Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated October 2, 2024 by and between Scholar Rock, Inc. and Erin Moore
Exhibit 10.4
SCHOLAR ROCK, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Amended and Restated Employment Agreement (“Agreement”) is made between Scholar Rock, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Erin Moore (the “Employee”) and is effective as of October 2, 2024 (the “Effective Date”). Except with respect to the Equity Documents and the Restrictive
Covenant Agreement (each as defined below) and subject to Section 10 below, this Agreement supersedes in all respects all prior agreements between the Employee and the Company regarding the subject matter herein, including without limitation (i) the Employment Agreement between the Employee and the Company dated September 12, 2018, as amended by the Amendment to Employment Agreement dated October 28, 2019 (together, the “Prior Agreement”), and (ii) any other offer letter, employment agreement or severance agreement.
WHEREAS, the Company desires to continue to employ the Employee and the Employee desires to continue to be employed by the Company on the terms and conditions contained herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
1. | Employment. |
2. | Compensation and Related Matters. |
(a) | Base Salary. During the Term, the Employee’s annual base salary shall be $381,000. |
The Employee’s base salary shall be reviewed from time to time by the Company. The base salary in effect at any given time is referred to herein as “Base Salary.” The Base Salary shall be payable in a manner that is
consistent with the Company’s usual payroll practices.
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(d) | Other Benefits. During the Term, the Employee shall be eligible to participate in or |
receive benefits under the Company’s employee benefit plans in effect from time to time, subject to the terms of such plans.
(e) | Vacations. During the Term, the Employee shall be entitled to paid vacation in |
accordance with the Company’s policies and procedures, as may be amended from time to time. The Employee shall also be entitled to all paid holidays given by the Company in accordance with the policies and procedures then in effect and established by the Company.
Period, the termination or forfeiture of any unvested Time-Based Equity Awards that would otherwise occur on the Date of Termination will be delayed until the earlier of (i) the Change in Control Date (at which time acceleration will occur) or (ii) the date that is three (3) months after the Date of Termination (at which time the unvested portion of the Employee’s Time-Based Equity Awards will terminate or be forfeited); provided further, that no additional vesting of the Time-Based Equity Awards shall occur after the Date of Termination unless the Change in Control Date occurs within three (3) months after the Date of Termination.
(a) | Death. The Employee’s employment hereunder shall terminate upon the Employee’s |
death.
(b) | Termination by Company for Cause. The Company may terminate the Employee’s |
employment hereunder for Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” shall mean: (i) conduct by the Employee constituting a material act of misconduct in connection with the performance of the Employee’s duties, including, without limitation, misappropriation of funds or property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates other than the occasional, customary and de minimis use of Company property for personal purposes; (ii) the commission by the Employee of any felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, deceit, dishonesty or fraud, or any conduct by the Employee that would reasonably be expected to result in material injury or reputational harm to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates if the
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Employee were retained in the Employee’s position; (iii) continued non-performance by the Employee of the Employee’s duties hereunder (other than by reason of the Employee’s physical or mental illness, incapacity or disability) which has continued for more than 30 days following written notice of such non-performance from the Company; (iv) a material breach by the Employee of any of the Continuing Obligations (as defined below) which has not been cured (or is incapable of or otherwise cannot be cured) within 30 days after the Company gives the Employee written notice regarding such breach; (v) a material violation by the Employee of the Company’s written employment policies which has not been cured (or which is incapable of or otherwise cannot be cured) within 30 days after the Company gives the Employee written notice regarding such violation; or (vi) failure to cooperate with a bona fide internal investigation or an investigation by regulatory or law enforcement authorities, after being instructed by the Company to cooperate, or the willful destruction or failure to preserve documents or other materials known to be relevant to such investigation or the inducement of others to fail to cooperate or to produce documents or other materials in connection with such investigation.
(i) a material diminution in the Employee’s responsibilities, authority or duties; (ii) a material diminution in the Employee’s Base Salary except for across-the-board salary reductions based on the Company’s financial performance similarly affecting all or substantially all senior management employees of the Company; (iii) a change of more than 30 miles in the geographic location at which the Employee is required to provide services to the Company, except for required travel for the Company’s business; (iv) the material breach by the Company of this Agreement; or (v) any directive to the Employee by the Company to engage in a willful violation of law. “Good Reason Process” shall mean that (i) the Employee reasonably determines in good faith that a “Good Reason” condition has occurred; (ii) the Employee notifies the Company in writing of the first occurrence of the Good Reason condition within 60 days of the first occurrence of such condition; (iii) the Employee cooperates in good faith with the Company’s efforts, for a period not less than 30 days following
such notice (the “Cure Period”), to remedy the condition; (iv) notwithstanding such efforts, the Good Reason condition continues to exist; and (v) the Employee terminates the Employee’s employment within 60 days after the end of the Cure Period. If the Company cures the Good Reason condition during the Cure Period, Good Reason shall be deemed not to have occurred.
(e) | Notice of Termination. Except for termination as specified in Section 3(a), any |
termination of the Employee’s employment by the Company or any such termination by the Employee shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Notice of Termination” shall mean a notice which shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon.
(f) | Date of Termination. For purposes of this Agreement, “Date of Termination” shall mean: |
(i) if the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Employee’s death, the date of the Employee’s death; (ii) if the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company for Cause under Section 3(b), the date on which a Notice of Termination is given; (iii) if the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause under Section 3(c), the date on which a Notice of Termination is given or the date otherwise specified by the Company in the Notice of Termination; (iv) if the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Employee under Section 3(d) other than for Good Reason, 14 days after the date on which a Notice of Termination is given, and (v) if the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Employee under Section 3(d) for Good Reason, the date on which a Notice of Termination is given after the end of the Cure Period. Notwithstanding
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the foregoing, in the event that the Employee gives a Notice of Termination to the Company, the Company may unilaterally accelerate the Date of Termination and such acceleration shall not result in a termination by the Company for purposes of this Agreement.
terminates the Employee’s employment for Good Reason as provided in Section 3(d), then the Company shall pay the Employee the Employee’s Accrued Benefit. In addition, subject to (i) the Employee signing a separation agreement in a form and manner satisfactory to the Company, containing, among other provisions, a general release of claims in favor of the Company and related persons and entities, preservation of all of the
Employee’s Continuing Obligations, and, in the Company’s sole discretion, a one-year post employment noncompetition agreement, and shall provide that if Employee breaches any of the Continuing Obligations, all payments of the Severance Amount shall immediately cease (the “Separation Agreement and Release”) and (ii) the Separation Agreement and Release becoming irrevocable and fully effective, all within 60 days after the Date of Termination (or such shorter time period provided in the Separation Agreement and Release), which shall include a seven (7) business day revocation period:
(a) | the Company shall pay the Employee an amount equal to nine (9) months of the |
Employee’s Base Salary (or the Employee’s Base Salary in effect before Good Reason existed under Section 3(d)(ii), if higher than the Employee’s then-current Base Salary) (the “Severance Amount”);
determined in the sole discretion of the Company (the “Prior Year Bonus”); and
The amounts payable under Section 4(a) and (c), to the extent taxable, shall be paid out in substantially equal installments in accordance with the Company’s payroll practice over nine (9) months commencing within 60
days after the Date of Termination; provided, however, that if the 60-day period begins in one calendar year and ends in a second calendar year, the Severance Amount shall begin to be paid in the second calendar year by the
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last day of such 60-day period; provided, further, that the initial payment shall include a catch-up payment to cover amounts retroactive to the day immediately following the Date of Termination. If applicable, the Prior Year Bonus shall be paid to the Employee at the time that the Company’s other executives receive their annual bonuses, which shall be no later than March 15 of the calendar year in which the Date of Termination occurs.
Each payment pursuant to this Agreement is intended to constitute a separate payment for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2).
Employee’s assigned duties and the Employee’s objectivity during the pendency and after the occurrence of any such event. These provisions shall apply in lieu of, and expressly supersede, the provisions of Section 4 regarding the Severance Amount and other benefits upon a termination of employment, if such termination of employment occurs during the period beginning three (3) months immediately before the date of the first event constituting a Change in Control and ending on the 18 month anniversary of the first event constituting a Change in Control (such period, the “Change in Control Period”). These provisions shall terminate and be of no further force or effect after the Change in Control Period. For the avoidance of doubt, (i) in no event will the Employee be entitled to severance benefits under both Section 4 and Section 5 of this Agreement, and (ii) if the Company has commenced providing severance pay and benefits to the Employee under Section 4 prior to the date that the Employee becomes eligible to receive severance pay and benefits under this Section 5, the severance pay and benefits previously provided to the Employee under Section 4 shall reduce the severance pay and benefits to be provided under this Section 5.
Employee terminates the Employee’s employment for Good Reason as provided in Section 3(d), then, subject to the signing of the Separation Agreement and Release by the Employee and the Separation Agreement and Release becoming irrevocable and fully effective, all within 60 days after the Date of Termination (or such shorter time period provided in the Separation Agreement and Release), which shall include a seven (7) business day revocation period:
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direct payment to the group health plan provider or the COBRA provider or by reimbursing the Employee for such cost) that the Company would have made to provide health insurance to the Employee if the Employee had remained employed by the Company; provided, however, if the Company determines that it cannot pay such amounts to the group health plan provider or the COBRA provider (if applicable) without potentially violating applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), then the Company shall convert such payments to payroll payments directly to the Employee for the time period specified above. Such payments shall be subject to tax-related deductions and withholdings and paid on the Company’s regular payroll dates.
The amounts payable under Section 5(a)(i) and (iii), to the extent taxable, shall be paid or commence to be paid within 60 days after the Date of Termination or, if later, the Change in Control Date; provided, however, that if the 60-day period begins in one calendar year and ends in a second calendar year, such payment shall be paid or commence to be paid in the second calendar year by the last day of such 60-day period. If applicable, the Prior Year Bonus shall be paid to the Employee at the time that the Company’s other executives receive their annual bonuses, which shall be no later than March 15 of the calendar year in which the Date of Termination occurs.
(b) | Additional Limitation. |
§1.280G-1, Q&A-24(b) or (c).
Company and the Employee within 15 business days of the Date of Termination, if applicable, or at such
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earlier time as is reasonably requested by the Company or the Employee. Any determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and the Employee.
“Change in Control” shall mean any of the following:
the right to vote in an election of the Board (“Voting Securities”) (in such case other than as a result of an acquisition of securities directly from SR Holding); or
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of the foregoing clause (i) solely as the result of an acquisition of securities by SR Holding which, by reducing the number of shares of Voting Securities outstanding, increases the proportionate number of Voting Securities beneficially owned by any person to 50 percent or more of the combined voting power of all of the then outstanding Voting Securities; provided, however, that if any person referred to in this sentence shall thereafter become the beneficial owner of any additional shares of Voting Securities (other than pursuant to a stock split, stock dividend, or similar transaction or as a result of an acquisition of securities directly from SR Holding) and immediately thereafter beneficially owns 50 percent or more of the combined voting power of all of the then outstanding Voting Securities, then a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of the foregoing clause (i).
“Change in Control Date” shall mean, with respect to a Change in Control, the date of consummation of such Change in Control.
6. | Section 409A. |
(a) | Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if at the time of the |
Employee’s separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, the Company determines that the Employee is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, then to the extent any payment or benefit that the Employee becomes entitled to under this Agreement on account of the Employee’s separation from service would be considered deferred compensation otherwise subject to the 20
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percent additional tax imposed pursuant to Section 409A(a) of the Code as a result of the application of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, such payment shall not be payable and such benefit shall not be provided until the date that is the earlier of (A) six (6) months and one (1) day after the Employee’s separation from service, or (B) the Employee’s death. If any such delayed cash payment is otherwise payable on an installment basis, the first payment shall include a catch-up payment covering amounts that would otherwise have been paid during the
six-month period but for the application of this provision, and the balance of the installments shall be payable in accordance with their original schedule.
benefit is payable upon the Employee’s termination of employment, then such payments or benefits shall be payable only upon the Employee’s “separation from service.” The determination of whether and when a separation from service has occurred shall be made in accordance with the presumptions set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).
7. | Continuing Obligations. |
(the “Restrictive Covenant Agreement”) continue to be in full force and effect. For purposes of this Agreement, the obligations in this Section 7 and those that arise in the Restrictive Covenant Agreement and any other agreement related to confidentiality, assignment of inventions, or other restrictive covenants shall collectively be referred to as the “Continuing Obligations”. For the avoidance of doubt, all restrictive covenant obligations are supplemental to one another, and in the event of any conflict between restrictive covenant obligations, the most restrictive provision that is enforceable shall govern. In the event the Employee is entitled to both payments pursuant to the Restrictive Covenant Agreement and severance payments pursuant to Section 4 or Section 5 of this Agreement, then the severance payments pursuant to Section 4 or Section 5 of this Agreement received in any calendar year will be reduced by the amount the Employee is paid in the same such calendar year pursuant to the Restrictive Covenant Agreement.
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Employee’s engagement in any business. The Employee represents to the Company that the Employee’s execution of this Agreement, the Employee’s employment with the Company and the performance of the
Employee’s proposed duties for the Company will not violate any obligations the Employee may have to any such previous employer or other party. In the Employee’s work for the Company, the Employee will not disclose or make use of any information in violation of any agreements with or rights of any such previous employer or other party, and the Employee will not bring to the premises of the Company any copies or other
tangible embodiments of non-public information belonging to or obtained from any such previous employment or other party.
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the Employee or the Company may be a party with regard to any such controversy or claim, such controversy or claim shall be submitted to arbitration subject to such other person or entity’s agreement. Judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. This Section 8 shall be specifically enforceable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 8 shall not preclude either party from pursuing a court action for the sole purpose of obtaining a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction in circumstances in which such relief is appropriate; provided that any other relief shall be pursued through an arbitration proceeding pursuant to this Section 8.
12. | Successor to the Employee. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by |
the Employee’s personal representatives, executors, administrators, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees. In the event of the Employee’s death after the Employee’s termination of employment but prior to the completion by the Company of all payments due to the Employee under this Agreement, the Company shall continue such
payments to the Employee’s beneficiary designated in writing to the Company prior to the Employee’s death (or to the Employee’s estate, if the Employee fails to make such designation).
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Employee or, in the case of Company, the Company email address of the Chief Executive Officer, with confirmation of receipt.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement effective on the Effective Date.
| SCHOLAR ROCK, INC. |
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| /s/ Caryn Parlavecchio |
| By: Caryn Parlavecchio |
| Its: CHRO |
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| EMPLOYEE |
| /s/ Erin Moore |
| Erin Moore |
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Exhibit A
Amended and Restated Employee Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation, Confidentiality and Assignment Agreement