EXHIBIT
10.2
SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND RELEASE
Alternative Resources
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (ARC), and Raymond R. Hipp, on behalf of
himself, his heirs and assigns (Hipp), hereby enter into this Separation
Agreement and Release (Agreement) this 13th day of June, 2002
WHEREAS, ARC has
requested that Hipp resign his employment and officer positions with ARC and
its subsidiaries and his director position with subsidiaries of ARC, effective
the date hereof (the Termination Date) and resign his director position with
ARC at the directors meeting following the 2002 annual meeting of stockholders;
WHEREAS, ARC is willing
to provide certain benefits to Hipp in exchange for the covenants and releases
set forth herein;
1. Hipp hereby resigns his employment and all officer
positions with ARC and subsidiaries. He also hereby resigns all director
positions with ARC subsidiaries and all positions as trustee of all ARC
retirement or welfare plans. Hipp shall
execute any additional documents required to reflect such resignations. Hipp agrees that he shall submit his
resignation as director of ARC at the directors meeting following the 2002
annual meeting of stockholders. These resignations and commitment to resign are
not conditional or subject to revocation, notwithstanding the right to revoke
the agreements set forth in the remainder of this Agreement. For six months after the Termination Date,
Hipp shall be reasonably available to consult with ARC on and make transitional
introductions to key customers.
2. In full and final satisfaction of all claims by Hipp
against ARC and the other Released Parties (as defined in Section 4), in lieu
of any other payments, covenants or obligations of ARC under the Employment
Agreement effective July 23, 1998 (Employment Agreement) and in consideration
for and subject to the undertakings described in this Agreement and conditional
upon Hipps compliance with and not revoking this Agreement, ARC agrees to make
the following payments and to provide the following benefits to Hipp:
a. ARC shall pay Hipp no later than the next
regularly scheduled pay period following Hipps Termination Date, the amount of
all accrued base salary and unused vacation through the Termination Date, less
normal withholding as required by law.
b. ARC shall pay to Hipp a total severance
payment of Seven Hundred Twenty
Thousand Dollars ($720,000.00), payable in equal, installments according to
ARCs customary payroll practices over the twenty-four month period beginning
on the next regular pay day following the Termination Date (but not earlier
than the day that this Agreement becomes irrevocable, assuming it is not
previously revoked (the Effective Date)), less normal withholding as required
by law.
c. Conditional upon Fleet Capital
Corporation waiving any potential default under the net worth and fixed charge
covenants of ARCs Credit and Security Agreement dated January 31, 2002 for
the second quarter of 2002 (Credit
Agreement), ARC shall pay Hipps remaining unpaid
portion of stay-bonus as
follows, less normal withholding as required by law:
i. $200,0000 on the Effective Date; and
ii. $28,000
on January 1, 2003.
ARC shall use reasonable
efforts (but without guaranty) to obtain the Fleet Capital Corporation waiver.
If Fleet Capital Corporation
does not waive any potential default under the fixed charge and net worth
covenants of the Credit Agreement, ARC shall pay Hipps remaining unpaid
portion of stay-bonus as follows, less normal withholding as required by law:
i. $57,000
on June 30, 2002;
ii. $57,000
on September 30, 2002; and
iii. $114,000
on December 31, 2002.
d. Hipp shall be
entitled to continue his current group health plan coverage, without premium
charge, in accordance with his current group health plan elections for the term of severance payments as
provided in Section 2(b) of this Agreement.
Thereafter, ARC shall provide Hipp and any qualified beneficiary as
defined in Section 4980B(g)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) with continuation coverage as defined in
Section 4980B(f)(2) of the Code, without premium charge, until the period of
coverage ends as provided in Section 4980B(f)(2)(B) of the Code. Prior to the end of the COBRA continuation
period, Hipp will apply for an individual insurance policy with an insurance
company of his choice, said individual insurance policy to be effective once
COBRA continuation has been exhausted in full.
ARC will pay the premium cost of individual insurance coverage (not to
exceed $25,000 per year) until the date Hipp reaches age 65 (August ,
2007). In the event Hipp is determined
to be uninsurable, and is issued written notice of such by the insurance
company, Hipp must enroll in the state alternative coverage program established
under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
(HIPAA), and ARC will pay the premium for HIPAA alternative state coverage (not
to exceed $25,000 per year) until Hipp reaches age 65. Hipp is required to enroll in either
individual coverage, if available, or in HIPAA alternative state coverage prior
to incurring a 63 day break in coverage, as specified under HIPAA. The 63 day period begins on the day
following the last day of COBRA continuation coverage under this Agreement.
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e. ARC shall pay to Hipp in accordance with
ARC policy, all reimbursements for business expenses incurred through the Termination Date, upon submission of reports
in accordance with ARC procedures; and
If Hipp should die while
any amounts are payable under this Agreement,
such amounts shall be payable to Hipps estate.
3. Hipp agrees that (except in connection with tax
reporting, or pursuant to legal process or any legal action to enforce the
terms of this Agreement), he shall keep confidential the terms of this
Agreement, except for disclosure to immediate family members under condition of
confidentiality, and except for information which ARC has first disclosed
pursuant to SEC rules. Truthful
testimony pursuant to legal process shall not be considered a violation of the
first sentence of this Section 3. In
the event that Hipp will be required pursuant to law or legal process to
disclose any information described in the first sentence of this Section 3,
Hipp shall provide ARC with notice within 48 hours of receipt of the order or
process compelling such disclosure and shall cooperate with ARC in any efforts
it undertakes to seek a protective order or other limitations on such
disclosure.
4. Hipp on behalf of himself, his heirs, executors,
attorneys, administrators, successors and assigns, hereby fully and forever, to
the full extent permitted by law, releases and discharges ARC and each of ARCs
subsidiaries and each of their directors, officers, employees, accountants,
agents and attorneys, past, present and future, and all predecessors,
successors and assigns thereof (collectively Released Parties) from any and
all claims, demands, agreements, actions, suits, causes of action, damages,
injunctions, restraints and liabilities, of whatever kind or nature, in law,
equity or otherwise, whether now known or unknown, which have ever existed or
which may now exist (except to enforce the terms of this Agreement or his
vested retirement benefits), including, but not limited to, any and all claims,
liabilities, demands or causes of action relating to or arising out of Hipps
employment, or separation from ARC including, without limitation, claims under
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et
seq., 42 U.S.C. § 1981, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Age
Discrimination in Employment Act, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the
Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Illinois
Human Rights Act, the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, the Worker
Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the anti-trust and restraint of
trade statutes and common law, the federal and state (including, without
limitation, Illinois) statutes or common law, or claims for breach of contract,
for misrepresentation, for violation of any other federal, state or local
statute, ordinance or regulation or common law dealing in any respect with
discrimination in employment or otherwise, defamation, retaliatory or wrongful
discharge under the common law of any state, infliction of emotional distress
or any other tort under the common law of any state or for attorneys
fees. Hipp acknowledges and agrees that
this release and the covenant not to sue set forth in this Agreement are
essential and material terms of this Agreement and that without such release
and covenant not to sue, the parties would not have reached an agreement. Hipp understands and acknowledges the
significance and consequences of this release and this Agreement.
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Notwithstanding the
foregoing, nothing herein shall be deemed to release (i) ARC from any
indemnification obligations to Hipp it has under law, ARCs certificate of
incorporation or bylaws or Hipps existing indemnification agreement, (ii) Hipp
from any rights he may have with respect to any ARC stock of which he is the
record owner, or (iii) Hipp with respect to any rights that Hipp may have in
connection with any employee benefit plan as defined in Section 3(3) of the
Employee Retirement Security Income Act of 1974, as amended.
5. The following provisions are applicable to and made a
part of this Agreement and the foregoing general release and waiver:
a. Hipp acknowledges that this Agreement
includes a waiver of rights and claims under the Age Discrimination in
Employment Act and understands that he is not waiving rights or claims that may
arise after the date the parties execute this Agreement (Hipp hereby
acknowledging that any claims arising out his resignation arose prior to the
date hereof);
b. In exchange for this general release and
waiver hereunder, Hipp hereby acknowledges that he has received separate
consideration beyond that to which he is otherwise entitled under ARC policy or
applicable law;
c. Hipp acknowledges that he has entered into
this Agreement knowingly and voluntarily with full understanding of its terms;
d. Hipp acknowledges that he has waived his
right to consider this Agreement for at least twenty-one (21) days; and
e. Hipp understands that he may revoke this
Agreement during the seven ( 7) calendar days following execution of this
Agreement if such revocation is received in hand by ARC to the attention of S.
Purcell by 5pm on the seventh day, and that the Agreement shall not become
effective or enforceable until after 5pm on such seventh calendar day.
Hipp acknowledges that he
may learn of circumstances bearing upon the things and items released by this
Agreement, but it is his intention by doing so and doing the acts called for by
this Agreement, that this Agreement shall be effective as a full and final
accord and satisfaction and release of each and every thing and item released
herein, whether known or unknown.
6. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Hipp covenants
not to sue or to institute or cause to be instituted any kind of claim or
action (except to enforce this Agreement) in any federal, state or local agency
or court against any of the parties released hereby relating to the matters
covered by such releases.
7. Hipp warrants and represents that he has neither made,
will make, nor suffer to be made any assignment or transfer of any right,
claim, demand or cause of action covered by the above releases or covenant not
to sue, that he is the sole and absolute owner thereof, and that he has not
filed or suffered to be filed on his behalf against the other party, any
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claim, action, demand of any kind covered by the above
releases or covenant not to sue as of the Termination Date.
8. Not later than
Monday, June 17, 2002, Hipp shall return to ARC all property of ARC
under his possession or control.
9. Neither this Agreement nor performance hereunder
constitutes an admission by either party of any violation of any federal, state
or local law, regulation, common law, of any breach of any contract or any
other wrongdoing of any type.
10. In the event that any section or
provision of this Agreement shall be determined to be contrary to governing law
or otherwise unenforceable, all remaining portions of this Agreement shall be
enforced to the maximum extent permitted by law; the unenforceable paragraph,
subparagraph or provision shall first be construed or interpreted, if possible,
to render it enforceable and, if that is not possible, then the provision shall
be severed and disregarded, and the remainder of this Agreement shall be
enforced to the maximum extent permitted by law.
11. Hipp acknowledges and confirms, and
as a material term to this Agreement agrees to abide by, the covenants in
Section IX A (Cooperation), IX B (Confidential Information), IX C (Certain
Restricted Activities) of Hipps Employment Agreement. Both parties agree that the remedies for
breach in Section IX D thereof apply to any breach of this Agreement
12. Hipp shall not take any action
intended to portray ARC or its management
in a negative light. Hipp
acknowledges that he has no authority from and after the Termination Date to
act as a spokesperson for ARC.
13. This Agreement shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the internal substantive laws of the State of
Illinois.
14. Hipp acknowledges that he has
carefully read this Agreement and fully understands its meaning, that counsel
represented him in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement, that he
has full knowledge of the effect of this Agreement and is entering into it
voluntarily and without coercion or duress, and the only consideration he is
receiving for signing this Agreement is described herein, and no other promises
or representations of any kind have been made by any person or entity to cause
him to sign this Agreement.
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15. Except for the provisions of the
Employment Agreement incorporated into Section 11 of this Agreement which the
parties acknowledge continue beyond the Termination Date, and any
indemnification obligations to Hipp under Hipps existing indemnification
agreement, this Agreement contains the entire agreement and understanding
between ARC and Hipp concerning the matters described herein and supercedes all
prior agreements, discussions, negotiations and understandings between ARC and
Hipp. The terms of this Agreement cannot be changed except in a subsequent
document signed by Hipp and an authorized representative of ARC.
Alternative Resources Corporation.
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By:
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/s/ Joanne
Brandes
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Its
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Director and
authorized signatory
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/s/
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Raymond R. Hipp
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Raymond R. Hipp
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