ASSOCIATION AND EMPLOYEE RIGHTS A. The Association shall have the right to use ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ school buildings and facilities provided such usage does not interfere with District operations. Requests will be submitted through the procedures established by the District and are subject to the provisions of Board Policy. Any costs above and beyond the building usage policy incurred through such usage shall be assumed by the Association.
B. The Association shall have the right to use District equipment (including copy machines, audio visual equipment, etc.) with the approval of the Superintendent or his/her designee. Any costs of materials incurred in such usage shall be assumed by the Association. Employees will also be provided all materials necessary to perform their expected duties.
C. Where possible, bulletin boards and mailboxes shall be made available to the Association and bargaining unit members in each building that bargaining unit members are assigned to.
D. Duly authorized representatives of the Association shall be permitted to transact official business on school property, provided that such business shall not interfere with normal operations. Representatives of the Association not employed by the District shall notify the supervisor of the affected employees of their presence.
E. The Association may request the Board place items of interest to it on the Board agenda. These items must be filed with the Superintendent one (1) week before each regular Board meeting, unless agreed otherwise by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
F. Upon request, the Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall meet with Association representatives, at agreed upon times, to discuss problems and concerns. At the request of the Association, at least one meeting shall be held each year.
G. The Board shall make lunchroom space available when possible, and lavatory facilities in each building where bargaining unit employees are assigned.
H. Telephone facilities shall be made available for staff use. Phone usage shall be for school-oriented business and/or personal business that cannot be conducted at another time. Unless the call is made collect or on the employee's telephone credit card, no long distance calls are permitted without supervisory approval.
I. Existing parking facilities shall be made available to bargaining unit members for their use.
J. The Association shall be notified in advance of any pending policy adoption affecting bargaining unit employees and shall have the opportunity to inform the Board of its opinion on the proposed policy. The Association shall have the opportunity to recommend areas in which policies might be adopted or changed.
K. Upon request, a bargaining unit member shall have the right to review the contents of his/her personnel file, excluding confidential pre-employment references. At the unit member's option, a representative of the Association may accompany the bargaining unit member in such review. Should the bargaining unit member disagree with the content of any item in the personnel file, he/she may have a written statement attached to the item.
Labor and Employment Matters (a) No Group Company is a party to or bound by any collective bargaining agreement, trade union, works council or other labor union Contract applicable to persons employed by it, and there are no organizational campaigns, petitions or other unionization activities seeking recognition of a collective bargaining unit relating to any employee of any Group Company. Except those that would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, there are no unfair labor practice complaints pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against any Group Company before any Governmental Authority and there is no organized strike, slowdown, work stoppage or lockout, or similar activity or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or involving any Group Company.
(b) Except as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, each Group Company (i) is in compliance with all applicable Laws relating to employment and employment practices, including those related to wages, work hours, shifts, overtime, Social Security Benefits, holidays and leave, collective bargaining terms and conditions of employment and the payment and withholding of Taxes and other sums as required by the appropriate Governmental Authority, and (ii) is not liable for any arrears of wages, Taxes, penalties or other sums for failure to comply with any of the foregoing. Except as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (A) there is no claim with respect to payment of wages, salary or overtime pay that has been asserted or is now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened before any Governmental Authority with respect to any persons currently or formerly employed by any Group Company, (B) there is no charge or proceeding with respect to a violation of any occupational safety or health standards that has been asserted or is now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened with respect to any Group Company, and (C) there is no charge of discrimination in employment or employment practices, for any reason, including, age, gender, race, religion or other legally protected category, which has been asserted or is now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against any Group Company before any Governmental Authority in any jurisdiction in which any Group Company has employed or currently employs any person.
(c) The Company has made available to Parent true and complete copies of each Company Employee Plan and each Company Employee Agreement including all material amendments thereto (provided, that for Company Employee Agreements that are standard form agreements, the form, rather than each individual agreement, has been made available to Parent, with the exception that any Company Employee Agreement that deviates materially from the form have been separately made available to Parent).
(d) Each Company Employee Plan is and has at all times been operated and administered in compliance with the provisions thereof and all applicable legal requirements in all material respects. There are no material claims (other than for benefits incurred in the ordinary course) or legal proceedings pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against any Company Employee Plan or against the assets of any Company Employee Plan.
(e) Except as contemplated otherwise under this Agreement or the Original Merger Agreement, no Company Employee Plan or Company Employee Agreement exists that, as a result of the execution of this Agreement or the Original Merger Agreement, shareholder approval of this Agreement, or the consummation of the Transactions (whether alone or in connection with any subsequent event(s), such as a termination of employment), will entitle any current or former director, officer, employee or consultant of any Group Company to (i) material compensation or benefits (including any severance payment or benefit) or any material increase in compensation or benefits upon any termination of employment on or after the Original Execution Date, or (ii) accelerate the time of payment or vesting or result in any payment or funding of compensation or benefits under, increase the amount payable or result in any other obligation pursuant to, any of the Company Employee Plans or Company Employee Agreements.
(f) No Group Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has at any time since December 31, 2014 sponsored or been obligated to contribute to, or had any liability in respect of, (i) an “employee pension benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA, Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA (including any “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section (3)(37) of ERISA), (ii) a “multiple employer plan” as defined in Section 413(c) of the Code, or (iii) a “multiple employer welfare arrangement” within the meaning of Section 3(40) of ERISA.
(g) The Group Companies maintain no obligations to gross-up or reimburse any individual for any Tax or related interest or penalties incurred by such individual, including under Sections 409A or 4999 of the Code or otherwise.
Employment and Employee Benefits Matters (a) Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries, for the period commencing at the Effective Time and ending on the date that is 12 months after the Effective Time, to maintain for and provide to any Company Employee the compensation and employee benefits maintained and provided to the Company Employees immediately prior to the date of this Agreement (subject to modifications and increases permitted by Section 5.1) and at levels in the aggregate that are no less valuable than those maintained for and provided immediately prior to the date of this Agreement (subject to modifications and increases permitted by Section 5.1); provided that incentive compensation will be discretionary or based on performance.
(b) As of and after the Effective Time, Parent will, or will cause the Surviving Corporation to, give Company Employees who are employed by Parent or its Subsidiaries immediately following the Effective Time full credit for purposes of eligibility and vesting and benefit accruals (but not for purposes of benefit accruals under any defined benefit pension plans or to the extent this credit would result in a duplication of benefits for the same period of service and not where past service credit was not provided for other new participants in such Parent Plans), under any employee benefit (including vacation) plans, programs, policies and arrangements maintained for the benefit of Company Employees as of and after the Effective Time by Parent, its Subsidiaries or the Surviving Corporation for the Company Employees’ pre-Effective Time service with the Company, its Subsidiaries and their predecessor entities (each, a “Parent Plan”) to the same extent recognized by the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time. With respect to each Parent Plan that is a “welfare benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA), Parent or its Subsidiaries shall (i) cause there to be waived any pre-existing condition or eligibility limitations to the same extent waived by the Company and its Subsidiaries under the comparable Company Plans and (ii) give effect, in determining any deductible and maximum out-of-pocket limitations with respect to the plan year in which the Effective Time occurs, to claims incurred and amounts paid by, and amounts reimbursed to, Company Employees, in each case under similar plans maintained by the Company and its Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Effective Time.
(c) Parent acknowledges and agrees that the consummation of the Merger shall constitute a “Change in Control” for purposes of each Company Plan listed in Section 6.5(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule. From and after the Effective Time, Parent will honor, and will cause its Subsidiaries to honor, in accordance with its terms, each Company Plan listed in Section 3.10(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule; provided, however, that nothing herein shall prevent the amendment, suspension or termination of any Company Plan pursuant to its terms or interfere with the Parent’s or Surviving Corporation’s right or obligation to make such changes as are necessary to conform with applicable Law.
(d) Parent shall provide to Company Employees the severance benefits set forth in Section 6.5(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule on the terms and conditions set forth therein, except with respect to any Person that is a party to a Change in Control Severance Agreement. Nothing contained herein shall prevent Parent from terminating the employment of any Company Employee.