of this Release and that without such waiver the Company would not have agreed to the terms of the Agreement. I further agree that in the event I should bring a claim seeking damages against the Company, this Release shall serve as a complete defense to such claims as to my rights and entitlements. I further agree that I am not aware of any pending charge or complaint of the type described in Section 2 above as of the date of my execution of this Release. |
5. | I agree that neither this Release, nor the furnishing of the consideration for this Release, shall be deemed or constructed at any time to be an admission or acknowledgement by the Company, any Released Party or myself of any improper or unlawful conduct. |
6. | I agree and acknowledge that the provisions, conditions, and negotiations of this Release are confidential and agree not to disclose any information regarding the terms, conditions and negotiations of this Release, nor transfer any copy of this Release to any person or entity, other than my immediate family and any tax, legal or other counsel or advisor I have consulted regarding the meaning or effect hereof or as required by applicable law, and I will instruct each of the foregoing not to disclose the same to anyone. |
7. | Notwithstanding anything in the Release to the contrary, nothing in this Release shall be deemed to affect, impair, relinquish, diminish, or in any way affect any rights or claims in any respect to (i) any vested rights or other entitlements that I may have as of the date of my execution of this Release under the Company’s 401(k) plan; (ii) any other vested rights or other entitlements that I may have as of the date of my execution of this Release under any employee benefit plan or program, in which I participated in my capacity as an employee of the Company; (iii) my rights under the Agreement; or (iv) my rights under the Release. |
8. | I understand that I continue to be bound by Section 6 of the Agreement. |
9. | Whenever possible, each provision of this Release shall be interpreted in such a manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provisions of this Release are held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule |
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in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Release shall be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions had never been contained herein.
10. | This Release shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida, without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles of the State of Florida. |
BY SIGNING THIS RELEASE, I REPRESENT AND AGREE THAT:
(i) | I HAVE READ IT CAREFULLY; |
(ii) | I UNDERSTAND ALL OF ITS TERMS AND KNOW THAT I AM GIVING UP IMPORTANT RIGHTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, RIGHTS UNDER THE AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ACT OF 1967, AS AMENDED; |
(iii) | I VOLUNTARILY CONSENT TO EVERYTHING IN IT; |
(iv) | THE COMPANY IS HEREBY ADVISING ME TO CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY BEFORE EXECUTING IT, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SO CONSULT, AND HAVE AVAILED MYSELF OF SUCH ADVICE TO THE EXTENT I HAVE DEEMED NECESSARY TO MAKE A VOLUNTARY AND INFORMED CHOICE TO EXECUTE THIS RELEASE; |
(v) | I HAVE HAD AT LEAST TWENTY ONE (21) DAYS [45 DAYS IN CONNECTION WITH A GROUP TERMINATION OR EXIT INCENTIVE PLAN] FOLLOWING THE DATE OF TERMINATION OF MY EMPLOYMENT TO CONSIDER THIS RELEASE; |
(vi) | CHANGES TO THIS RELEASE, WHETHER MATERIAL OR IMMATERIAL, DO NOT RESTART THE RUNNING OF THE 21-DAY [OR 45 DAY] CONSIDERATION PERIOD; |
(vii) | I UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE SEVEN (7) DAYS AFTER THE EXECUTION OF THIS RELEASE TO REVOKE IT, SUCH REVOCATION TO BE RECEIVED IN WRITING BY THE COMPANY BY THE END OF THE SEVENTH DAY AFTER THE DATE HEREOF, AND THAT THIS RELEASE SHALL NOT BECOME EFFECTIVE OR ENFORCEABLE UNTIL THE REVOCATION PERIOD HAS EXPIRED; |
(viii) | I HAVE SIGNED THIS RELEASE KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY AND WITH THE ADVICE OF ANY COUNSEL RETAINED TO ADVISE ME WITH RESPECT TO IT; AND |
(ix) | I AGREE THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS RELEASE MAY NOT BE AMENDED, WAIVED OR MODIFIED EXCEPT BY AN INSTRUMENT IN |
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
WRITING SIGNED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMPANY AND BY ME.
DATED AS OF, 20__
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[Name] | |
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