Form 8-K SEQUENOM INC For: Oct 02
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E-mailUNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 8-K
Current Report
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 2, 2015
SEQUENOM, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 000-29101 | 77-0365889 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||
3595 John Hopkins Court, San Diego, CA | 92121 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (858) 202-9000
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
o | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
o | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
o | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
(e) On September 24, 2015, we filed a Current Report on Form 8-K announcing the resignation of William J. Welch as our President and Chief Executive Officer. In connection with such resignation, on October 2, 2015, we entered into a Separation Agreement with Mr. Welch (the “Separation Agreement”), pursuant to which Mr. Welch will receive severance benefits from us. By its terms, the Separation Agreement is effective as of September 18, 2015. Pursuant to the Separation Agreement, in exchange for a general release of all claims against us, Mr. Welch is entitled to receive (i) a lump sum payment equal to $550,000, which equals 12 months of his base salary, (ii) a lump sum payment equal to $275,301, which equals his targeted level bonus for 2015, pro-rated to the date of his resignation, (iii) a lump sum payment equal to $20,614, which is intended to cover the payment of COBRA benefits for a period of 12 months, (iv) accelerated vesting of all outstanding stock options and other equity awards as if Mr. Welch had completed service with us for an additional 12 months, and (v) an extension of the exercise period of his vested stock options granted under our 2006 Equity Incentive Plan for a period of 12 months. The benefits provided for in the Separation Agreement are consistent with the benefits that Mr. Welch would have been entitled to receive under his Employment Agreement, dated January 29, 2014, had Mr. Welch been terminated without cause.
The foregoing description of the Separation Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Separation Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits
99.1 Separation Agreement by and between Sequenom, Inc. and William J. Welch.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
SEQUENOM, INC. | |||||||
Dated: October 2, 2015 | By: | /s/ Jeffrey D. Linton | |||||
Name: | Jeffrey D. Linton | ||||||
Title: | Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary | ||||||
September 18, 2015
William J. Welch
173 South Nardo Avenue
Solana Beach, CA 92121
RE: Separation Agreement
Dear Bill,
This letter sets forth the terms and conditions of our agreement (the “Agreement”) regarding the separation of your employment with Sequenom, Inc. (the “Company”). This Agreement will become effective on the Effective Date as defined in Section 10 herein. You and the Company hereby agree as follows:
1.Separation. Your employment with the Company is terminated effective September 18, 2015 (the “Separation Date”).
2.Separation Benefits. In exchange for your covenants and releases herein, and provided that this Agreement becomes effective as specified in Section 11 below, the Company will provide you with the following separation benefits, which are equivalent in amount to those described in Section 7 of the Employment Agreement between you and the Company made as of January 29, 2014 (the “Employment Agreement”).
(a) Salary. You shall receive a lump sum payment in an amount equal to $550,000.00, to be paid on or before November 17, 2015.
(b) Bonus. You shall receive, in lieu of the annual performance bonus specified in Section 3(b) of the Employment Agreement for the fiscal year 2015, a lump sum payment in an amount equal to $275,301.37. The amount payable shall be paid on or before November 17, 2015.
(c) Health Care Coverage. You shall receive a fully taxable lump sum payment in an amount equal to $20,614.08, to be paid on or before November 17, 2015, which is intended to assist you with the cost for continued healthcare coverage.
(d) Equity Acceleration. All of your stock options and other equity incentive awards issued by the Company that are outstanding on the Separation Date shall be credited with an additional twelve (12) months’ worth of vesting effective as of Separation Date. All other terms and conditions of such options and other equity incentive awards shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable plan and option or other equity incentive award agreement, after giving effect to Section 2(e), if applicable.
(e) Option Exercise Period. The time in which you may exercise any and all of your outstanding stock options granted under the Company’s 2006 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2006 Equity Incentive Plan”) (to the extent that you were entitled to exercise such options as of the Separation Date, after giving effect to Section 2(d)) shall be September 18, 2016. If you do not exercise any options within the time specified herein, such options shall terminate.
(f) Tax Withholding. All compensation described in this Section 7 will be subject to the Company’s collection of all applicable federal, state and local income and employment withholding taxes.
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William J. Welch
September 18, 2015
(g) Final Expense Report. You will have thirty (30) days from the Separation Date to submit a final expense report for business expenses incurred through the Separation Date. Reimbursement for such expenses will be made to you within five (5) days after receipt of the expense report.
3.Other Compensation and Benefits. Except as expressly provided herein or pursuant to the terms of any plan providing for retirement benefits, including, without limitation, any 401(k) plan, sponsored by the Company for your benefit, you acknowledge and agree that you are not entitled to and will not receive any additional compensation, wages, reimbursement, severance, or benefits from the Company.
4.Termination of The Company’s Obligations. Notwithstanding any provisions in this Agreement to the contrary and except as consented to above, the Company’s obligations hereunder shall cease and be rendered a nullity immediately should you fail to comply with any of the provisions of this Agreement.
5.Company Property. You represent and confirm that no later than September 21, 2015 you will return to the Company all Company documents (and all copies thereof) and other property of the Company in your possession or control, including, but not limited to, computer security access, files, business plans, notes, financial information, financial information, data, computer-recorded information, tangible property, including entry cards, keys and any other materials of any nature pertaining to your work with the Company, and any documents or data of any description (or any reproduction of any documents or data) containing or pertaining to any proprietary or confidential material of the Company; provided that you shall be permitted to retain copies of documents relating to the terms and conditions of your employment with the Company (for example, copies of Stock Option Agreements).
6.Confidential Information and Proprietary Information Obligations. You acknowledge signing the “Sequenom, Inc. Proprietary Information and Invention Assignment Agreement” (the “PIIA”) containing a confidentiality agreement in connection with your employment with the Company. You represent that you have complied with and will continue to comply with the terms of the PIIA.
7.Non-Disparagement; Inquiries. You shall not make any disparaging comments or statements about the Company, its services, its products, its work, the members of its Board of Directors, or executive management. The Company will follow its standard neutral reference policy in response to any inquiries regarding you from prospective employers, i.e., only dates of employment and position(s) held will be disclosed. The Company agrees to direct the members of the Board of Directors and executive officers of the Company not to make any disparaging comments about you, your professional capabilities or your management of the Company.
8.Injunctive Relief. The parties agree that any remedy at law will be inadequate for any breach by you or the Company of the covenants under the non-disclosure, confidentiality, and non-disparagement provisions of this Agreement (Sections 6, 7, and 8), and that each Party shall be entitled to an injunction both preliminary and final, and any other appropriate equitable relief to enforce her or its rights set forth in these Sections. Such remedies shall be cumulative and non-exclusive, being in addition to any and all other remedies either Party may have.
9.Release of Claims.
(a) General Release. In exchange for the consideration provided to you under this Agreement to which you would not otherwise be entitled, including but not limited to the Separation Benefits, you hereby generally and completely release the Company and its current and former directors, officers, employees, shareholders, partners, agents, attorneys, predecessors, successors, parent and subsidiary entities,
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William J. Welch
September 18, 2015
insurers, affiliates, investors and assigns (collectively, the “Released Parties”) of and from any and all claims, liabilities and obligations, both known and known, that arise out of or are in any way related to events, acts, conduct, or omissions occurring prior to or on the date you sign this Agreement (collectively, the “Released Claims”).
(b) Scope of Release. The Released Claims include, but are not limited to: (i) all claims arising out of or in any way related to your employment with the Company, the Employment Agreement, or the termination of your employment: (ii) all claims related to your compensation or benefits from the Company, including salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation pay, expense reimbursements, severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock options, or any other ownership interests in the Company: (iii) all claims for breach of contract, wrongful termination, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; (iv) all tort claims, including claims for fraud, defamation, emotional distress, wrongful termination, and discharge in violation of public policy; and (v) all federal, state, and local statutory claims, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, attorneys’ fees, or other claims arising under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended), the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”), the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (as amended) (“FMLA”), the California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”), the California Labor Code (as amended), the California Unruh Act, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (as amended).
(c) Excluded Claims. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following are not included in the Released Claims (the “Excluded Claims”): (i) any rights or claims for indemnification you may have pursuant to any written indemnification agreement with the Company to which you are a party, the charter, bylaws, or operating agreements of the Company, or under applicable law; (ii) any rights or claims which are not waivable as a matter of law; and (iii) any claims for breach of this Agreement. In addition, nothing in this Agreement prevents you from filing, cooperating with, or participating in any proceeding before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, or any other government agency, except that you acknowledge and agree that you hereby waive your right to any monetary benefits in connection with any such claim, charge or proceeding. You represent and warrant that, other than the Excluded Claims, you are not aware of any claims you have or might have against any of the Released Parties that are not included in the Released Claims.
(d) Acknowledgements. You acknowledge that (i) the consideration given to you in exchange for the waiver and release in this Agreement is in addition to anything of value to which you were already entitled; (ii) that you have been paid for all time worked, have received all the leave, leaves of absence and leave benefits and protections for which you are eligible, and have not suffered any on‑the-job injury for which you have not already filed a claim; (iii) you have been given sufficient time to consider this Agreement and to consult an attorney or advisor of your choosing; and (iv) you are knowingly and voluntarily executing this Agreement waiving and releasing any claims you may have as of the date you execute it.
10.ADEA Waiver. You knowingly and voluntarily waive and release any rights you may have under the ADEA (defined above). You also acknowledge that the consideration given for your releases in this Agreement is in addition to anything of value to which you were already entitled. You are advised by this writing that: (a) your waiver and release do not apply to any claims that may arise after you sign this Agreement; (b) you should consult with an attorney prior to executing this release (and you have done so); (c) you have twenty-one (21) days within which to consider this release (although you may choose to voluntarily execute this release earlier); (d) you have seven (7) days following the execution of this release to revoke this Agreement; and (e) this Agreement will not be effective until the eighth day after you sign this Agreement, provided that you have not earlier revoked this Agreement (the “Effective Date”). You will not be entitled to receive any of the benefits specified by this Agreement unless and until it becomes effective.
3
William J. Welch
September 18, 2015
11.Section 1542 Waiver. In giving the applicable releases set forth herein, which include claims which may be unknown at present, the Parties each acknowledge that each Party has read and understands Section 1542 of the Civil Code of the State of California which reads as follows:
A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him or her must have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor.
Each Party expressly waives and relinquishes all rights and benefits under this section and any law or legal principle of similar effect in any jurisdiction with respect to claims released hereby.
12.No Admissions. The parties hereto hereby acknowledge that this is a compromise settlement of various matters, and that the promised payments in consideration of this Agreement shall not be construed to be an admission of any liability or obligation by either party to the other party or to any other person whomsoever.
13.Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the complete, final and exclusive embodiment of the entire Agreement between you and the Company with regard to the subject matter hereof. It is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein. It may not be modified except in writing signed by you and the Chairman of the Board of the Company. Each party has carefully read this Agreement, has been afforded the opportunity to be advised of its meaning and consequences by his or its respective attorneys, and signed the same of his or its free will.
14.Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall bind the heirs, personal representatives, successors, assigns, executors, and administrators of each party, and inure to the benefit of each party, its agents, directors, officers, employees, servants, heirs, successors and assigns.
15.Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be deemed to have been entered into and shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of California as applied to contracts made and to be performed entirely within California.
16.Severability. If a court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction determines that any term or provision of this Agreement is invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining terms and provisions hereof shall be unimpaired. Such court or arbitrator will have the authority to modify or replace the invalid or unenforceable term or provision with a valid and enforceable term or provision that most accurately represents the parties’ intention with respect to the invalid or unenforceable term or provision.
17.Indemnification. You will indemnify and save harmless the Company from any loss incurred directly or indirectly by reason of the falsity or inaccuracy of any representation made herein. The Company will indemnify and save harmless you from any loss incurred directly or indirectly by reason of the falsity or inaccuracy of any representation made herein. The Company and you acknowledge and agree that the terms of the Company’s standard form of indemnification agreement for members of the Board of Directors and executive officers of the Company have applied to you in your role as an executive officer of the Company, and the Company hereby affirms its continuing agreements and obligations as set forth in such indemnification agreement with you.
18.Authorization. You and the Company warrant and represent that there are no liens or claims of lien or assignments in law or equity or otherwise of or against any of the claims or causes of action released herein and, further, that each of them are fully entitled and duly authorized to give their complete and final general release and discharge.
4
William J. Welch
September 18, 2015
19.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
20.Section Headings. The section and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
21.Photocopies. A photocopy of this executed Agreement shall be as valid, binding, and effective as the original Agreement.
Please confirm your assent to the foregoing terms and conditions of our Agreement by signing and returning a copy of this letter to me.
Sincerely,
Sequenom, Inc.
/s/ Kenneth F. Buechler | |||||
By: | Kenneth F. Buechler, PhD | ||||
Chairman of the Board of Directors | |||||
Having read and reviewed the foregoing, I hereby agree to and accept the terms and conditions of this Agreement as stated above.
/s/ William J. Welch | October 2, 2015 | |||
William J. Welch | Date | |||
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