附件10.5
变更控制协议
本控制权变更协议的日期为2024年10月1日，由德拉瓦州的Methode Electronics, Inc.公司（“公司）和劳拉·科瓦尔奇克（“雇员”).
见证:
鉴于，员工受雇于公司或其子公司或关联公司（统称为“公司”），公司希望在任何潜在的控制权变更中为员工提供某些安防-半导体。
因此，双方在此达成协议，善意地确认其收据和充足性，协议内容如下：
1.
控制权变更时的支付和福利如果在控制权变更（如下所定义）后二十四（24）个月内，或在控制权变更待定期间（如下所定义）： (i) 公司未经原因终止员工与公司的雇佣，或 (ii) 员工因正当理由自愿终止该雇佣，则公司应在员工雇佣终止（三十（30）天）内支付以下所述的款项和提供福利。
1.1
薪水支付公司应向员工支付相当于员工年薪（如下所定义）两倍的现金一次性付款。
1.2
奖金. 公司应向员工支付等于员工目标年终奖金金额两倍的总额现金，作为员工终止雇佣关系所在财政年度的补偿；但前提是，如果截至员工终止雇佣关系之日该财政年度的目标年终奖金金额尚未确定，则应根据员工上一财政年度的目标年终奖金金额来计算应付的奖金金额，无论该奖金是否实际获得。
1.3
继续享有医疗保险福利. 如果员工及时并正确地选择根据公司组团医疗计划的继续医疗保险覆盖， 公司将代员工支付该项COBRA继续覆盖的保险费用（如果COBRA不再对员工可用，则以现金形式支付）至指定期限结束，该期限为员工终止日期之后的二十四（24）个月，或员工首次符合其他雇主组团医疗计划覆盖资格的日期（该期限称为“COBRA补贴期”）。 公司将视为此覆盖费用为员工的联邦所得税应税收入，法律要求的范围内。 员工应及时书面通知公司员工何时获得或变得符合其他雇主医疗保险覆盖资格。 在COBRA补贴期之后，员工应全额负责COBRA覆盖的非补贴费用。
1.4
股权奖励. 任何授予员工的股权补偿奖项，若在控制权变更前的绩效条件和/或员工继续服务的条件下归属，将根据基础奖项协议的规定进行管理和结算。
1.5
雇佣. 本协议不应被解释为创建明确或隐含的雇佣合同，除非员工与公司另有书面约定，员工无权保留在公司的雇佣关系。
1.6
第409A条. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, it is intended that the amounts payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Section 409A of the Code provided under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.409A-1(b)(4), 1.409A-1(b)(5), and 1.409A-1(b)(9) and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions. To the extent applicable, any payments to Employee called for under this Agreement that are determined to be payments of deferred compensation to which Section 409A is applicable and that are paid by reason of Employee’s “separation from service,” as described in Section 409A, shall be delayed, to the extent necessary, to avoid a violation of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i). As used in this Agreement, Section 409A means Section 409A of the Code, including any regulations or written guidance issued pursuant thereto.
2.
定义. For purposes of this Agreement:
2.1
“Annual Salary” shall mean Employee’s salary at the greater of (i) Employee’s annualized base salary) in effect on the date of the Change in Control, or (ii) Employee’s annualized base salary in effect on Employee’s Employment Termination.
2.2
“Cause” shall mean: (i) Employee’s conviction of a felony other than a traffic violation; (ii) Employee’s commission of any act or acts of personal dishonesty intended to result in personal enrichment to Employee to the material detriment of the Company; (iii) a failure to perform assigned duties, provided that such failure has continued for more than ten (10) days after the Company or the Company’s Board of Directors has given written notice of such failure and of the Company’s intention to terminate Employee’s employment because of such failure; (iv) any willful misconduct by Employee which materially affects the business reputation of the Company; (v) breach in any material respect by Employee of any provision of any employment, consulting, advisory, nondisclosure, non-competition, proprietary information, or other similar agreement between Employee and the Company; or (vi) Employee’s material violation of the Company’s code of conduct. Employee shall be considered to have been discharged for “Cause” if the Company or the Company’s Board of Directors determines, within thirty (30) days after the Employee’s resignation, that discharge for Cause was warranted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if circumstances deemed to constitute Cause under items (v) or (vi) above are reasonably capable of cure, Cause shall only exist if such circumstances remain uncured for ten (10) days after Employee receives written notice from the Company or the Company’s Board of Directors providing reasonable details of the circumstances deemed to constitute Cause.
2.3
“控制变更”应被视为在以下任一情况首次发生时发生：(i) 任何一个“个人”或多个以“集团”身份行动的人成为“实益拥有者”（根据1934年《证券交易法》中的术语）超过
百分之五十（50%）的总投票权，前提是，然则，由公司、由公司控制的任何实体或公司赞助或维护的员工福利计划（或相关信托）的任何收购不应构成公司控制变更；(ii) 在任何12个月内，公司董事会的多数成员被未经公司董事会多数通过的董事替换；(iii) 涉及公司的合并、整合或类似交易的完成，在该交易完成后，公司在交易前的股东不直接或间接拥有以下任一项，且每项的拥有比例基本上与公司股东在该交易前的拥有比例相同：(A) 代表超过百分之五十（50%）的存续实体在该交易中的投票证券，或者(B) 在该交易中的存续实体的母公司超过百分之五十（50%）的投票权；或者(iv) 公司及其子公司所有或几乎所有资产的销售、转让或清算的完成；前提是，然而，尽管上述规定，在任何情况下或交易中，如果根据本协议产生的补偿会导致根据《法典》第409A节的额外税收，而如果“控制变更”的前述定义适用，但如果“控制变更”的术语在此被定义为财政部规章第1.409A-3(i)(5)节中的“控制变更事件”，则不会导致任何额外税收，那么“控制变更”应意味着财政部规章第1.409A-3(i)(5)节中的“控制变更事件”，但仅在必要的范围内，以防止该补偿承担根据《法典》第409A节的额外税。
2.4
“法典”是指1986年修订版内部收入法。
2.5
“就业终止”是指以下情况的生效日期：（i）员工因正当理由自愿终止与公司的雇佣关系，或（ii）公司在没有原因的情况下终止员工的雇佣关系。
2.6
“正当理由”是指在没有员工明确书面同意的情况下，发生以下任一事件或行为，前提是没有关于正当理由的发现有效，除非员工在得知正当理由发现的事实和情况后六十（60）个日历日内向公司提供书面通知，并具体说明正当理由发现的事实和情况，如果正当理由的基础可以通过公司进行纠正，提供公司在收到该通知后有三十（30）个日历日的机会进行纠正：（i）公司从变更控制前员工的职责性质、范围或级别中，实质性减少员工的责任；（ii）公司要求员工将其主要业务办公室迁移超过五十（50）英里，超出本协议签署时员工的主要业务办公室；但是，如果员工的主要业务办公室不位于公司的当前公司总部，并且公司要求员工将其主要业务办公室迁移至此总部，则该行为不构成本条款（ii）下的“正当理由”；（iii）公司将员工的年度薪资或年度奖金或长期激励机会减少至低于本协议签署时的水平（或在变更控制时，如果更高）；或（iv）公司在此违反任何重要性义务。
或者（iv）公司在此违反任何重要性义务。
2.7
“控制权变更的待定期限”是指公司与其他业务合并或交易达成协议的时间段，该交易构成控制权变更，并且该合并或其他业务组合或交易的生效时间。
3.
离职时的工资公司应向员工支付在员工离职之前已赚取的任何未支付工资或其他形式的补偿，包括但不限于因员工离职而应支付的累计但未使用的假期的现金一次性支付。
4.
其他激励计划除非本协议另有规定，否则本协议中的任何内容均不得削弱或影响任何限制性股票、股票期权、现金激励或其他形式的补偿或福利在任何其他计划、项目或安排下的归属。
5.
法典第4999条.
5.1
如果最终确定因公司向员工支付或分配的任何款项或财产，无论是根据本协议的条款支付、应支付或分配，还是以其他方式（“支付），员工将受到《法典》第4999条规定的消费税的影响，或者员工因该消费税而产生的任何利息或罚款（此类消费税及任何此类利息和罚款统称为“消费税），那么员工将有权选择将支付款项（A）全额支付或交付，或（B）限制在比员工的“基本金额”少1美元的金额，这两种结果中，哪个将使员工在税后基础上获得最大的收益（考虑到适用的税收，包括联邦、州和地方所得税及消费税）。 本小节要求的任何支付减少应按照以下原则依次进行： (1) 具有更高的担保支付价值与现行经济价值的比率的支付或收益应在比率较低的支付或收益之前被减少或取消；(2) 可能的支付日期较晚的支付或收益应在支付日期较早的支付或收益之前被减少或取消；(3) 现金支付应在非现金收益之前被减少；前提是，如果上述减少或取消的顺序会违反《法典》第409A条款，则减少应按比例在支付中包含的支付或收益之间进行（基于担保支付的相对现值）。
5.2
在本节5下所需的所有判断应由公司的独立公共会计事务所（“美国西南能源公司）提供详细的支持计算和文件，向公司和员工在收到员工通知有付款或公司要求的更早时间内的十五（15）个工作日内提供。公司和员工应向会计事务所提供会计事务所合理要求的信息和文件，以便进行本节5下所需的判断。如果会计事务所为实施控股权变更的个人、实体或团体担任会计师或审计师，或者会计事务所拒绝此类委托，员工应
appoint a certified public accountant at another nationally recognized accounting firm (or, if none is available a lawyer with a nationally recognized law firm or a compensation consultant with a nationally recognized actuarial and benefits consulting firm) with expertise in the area of executive compensation tax law to make the determinations required hereunder (such accountant, lawyer, or consultant, as applicable, shall then be referred to as the Accounting Firm hereunder), provided such accounting firm is acceptable to the Company (the Company’s acceptance not to be unreasonably withheld). All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Company. If the Accounting Firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable by Employee, it shall furnish Employee with a written opinion that failure to report the Excise Tax on the Employee’s applicable federal income tax return would not result in the imposition of a negligence or similar penalty. Any determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and Employee absent manifest error.
6.
Mitigation and Set-Off. Employee shall not be required to mitigate Employee’s damages by seeking other employment or otherwise. The Company’s obligations under this Agreement shall not be reduced in any way by reason of any compensation or benefits received (or foregone) by Employee from sources other than the Company after Employee’s Employment Termination, or any amounts that might have been received by Employee in other employment had Employee sought other employment, except for the termination of benefits under a Welfare Benefit Plan pursuant to Section 1.3(ii) hereof. Except as expressly provided in Section 1.3 of this Agreement, Employee’s entitlement to benefits and coverage under this Agreement shall continue after, and shall not be affected by, Employee’s obtaining other employment after her Employment Termination, provided that any such benefit or coverage shall not be furnished if Employee expressly waives the specific benefit or coverage by giving written notice of waiver to the Company.
7.
诉讼费用. 公司应支付员工所有的实际支出，包括员工在成功执行本协议的任何条款时所产生的律师费用，无论是在任何行动、仲裁或诉讼中。
8.
转让，继任者. 本协议不得未经员工书面同意而由公司转让，但公司的义务应为任何通过合并或其他业务合并而继承公司的法定义务，并且在任何导致公司实质上所有资产或业务转让的商业合并或交易的情况下，公司将促使受让人承担公司在本协议下的义务。本协议在员工生前不得由员工转让，员工去世后将惠及员工的继承人、遗赠人和员工遗产的法定代表。
9.
解释. 本协议的有效性、解释、构建和履行应受伊利诺伊州法律的管辖，而不考虑其法律冲突原则。任何本协议条款的无效性或不可强制执行性不应影响本协议其他条款的有效性或可强制执行性。
10.
预扣税款。. 公司可以从其根据本协议需要支付的任何款项中扣除足以满足适用的联邦、州、地方或外国法律或法规下的扣缴要求的金额。
11.
修订或终止. 本协议可随时通过公司与员工之间的书面协议进行修订。公司可以通过至少在终止生效日期前两（2）年向员工发出书面通知的方式终止本协议，前提是，如果在该终止生效日期之前发生控制权变更，则本协议的终止将无效，员工有权享受本协议的全部权益。任何此类修订或终止均须依据公司的董事会或薪酬委员会的决议进行。
12.
融资. 根据本协议的现金和福利支付将构成公司的一般义务。员工仅对此类支付享有从公司一般资产中支付的无担保权利。尽管有上述规定，公司可以与公司选择的一名或多名受托人达成协议，依照公司确定的条款设立信托，以根据本协议的条款向员工支付款项。
13.
可分割性. 如果本协议的任何条款或部分被判定为无效或不可执行，剩余条款将不受影响，并将继续有效。
14.
仲裁. 任何因本协议或其违反而引起的争议或索赔应由美国仲裁协会管理的仲裁进行裁决（“AAA”) under its Employment Arbitration Rules, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. Arbitration shall be by a single arbitrator, and the arbitration shall take place in Chicago, Illinois. The costs of the arbitration, including the fees of the arbitrator, cost of any record or transcripts of the arbitration hearing, administrative fees, and other similar fees and costs of arbitration shall be borne equally by the parties; provided, however, in the event of a dispute following or in connection with a Change in Control, the Company shall pay the fees of the arbitrator as well as such other fees and costs of arbitration. Judgment upon any award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction, and both parties consent and submit to the jurisdiction of such court for purposes of such action. Nothing in this Agreement shall preclude either party from seeking equitable relief from a court of competent jurisdiction. The statute of limitations, estoppel, waiver, laches and similar doctrines, which would otherwise be applicable in any action brought by a party shall be applicable in any arbitration proceeding, and the commencement of an arbitration proceeding shall be deemed the commencement of an action for those purposes. The Federal Arbitration Act shall apply to the construction, interpretation and enforcement of this arbitration provision.
15.
其他协议. This Agreement supersedes and cancels all prior written or oral agreements and understandings relating to the terms of this Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year first written above.
METHODE ELECTRONICS, INC.
由: /s/ Bruce k. Crowther
布鲁斯·K·克劳瑟，薪酬委员会主席
/s/ Guy F. Cipriani
/s/劳拉·科瓦尔奇克
姓名：劳拉·科瓦尔奇克