Exhibit
10.1
INDEMNIFICATION
AGREEMENT
This Indemnification
Agreement (Agreement) is made as of January 25, 2007 by and between On
Assignment, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), and Officer and/or
Director (Indemnitee).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more
reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors or in other
capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance
or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions
against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the
corporation;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the Board)
has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the
Company will attempt to continue to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole
expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its
subsidiaries from certain liabilities.
The Bylaws of the Company require indemnification of the officers and
directors of the Company. Indemnitee may
also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware (DGCL). The
Bylaws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set
forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be
entered into between the Company and members of the board of directors,
officers and other persons with respect to indemnification;
WHEREAS, such persons are often concerned about the
uncertainties relating to such insurance and indemnification;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the Company
should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of
such protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for
the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance
expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free
from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in
furtherance of the Bylaws of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant
thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or
abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and
the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant
and agree as follows:
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Section 1. Services
to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to
serve as an officer and/or director of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason
resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any
obligation imposed by operation of law), in which event the Company shall have
no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in such
position. This Agreement shall not be
deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any of its subsidiaries
or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee.
Indemnitee specifically acknowledges that Indemnitees employment with
the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise), if any, is at will,
and the Indemnitee may be discharged at any time for any reason, with or
without cause, except as may be otherwise provided in any written employment
contract between Indemnitee and the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any
Enterprise), other applicable formal severance policies duly adopted by the
Board, or, with respect to service as a officer or director of the Company, by
the Companys Certificate of Incorporation, the Companys Bylaws, and the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement
shall continue in force after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as an officer of
the Company.
Section 2. Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
(a) A
Change in Control shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after
the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as defined below) is or becomes
the Beneficial Owner (as defined below), directly or indirectly, of securities
of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined
voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. During any period of two (2) consecutive
years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement),
individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any
new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into
an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections
2(a)(i), 2(a)(iii) or 2(a)(iv)) whose election by the Board or nomination for
election by the Companys stockholders was approved by a vote of at least
two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at
the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was
previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a least a majority
of the members of the Board;
(iii) Corporate Transactions.
The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any
other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the
voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger
or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by
being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 51%
of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity
outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power
to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body
of such surviving entity;
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(iv) Liquidation. The
approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the
Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or
substantially all of the Companys assets; and
(v) Other Events. There
occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in
response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a response to any
similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange
Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such
reporting requirement.
For purposes of this Section 2(a), the following terms
shall have the following meanings:
(A) Exchange Act shall
mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(B) Person shall have
the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act;
provided, however, that Person shall exclude (i) the Company, (ii) any trustee
or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the
Company, and (iii) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the
stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their
ownership of stock of the Company.
(C) Beneficial Owner
shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act;
provided, however, that Beneficial Owner shall exclude any Person otherwise
becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of the stockholders of the Company
approving a merger of the Company with another entity.
(b) Corporate Status describes the status of a person who is
or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other
corporation, partnership or joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or
other enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the
Company.
(c) Disinterested Director means a director of the Company
who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which
indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(d) Enterprise shall mean the Company and any other
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other
enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company
as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
(e) Expenses shall include all reasonable attorneys fees,
retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel
expenses, duplicating costs, printing
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and binding costs, telephone charges,
postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the
types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing
to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in,
or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding.
Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any
appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium,
security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or
other appeal bond or its equivalent.
Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by
Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(f) Independent Counsel means a law firm, or a member of a
law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither
presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter
material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning
the Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar
indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving
rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Independent Counsel shall not
include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct
then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the
Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitees rights under this
Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the
reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and
to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims,
liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its
engagement pursuant hereto.
(g) The term Proceeding shall include any threatened,
pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution
mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual,
threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company
or otherwise, whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative
nature and whether formal or informal, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be
involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or
was a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action taken by him
or of any action on his part while acting as director or officer of the
Company, or by reason of the fact that he is or was serving at the request of
the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, in each case whether or
not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred
for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be
provided under this Agreement; except one initiated by a Indemnitee to enforce
his rights under this Agreement.
(h) Reference to other enterprise shall include employee
benefit plans; references to fines shall include any excise tax assessed with
respect to any employee benefit plan; references to serving at the request of
the Company shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or
agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such
director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan,
its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in
a manner he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants
and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in
manner not opposed to the best interests of the Company as referred to in
this Agreement.
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Section 3. Indemnity
in Third-Party Proceedings. The
Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, or in good faith
believes it will become, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, other
than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in
its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3,
Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses, judgments, fines and
amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on
his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter
therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in
the case of a criminal proceeding had no reasonable cause to believe that his
conduct was unlawful.
Section 4. Indemnity
in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in
accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or is
threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in
the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall
be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or
on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter
therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made
under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which
Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the
Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or
any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application
that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the
circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnification.
Section 5. Indemnification
for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding
any other provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is a
party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise,
in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole
or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses
actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in
such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or
more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the
Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably
incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved
claim, issue or matter. If the
Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall
indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection
with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which
the Indemnitee was successful. For
purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim,
issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice,
shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
Section 6 Indemnification
For Expenses of a Witness.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent
that Indemnitee is, or in good faith believes it will become, by reason of his
Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a
party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably
incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.
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Section 7. Additional Indemnification.
(a) Notwithstanding
any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee
to the fullest extent permitted by law if Indemnitee is a party to or
threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or
in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all
Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and
reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding.
(b) For
purposes of Section 7(a), the meaning of the phrase to the fullest extent
permitted by law shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) to
the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or
contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding
provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL, and
(ii) to
the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements
of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent
to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
Section 8. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this
Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any
indemnity in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for
which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any
insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any
excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity
provision; or
(b) for
an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase)
by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provisions of
state statutory law or common law pursuant to a settlement by or judgment
against Indemnitee; provided this shall not limit the Companys ability to
defend such claim if it elects to do so; or
(c) in
connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by
Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated
by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or
other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board of Directors of the Company authorized
or consented to the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its
initiation or joins in the Proceeding, (ii) the Proceeding is to enforce rights
under this Agreement, (iii) the Proceeding is initiated after a Change of
Control and Independent Counsel has approved its initiation and (iv) the Company
provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers
vested in the Company under applicable law.
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Section 9. Advances
of Expenses. Notwithstanding any
provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall advance the
expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding within 10
business days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements
requesting such advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final
disposition of any Proceeding. Advances
shall be unsecured and interest free.
Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitees ability to repay
the expenses and without regard to Indemnitees ultimate entitlement to
indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable
Expenses incurred pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including
Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support
the advances claimed. The Indemnitee
shall qualify for advances upon the execution and delivery to the Company of
this Agreement which shall constitute an undertaking providing that the
Indemnitee undertakes to repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately
determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the
Company. This Section 9 shall not apply
to any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to
Section 8.
Section 10. Procedure for Notification and
Defense of Claim.
(a) To
obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the
Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation
and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably
necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification, not later than thirty (30) days after receipt by Indemnitee of
notice of the commencement of any Proceeding.
The omission to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from any
liability which it may have to Indemnitee otherwise than under this
Agreement. The Secretary of the Company
shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the
Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
(b) The
Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
Section 11. Procedure Upon Application for
Indemnification.
(a) Upon
written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first
sentence of Section 10(a), a determination, if required by applicable law, with
respect to Indemnitees entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific
case: (i) if a Change in Control shall
have occurred, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board of
Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; or (ii) if a
Change in Control shall not have occurred, (A) by a majority vote of the
Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (B) by a
committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the
Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (C) if
there are no such Disinterested Directors or, if such Disinterested Directors
so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of
which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (D) if so directed by the Board, by
the stockholders of the Company; and, if it is so determined that Indemnitee is
entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten
(10) days after such determination.
Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making
such determination with respect to Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification,
including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance
request any
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documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise
protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and
reasonably necessary to such determination.
Any costs or expenses (including attorneys fees and disbursements)
incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity
making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the
determination as to Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification) and the
Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) In
the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by
Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel
shall be selected as provided in this Section 11(b). If a Change in Control shall not have
occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board of Directors,
and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him of the
identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Change in Control shall have occurred,
the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall
request that such selection be made by the Board of Directors, in which event
the preceding sentence shall apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice
to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so
selected. In either event, Indemnitee or
the Company, as the case may be, may, within 10 days after such written notice
of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as
the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that
such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel
so selected does not meet the requirements of Independent Counsel as defined
in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with
particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the
person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and
substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent
Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined
that such objection is without merit.
If, within 20 days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request
for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall
have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may
petition a court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection
which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the others
selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent
Counsel of a person selected by the Court or by such other person as the Court
shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so
resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under
Section 11(a) hereof. Upon the due
commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section
13(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved
of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable
standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
Section 12. Presumptions and Effect of
Certain Proceedings.
(a) In
making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification
hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall
presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if
Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with
Section 10(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof
to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person,
persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including
by its directors or independent legal counsel) to
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have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action
pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances
because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual
determination by the Company (including by its directors or independent legal
counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall
be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met
the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If
the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 11 of this
Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall
not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the
Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to
indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be
entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a
material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitees
statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for
indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable
law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a
reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person,
persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to
indemnification in good faith requires
such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information
relating thereto; and provided, further, that the foregoing provisions of this
Section 12(b) shall not apply (i) if the determination of entitlement to
indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 11(a) of
this Agreement and if (A) within fifteen (15) days after receipt by the Company
of the request for such determination the Board of Directors has resolved to
submit such determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an
annual meeting thereof to be held within seventy five (75) days after such receipt
and such determination is made thereat, or (B) a special meeting of
stockholders is called within fifteen (15) days after such receipt for the
purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose
within sixty (60) days after having been so called and such determination is
made thereat, or (ii) if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is
to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement.
(c) The
termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by
judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not
(except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely
affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that
Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with
respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to
believe that his conduct was unlawful.
(d) Reliance
as Safe Harbor. For purposes of any
determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good
faith if Indemnitees action is based on the records or books of account of the
Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to
Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or
on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records
given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public
accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with the reasonable care
by the Enterprise. The provisions of this Section 12(d) shall
not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in
which the Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of
conduct set forth in this Agreement.
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(e) Actions
of Others. The knowledge and/or
actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the
Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the
right to indemnification under this Agreement.
Section 13. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) In
the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 11 of this
Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this
Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section
9 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification
shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement within 45 days
after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment
of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5 or 6 or the last sentence
of Section 11(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the
Company of a written request therefor, or (v) payment of indemnification
pursuant to Section 3, 4 or 7 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10)
days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of
his entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his option, may
seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to
the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding
seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following
the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding
pursuant to this Section 13(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause
shall not apply in respect of a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce his
rights under Section 5 of this Agreement.
The Company shall not oppose Indemnitees right to seek any such
adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In
the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a)
of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any
judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 shall
be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits
and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse
determination. In any judicial
proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 the Company
shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification
or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be.
(c) If
a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this
Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be
bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced
pursuant to this Section 13, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a
material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitees
statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for
indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable
law.
(d) The
Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or
arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 that the procedures and
presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall
stipulate in any such court or
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before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the
provisions of this Agreement. The
Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if
requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after receipt by the
Company of a written request therefore) advance such expenses to Indemnitee,
which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by
Indemnitee for indemnification or advance of Expenses from the Company under
this Agreement or under any directors and officers liability insurance
policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately
is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of Expenses
or insurance recovery, as the case may be.
Section 14. Non-exclusivity; Survival of
Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
(a) The
rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by
this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which
Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Companys
Certificate of Incorporation, the Companys Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of
stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this
Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of
Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by
such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or
repeal. To the extent that a change in
Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification
or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Companys
Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that
Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by
such change. No right or remedy herein
conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every
other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right
and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or
otherwise. The assertion or employment
of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the
concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) To
the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing
liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents of the
Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person serves at the
request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies
in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage
available for any such director, officer, employee or agent under such policy
or policies. If, at the time of the
receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has
director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give
prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in
accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all
necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the
Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance
with the terms of such policies. In the
event of a Change in Control, the Company shall maintain in force any and all
insurance policies then maintained by the Company in providing directors and
officers insurance, in respect of Indemnitee, for a period of six years
thereafter. This tail coverage shall be
placed by the Companys D&O insurance broker and shall be satisfactory to
Indemnitee.
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(c) In
the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated
to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee,
who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure
such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable
the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(d) The
Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts
otherwise indemnifiable (or for which advancement is provided hereunder)
hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received
such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
(e) The
Companys obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee
who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer,
employee or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be reduced by any amount
Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of expenses
from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee
benefit plan or other enterprise.
Section 15. Duration
of Agreement. This Agreement shall
continue until and terminate upon the later of: (a) 10 years after the date
that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a [director] [officer] of the
Company or (b) 1 year after the final termination of any Proceeding then
pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or
advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee
pursuant to Section 13 of this Agreement relating thereto. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect
successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or
substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company) and shall inure
to the benefit of Indemnitee and his heirs, executors and administrators. The Company shall require and cause any
successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation, or
otherwise) to all, substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business
and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance
satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this
Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be
required to perform if no such succession has taken place. The indemnification provided under this
Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action taken or not taken
while serving in an indemnified capacity even though he may have ceased to
serve in such capacity at the time of any Proceeding.
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Section 16. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this
Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason
whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any
Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable)
shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain
enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or
provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to
applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties
hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this
Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this
Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be
construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
Section 17. Enforcement.
(a) The
Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement
and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee
to serve or continue to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the
Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving
as a director or officer of the Company.
(b) This
Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with
respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with
respect to the subject matter hereof.
Section 18. Modification
and Waiver. No supplement,
modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in
writing by the parties thereto. No
waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall
constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any
waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
Section 19. Notice
by Indemnitee and Company.
(a) Indemnitee
agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any
summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other
document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to
indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company
shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to the
Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise.
(b) The Company agrees to promptly notify
Indemnitee in writing upon becoming aware that Indemnitee is the subject of any
Proceeding and will provide to Indemnitee, upon request, any information
provided to third parties relating to Indemnitee in any such Proceeding.
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Section 20. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other
communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to
have been duly given (a) if delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to
whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, or (b) mailed
by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day
after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If
to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this
Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide to the Company.
(b) If
to the Company to
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On Assignment, Inc.
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26651 West
Agoura Road
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Calabasas, CA
91302
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or to any other address as may have been furnished to
Indemnitee by the Company.
Section 21. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under
applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is
unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of
indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee,
whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be
paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating
to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed
fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in
order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and
Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to
such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its
directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with
such event(s) and/or transaction(s).
Section 22. Applicable
Law and Consent to Jurisdiction.
This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be
governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the
State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with
respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 10(a) of
this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in
connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Chancery Court of
the State of Delaware (the Delaware Court), and not in any other state or
federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other
country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware
Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection
with this Agreement, (iii) appoint, to the extent such party is not otherwise
subject to service of process in the State of Delaware, irrevocably The
Corporation Trust Company, Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street,
Wilmington, Delaware 19801 as its agent in the State of Delaware as such partys
agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or
proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if
served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any
objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the
Delaware Court, and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim
that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been
brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
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Section 23. Identical
Counterparts. This Agreement may be
executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be
deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the
same Agreement. Only one such
counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to
be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
Section 24. Miscellaneous. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed
to include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate. The headings of the paragraphs of this
Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to
constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this
Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
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ON ASSIGNMENT, INC.
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INDEMNITEE
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By:
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Peter T. Dameris
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Indemnitee
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President and
Chief Executive Officer
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