SEVERANCE AND RELEASE AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 10.1
SEVERANCE AND RELEASE AGREEMENT
This Agreement is by and between Gregory J. Robitaille (for himself and anyone acting for him) (the Employee) and Rewards Network Services Inc. (for itself or any affiliated company, or its or their present and past officers, directors, supervisors, employees and anyone else acting for it or them) (the Employer).
WHEREAS, the Employer previously employed the Employee as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development;
WHEREAS, the employment relationship between the Employer and the Employee has been terminated; and
WHEREAS, the Employer and Employee wish to enter into this Severance and Release Agreement (Agreement).
THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. Termination. Effective May 2, 2005 (Termination Date), the Employees employment with the Employer will end.
2. Accrued Benefits. The Employee will be entitled to any accrued benefits as of the Termination Date in the same manner as any other employee whose employment with the Employer has terminated, all in accordance with the terms of the Employers applicable benefit plans.
3. Expense Reports. The Employer will reimburse the Employee for reasonable expenses incurred through the Termination Date provided the Employee submits appropriate expense reports detailing the expenses within 60 days of the Termination Date.
4. Return of Employer Property. The Employee acknowledges and warrants that he has returned to the Employer all Employer property in the Employees possession, custody or control, whether at the office or off premises, including, but not limited to, confidential information of the Employer, Blackberry, laptop computer, company-issued cellular telephone, computer equipment, and software. To the extent that the Employee has not returned such Employer property, he will do so immediately.
5. Severance Arrangements. The Employer will pay the Employee $277,173.00 over the 12 month period following May 2, 2005 on an equal basis in accordance with the Employers normal bi-weekly salary schedule in the form of a salary continuation (less applicable deductions). The Employer will pay the Employee $4,763.91 promptly following execution of this agreement (less applicable deductions), such amount representing all incentive compensation owed to Employee. The Employer will pay Employee COBRA reimbursement for the 12 month period following May 2, 2005. The Employer will pay Employee $5,000 over the 12 month period following May 2, 2005 on an equal basis in accordance with the Employers normal bi-weekly salary schedule in lieu of the executive dining benefit.
6. Future Cooperation. After the Termination Date, the Employee will cooperate in a reasonable manner with, and assist the Employer in any investigations, proceedings or actions relating to any matters in which he was involved or had knowledge while employed by the Employer, subject to reimbursement for approved expenses.
7. No Disruption. The Employee will not disrupt, interfere with, or in any way disturb the Employers business.
8. Non-Disparagement. The Employee will not take any action or make any statement that reflects negatively on the Employer, or in any way disparages, in any manner, the Employers management, business or business practices.
9. Disclosure of Confidential Information. The Employee will not, without the Employers prior permission, directly or indirectly disclose to anyone outside of the Employer any trade secrets or other confidential information of the Employer, or any information received in confidence from third parties by the Employer or about third parties by the Employer, as long as such matters remain trade secrets or confidential. Trade secrets and other confidential
information shall include any information or material which has not been made available generally to the public and which (a) is generated or collected by or utilized in the operations of the Employer and relates to the actual or anticipated business or research or development of the Employer; or (b) is suggested by or results from any task assigned to the Employee by the Employer or work performed by the Employee for or on behalf of the Employer.
10. Confidentiality. Except as otherwise required by law, the parties agree that the terms of this Severance Agreement and Release are strictly confidential and must not be disclosed in any manner to any person. The only exceptions to this prohibition on disclosure are to the parties attorneys and/or tax advisors, and the Employers employees necessary to comply with the Employers obligations under this Agreement, all of whom are similarly bound by this confidentiality provision.
11. Non-Admission. The parties agree that the Employers offer of this Severance Agreement and Release and/or the payment of severance under this Agreement are not an admission of any kind that the Employee has any viable claims against the Employer or that the Employer admits to any liability whatsoever.
12. Release. The Employee releases the Employer with respect to any and all known and unknown claims of any type to date arising out of any aspect of their employment relationship or the termination of their employment relationship. This includes, but is not limited to, breach of any implied or express employment contracts, covenants or duties; entitlement to any pay or benefits, including insurance benefits or attorney fees; claims for wrongful termination, violation of public policy, defamation, emotional distress, invasion of privacy, loss of consortium, negligence, other federal, state, local or common law matters or any act or omission; or claims of discrimination based on age (Age Discrimination in Employment Act) (ADEA), ancestry, color, concerted activity, disability, entitlement to benefits, marital status, national origin, parental status, race, religion, retaliation, sex, sexual harassment, sexual
orientation, source of income, union activity, veterans status or other protected status. The Employee also acknowledges that he has not suffered any on-the-job injury for which he has not already filed a claim.
13. Covenant Not To Sue. The Employee agrees not to sue the Employer for any claims covered by the release in this Agreement. This agreement not to sue does not apply to an ADEA claim to the extent such an exception is required by law. If the Employee sues in violation of this Agreement, the Employee agrees (a) to pay all costs and expenses incurred by the Employer in defending against a suit or enforcing this Agreement, including court costs, expenses and reasonable attorney fees, or (b) to be obligated upon written demand to repay to the Employer, as liquidated damages, all of the payments paid to the Employee pursuant to this Agreement except One Hundred Dollars, and (c) in addition to either (a) or (b) that the Employer shall not be obligated to continue payment to the Employee of any remaining payments under this Agreement.
14. Exclusions from Release. Excluded from the release and the agreement not to sue are any claims relating to or arising out of a partys obligations under this Agreement or which cannot be waived by law, and the filing of a discrimination charge with a government agency. But the Employee agrees to waive any right to any monetary recovery should any government agency pursue any claims on the Employees behalf.
15. Modification. This Agreement may only be modified in a writing signed by both parties. If any part of this Agreement is found to be illegal or invalid by a final non-appealable ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction, it will be deemed severed from this Agreement, and the remainder of the Agreement will remain in effect and will be enforceable within the bounds of applicable law. If any restriction or limitation in this Agreement is found to be unreasonable, onerous or unduly restrictive, it will not be stricken in its entirety, but will remain effective to the maximum extent permissible.
16. Waiver of Breach. Should the Employee breach any provision of this Agreement, and should the Employer decide not to enforce its rights against the Employee, that decision will not operate or be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach by the Employee. No such waiver will be valid unless in writing and signed by an officer of the Employer.
17. Attorney Fees. In the event the Employer shall successfully enforce any part of this Agreement through legal proceedings, the Employee agrees to pay the Employer all costs and attorneys fees reasonably incurred by the Employer in connection therewith.
18. Complete Agreement. This Agreement resolves all matters between the Employee and the Employer and supersedes any other written or oral agreement between them.
19. Voluntariness. The Employee is signing this Agreement knowingly and voluntarily, has not been coerced or threatened into signing this Agreement and has not been promised anything else in exchange for signing this Agreement.
20. Attorney Consultation. By this Agreement, the Employee has been advised to consult with an attorney of the Employees choice at the Employees own expense before signing below.
21. Time Periods. The Employee has been given at least 21 days to consider this Agreement. After the Employee signs this Agreement, the Employee has seven days to revoke it by giving the Employer written notice of revocation. If this Agreement is not revoked, the Employee will receive the severance and other benefits provided in this Agreement.
22. Jurisdiction, Choice of Law, Injunctive Relief, and Attorney Fees. The parties consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of Illinois and the application of Illinois law with respect to any matter or thing arising out of this Agreement. In the event of a breach or a threatened breach of this Agreement by the Employee, the Employee acknowledges that the Employer will face irreparable injury which may be difficult to calculate in dollar terms and that the Employer shall be entitled, in addition to remedies otherwise available at law or in equity, to temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions and final injunctions enjoining such breach or threatened breach.
Signed:
EMPLOYEE | REWARDS NETWORK SERVICES INC. | |||
/s/ Gregory J. Robitaille | By: | /s/ Bryan R. Adel | ||
Gregory J. Robitaille | Name: | Bryan R. Adel | ||
Title: | Senior Vice President | |||
June 15, 2005 | June 23, 2005 | |||
Date | Date |