Document:

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                                                                    Exhibit 4(x)

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE.
THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND
MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE
APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION OR EXEMPTION
THEREFROM. THE ISSUER OF THESE SECURITIES MAY REQUIRE AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IN
FORM AND SUBSTANCE SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER TO THE EFFECT THAT ANY PROPOSED
TRANSFER OR RESALE IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE
SECURITIES LAWS.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            THE NETPLEX GROUP, INC.
               WARRANT FOR THE PURCHASE OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

NO. PMG 001A                                             UP TO 500,000 SHARES OF
DECEMBER 12, 2000                                  COMMON STOCK, $.001 PAR VALUE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     FOR VALUE RECEIVED, including the forfeiture and cancellation of the
Warrant to Purchase Shares of Netplex Common Stock, No. PMG-001, dated October
12, 1999, on even date hereof, THE NETPLEX GROUP, INC., a New York corporation
(the "Company"), with its principal office at 1800 ROBERT FULTON DRIVE, SUITE
250, RESTON, VA 20191, hereby certifies that PMG CAPITAL (the "Holder") is
entitled, subject to the provisions of this Warrant, to purchase from the
Company, at any time after DECEMBER 12, 2000 and continuing for a period of five
(5) years through DECEMBER 11, 2005 (the "Expiration Date"), up to the number of
fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock of the Company set forth
above, subject to adjustment as hereinafter provided.

     The Holder may purchase such number of shares of Common Stock at a purchase
price per share of $0.50 (the "Exercise Price"). The term "Common Stock" shall
mean the aforementioned Common Stock of the Company, together with any other
equity securities that may be issued by the Company in addition thereto or in
substitution therefor as provided herein.

     The number of shares of Common Stock to be received upon the exercise or
exchange of this Warrant and the price to be paid for a share of Common Stock
are subject to adjustment from time to time as hereinafter set forth. The shares
of Common Stock deliverable upon such exercise or exchange, as adjusted from
time to time, are hereinafter sometimes referred to as "Warrant Shares."

     Section 1.  Exercise of Warrant; Cashless Exercise.
                 ---------------------------------------
     (a) This Warrant may be exercised in whole or in part on any business day
on or

                                       1
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before the Expiration Date by presentation and surrender hereof to the Company
at its principal office at the address set forth in the initial paragraph hereof
(or at such other address as the Company may hereafter notify the Holder in
writing) with the Purchase Form annexed hereto duly executed and accompanied by
proper payment of the Exercise Price in lawful money of the United States of
America in the form of a check, subject to collection, or a wire transfer for
the number of Warrant Shares specified in the Purchase Form. If this Warrant
should be exercised in part only, the Company shall, upon surrender of this
Warrant, execute and deliver a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder
thereof to purchase the balance of the Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder.
Upon receipt by the Company of this Warrant and such Purchase Form, together
with proper payment of the Exercise Price, at such office, the Holder shall be
deemed to be the holder of record of the Warrant Shares, notwithstanding that
the stock transfer books of the Company shall then be closed or that
certificates representing such Warrant Shares shall not then be actually
delivered to the Holder. The Company shall pay any and all documentary stamp or
similar issue or transfer taxes payable in respect of the issue or delivery of
the Warrant Shares.

     (b) In addition to the rights of the Holder under paragraph (a) above, the
Holder shall have the right to exercise this Warrant, in whole or in part, in
lieu of paying the Exercise Price in cash, by instructing the Company to issue
that number of Warrant Shares determined by multiplying the number of Warrant
Shares in respect of which this Warrant is being exercised by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the difference between the Market Price (as defined
in Section 6(g) below) per share of Common Stock on the date of exercise and the
Exercise Price, and the denominator of which shall be the Market Price (as
defined in Section 6(g) below) per share of Common Stock.

     Section 2.  Reservation of Shares. The Company hereby agrees that at all
                 ---------------------
times there shall be reserved for issuance and delivery upon exercise or
exchange of this Warrant all shares of its Common Stock or other shares of
capital stock of the Company from time to time issuable upon exercise or
exchange of this Warrant. All such shares shall be duly authorized and, when
issued upon the exercise or exchange of the Warrant in accordance with the terms
hereof, shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of
all liens, security interests, charges and other encumbrances or restrictions on
sale (other than any restrictions on sale pursuant to applicable federal and
state securities laws) and free and clear of all preemptive rights.

     Section 3.  Fractional Interest
                 -------------------
     The Company will not issue a fractional share of Common Stock upon exercise
or exchange of this Warrant. Instead, the Company will deliver its check for the
current market value of the fractional share. The current market value of a
fraction of a share is determined as follows: multiply the Market Price (as
defined in Section 6(g) below) of a full share by the fraction of a share and
round the result to the nearest cent.

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     Section 4.  Assignment or Loss of Warrant.
                 -----------------------------
     (a) Except as provided in Section 9, and only upon the presentation to the
Company of written instruction from a bona fide officer or director of the
Holder, the Holder of this Warrant shall be entitled, without obtaining the
consent of the Company, to assign its interest in this Warrant, or any of the
Warrant Shares, in whole or in part, provided, however, that the transferee,
prior to any such transfer, agrees in writing, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Company, to be bound by the terms of this Agreement as if
originally a party hereto and provides the Company with an opinion of counsel in
such form reasonably acceptable to the Company and its counsel, that such
transfer would not be in violation of the Act or any applicable state securities
or blue sky laws. Subject to the provisions hereof and of Section 9, upon
surrender of this Warrant to the Company or at the office of its stock transfer
agent or warrant agent, with the Assignment Form annexed hereto duly executed by
a bona fide officer or director of the Holder and funds sufficient to pay any
transfer or other tax payable in respect thereof, the Company shall, without
charge, execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the
assignee or assignees named in such instrument of assignment and, if the
Holder's entire interest is not being assigned, in the name of the Holder, and
this Warrant shall promptly be canceled.

     (b) Upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the Company of the loss,
theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant, and (in the case of loss,
theft or destruction) of indemnification satisfactory to the Company, and upon
surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, if mutilated, the Company shall
execute and deliver a new Warrant of like tenor and date.

     Section 5.  Rights of the Holder. The Holder shall not, by virtue hereof,
                 --------------------
be entitled to any rights of a shareholder in the Company, either at law or
equity, and the rights of the Holder are limited to those set forth in this
Warrant. Nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as conferring upon
the Holder hereof the right to vote or to consent or to receive notice as a
shareholder of the Company on any matters or with respect to any rights
whatsoever as a shareholder of the Company. No dividends or interest shall be
payable or accrued in respect of this Warrant or the interest represented hereby
or the Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder until, and only to the extent that,
this Warrant shall have been exercised or exchanged in accordance with its
terms. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Holder shall have the right to
participate pro rata (i.e., in proportion to the total number of Warrants
granted hereby to the number of fully diluted shares of Common Stock prior to
the subscription or rights offering) in any subscription or rights offering in
an identical manner as a shareholder.

     Section 6.  Adjustment of Exercise Price and Number of Shares. In the event
                 -------------------------------------------------
of an adjustment of exercise price or number of shares, the Company shall be
required to provide the Holder with notice of such adjustment. Such notice shall
be in accordance with Section 11 hereof. The number and kind of securities
purchasable upon the exercise or exchange of this Warrant and the Exercise Price
shall be subject to adjustment from time to time upon the occurrence of certain
events, as follows:

     (a) Adjustment for Change in Capital Stock. If at any time after the
         --------------------------------------
Warrant Date, the Company:

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          (A)  pays a dividend or makes a distribution on its Common Stock, in
               either case in shares of its Common Stock;

          (B)  subdivides its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater
               number of shares;

          (C)  combines its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller
               number of shares; or

          (D)  makes a distribution on its Common Stock in shares of its capital
               stock other than Common Stock;

then the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such action shall be
adjusted so that the Holder may receive, upon exercise or exchange of this
Warrant and payment of the same aggregate consideration, the number of shares of
capital stock of the Company which the Holder would have owned immediately
following such action if the Holder had exercised or exchanged the Warrant
immediately prior to such action.

     The adjustment shall become effective immediately after the record date in
the case of a dividend or distribution and immediately after the effective date
in the case of a subdivision, combination or reclassification.

     (b) Adjustment for Other Distributions. If at any time after the Warrant
         ----------------------------------
Date, the Company distributes to all of its Common Stock holders any of its
assets, equity securities or debt securities, the Holder shall be entitled,
without additional consideration, to the same distribution as it would have
received if it had been a holder of the Warrant Shares.

     This subsection does not apply to cash dividends or cash distributions paid
out of consolidated current or retained earnings as shown on the books of the
Company and paid in the ordinary course of business.

     (c) Deferral of Issuance or Payment. In any case in which an event covered
         -------------------------------
by this Section 6 shall require that an adjustment in the Exercise Price be made
effective as of a record date, the Company may elect to defer until the actual
occurrence of such event (i) issuing to the Holder, if this Warrant is exercised
after such record date, the shares of Common Stock and other capital stock of
the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the shares of
Common Stock or other capital stock of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise on the basis of the Exercise Price in effect prior to such adjustment,
and (ii) paying to the Holder by check any amount in lieu of the issuance of
fractional shares pursuant to Section 3.

     (d) When No Adjustment Required. No adjustment need be made for a change in
         ---------------------------
the par value of the Common Stock.

     (e) Market Price. The "Market Price" per share of Common Stock is the
         ------------
closing price of the Common Stock on the last trade date prior to the date of
exercise, as reported at 4:00 p.m. E.S.T. by Nasdaq, or the primary national
securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then quoted; provided, however,
that if quotes for the Common Stock are not reported by Nasdaq and the Common
Stock is neither traded on the Nasdaq National Market, on

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a national securities exchange, on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market nor on the OTC
Electronic Bulletin Board, the price referred to above shall be the price
reflected in the over-the-counter market as reported by the National Quotation
Bureau, Inc. or any organization performing a similar function, and provided,
further, that if the Common Stock is not then publicly traded, the Market Price
shall equal the Conversion Price.

     (f) No Adjustment Upon Exercise of Warrants. No adjustments shall be made
         ---------------------------------------
under any Section herein in connection with the issuance of Warrant Shares upon
exercise or exchange of the Warrants.

     (g) Common Stock Defined. Whenever reference is made in Section 6(a) to the
         --------------------
issue of shares of Common Stock, the term "Common Stock" shall include any
equity securities of any class of the Company hereinafter authorized which shall
not be limited to a fixed sum or percentage in respect of the right of the
thereof to participate in dividends or distributions of assets upon the
voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.
Subject to the provisions of Section 8 hereof, however, shares issuable upon
exercise or exchange hereof shall include only shares of the class designated as
Common Stock of the Company as of the date hereof or shares of any class or
classes resulting from any reclassification or reclassifications thereof or as a
result of any corporate reorganization as provided for in Section 8 hereof.

     Section 7.  Officers' Certificate. Whenever the Exercise Price shall be
                 ---------------------
adjusted as required by the provisions of Section 6, the Company shall forthwith
file in the custody of its secretary or an assistant secretary at its principal
office an officers' certificate showing the adjusted Exercise Price determined
as herein provided, setting forth in reasonable detail the facts requiring such
adjustment and the manner of computing such adjustment. Each such officers'
certificate shall be signed by the chairman, president or chief financial
officer of the Company and by the secretary or any assistant secretary of the
Company. Each such officers' certificate shall be made available at all
reasonable times for inspection by the Holder or any holder of a Warrant
executed and delivered pursuant to Section 6 hereof.

     Section 8.  Reclassification, Reorganization, Consolidation or Merger. In
                 ---------------------------------------------------------
the event of any reclassification, capital reorganization or other change of
outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company (other than a subdivision or
combination of the outstanding Common Stock and other than a change in the par
value of the Common Stock) or in the event of any consolidation or merger of the
Company with or into another corporation (other than a merger in which merger
the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any
reclassification, capital reorganization or other change of outstanding shares
of Common Stock of the class issuable upon exercise or exchange of this Warrant)
or in the event of any sale, lease, transfer or conveyance to another
corporation of the property and assets of the Company as an entirety or
substantially as an entirety, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause
effective provisions to be made so that the Holder shall have the right
thereafter, by exercising this Warrant, to purchase the kind and amount of
shares of stock and other securities and property (including cash) receivable
upon such reclassification, capital reorganization and other change,
consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance by a holder of the number of shares of
Common Stock that would have been received upon exercise or exchange of this
Warrant immediately prior to such reclassification, capital reorganization,
change, consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance. Any such provision shall
include provisions for adjustments in respect of such shares of stock and

                                       5
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other securities and property that shall be as nearly equivalent as may be
practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Warrant. The foregoing
provisions of this Section 8 shall similarly apply to successive
reclassifications, capital reorganizations and changes of shares of Common Stock
and to successive consolidations, mergers, sales or conveyances.

     Section 9.  Transfer to Comply with the Securities Act of 1933;
                 ---------------------------------------------------
Registration Rights.
-------------------

     9.1   No sale, transfer, assignment, hypothecation or other disposition of
this Warrant or of the Warrant Shares shall be made unless any such transfer,
assignment or other disposition will comply with the rules and statutes
administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission and (i) a Registration
Statement under the Act including such Shares is currently in effect, or (ii) in
the written opinion of counsel, which counsel and which opinion shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Company, a current registration Statement is not
required for such disposition of the shares. Each stock certificate representing
Warrant Shares issued upon exercise or exchange of this Warrant shall bear a
legend in substantially the following form (unless, in the opinion of counsel,
which counsel and which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company,
such legend is not required):

     "THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE
     SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES
     LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON
     TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS
     PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT
     TO REGISTRATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM. THE ISSUER OF THESE SECURITIES MAY
     REQUIRE AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE SATISFACTORY TO THE
     ISSUER TO THE EFFECT THAT ANY PROPOSED TRANSFER OR RESALE IS IN COMPLIANCE
     WITH THE ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS."

     9.2   The Company agrees that during the term of this Warrant, the Holder
shall have the right, pursuant to the terms of any Registration Rights Agreement
among the Company and certain purchasers of the Company's Common Stock, to
require the Company to register the Warrant Shares under the circumstances and
in the manner set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

     Section 10. Modification and Waiver. Except as otherwise provided herein,
                 -----------------------
any term of this Warrant may be amended, and the observance of any term of this
Warrant may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance, either
retroactively or prospectively, and either for a specified period of time or
indefinitely), with the written consent of the Company and the written consent
of a bona fide officer or director of the Holder of this Warrant. Any amendment
or waiver effected in accordance with this section shall be binding upon each
future Holder of this Warrant and the Company.

     Section 11. Notices. All notices and other communications required or
                 -------

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permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given
upon personal delivery, or by facsimile (with proof of receipt), or on the first
business day following mailing by overnight courier, or on the fifth day
following mailing by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested,
postage prepaid, addressed to the Company at the address indicated therefor in
the first paragraph of this Warrant and the Holder at its address as shown on
the books of the Company; provided, however, that presentation of a Purchase
Form and payment of any Exercise Price shall be effective only upon receipt by
the Company.

     Section 12. Descriptive Headings and Governing Law. The titles of the
                 --------------------------------------
paragraphs and subparagraphs of this Warrant are for convenience of reference
only and are not to be considered in construing this Warrant. This Warrant shall
be governed by and construed under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
without regard to any otherwise applicable principles of conflicts of laws.

     Section 13. Entire Agreement. This Warrant and the other documents
                 ----------------
delivered pursuant hereto constitute the full and entire understanding and
agreement among the parties with regard to the subjects hereof and no party
shall be liable or bound to any other party in any manner by any
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements except as specifically set
forth herein or therein. Nothing in this Warrant, express or implied, is
intended to confer upon any party, other than the parties hereto and their
respective successors and assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations, or
liabilities under or by reason of this Warrant, except as expressly provided
herein.

     Section 14. Severability. In the event that any provision of this Warrant
                 ------------
shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, it shall, to the extent practicable,
be modified so as to make it valid, legal and enforceable and to retain as
nearly as practicable the intent of the parties, and the validity, legality, and
enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or
impaired thereby. To the extent permitted by law, the parties hereto waive the
benefit of any provision of law that renders any provision of this Warrant
invalid or unenforceable in any respect.

     Section 15. No Waiver. No waiver by any party to this Warrant of any one or
                 ---------
more defaults by any other party or parties in the performance of any of the
provisions hereof shall operate or be construed as a waiver of any future
default or defaults, whether of a like or different nature. Except as expressly
provided herein, no failure or delay on the part of any party in exercising any
right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall
any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or remedy preclude any
other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or
remedy.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has duly caused this Warrant to be signed
by its duly authorized officer and to be dated as of this December 12, 2000.

                                  THE NETPLEX GROUP, INC.

                                  By:
                                         -------------------------------------
                                  Name:  Gene F. Zaino
                                         -------------------------------------
                                  Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
                                         -------------------------------------

[CORPORATE SEAL]

                                       8
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                                  PURCHASE FORM
                                  -------------
                                                                   [INSERT DATE]

     The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the within Warrant to
purchase ________ shares of Common Stock and hereby makes payment of
___________________ in payment of the exercise price thereof.

                                  -------------------------------------
                                  Signature of PMG Officer or Director

                                  -------------------------------------
                                  Print Name of PMG Officer or Director

                                       9
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                                 ASSIGNMENT FORM
                                 ---------------
                                                                   [INSERT DATE]

     FOR VALUE RECEIVED, __________________hereby sells, assigns and transfers

unto __________________________________________________________(the "Assignee"),

________________________________________________________________________________
                                    [INSERT ADDRESS]

its right to purchase up to _____ shares of Common Stock represented by this

Warrant and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________________

Attorney, to transfer the same on the books of the Company, with full power of

substitution in the premises.

                                           ------------------------------------
                                           Signature of PMG Officer or Director

                                           ------------------------------------
                                           Print Name of PMG Officer or Director

                                       10<PAGE>

                                                                   Exhibit 10(h)

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
                              --------------------

     THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, is made and. entered into effective as of the
3rd day of January, 2000, by and between THE NETPLEX GROUP, INC. a New York
corporation (the "Company") and PETER J. RUSSO (the "Employee").

                                    RECITALS
                                    --------

         A. The Company desires to retain Employee to provide the services
hereinafter set forth.

         B. The Employee is willing to provide such services to the Company on
the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

                                    AGREEMENT
                                    ---------

     In consideration of the promises and the terms and conditions set forth in
this Agreement, and for other consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which
are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

     1.  Employment and Term. The Company agrees to employ the Employee and the
         -------------------
Employee agrees to work for the Company, effective as of the date hereof,
subject to the term and conditions below. Unless sooner terminated by either
party pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7 or 8 below, this Agreement shall be for a
term of twelve (12) months after the date hereof, provided, that the term of
this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive twelve (12) month
periods unless one party gives the other party at least sixty (60) days written
notice of non-renewal prior to the applicable expiration date.

     2.  Compensation; Benefits. Subject to the terms and conditions of this
         ----------------------
Agreement, the Company shall pay to the Employee a base salary at the rate set
forth on Schedule A attached hereto and made a part hereof, payable in
accordance with the Company's regular payroll policies. In addition to this base
salary, the Employee shall be entitled to the benefits and bonuses described on
Schedule A subject to the terms and conditions described therein. In addition,
the Employee shall be entitled to receive such other benefits including, but not
limited to, holidays and sick leave, business expense reimbursement, automobile
allowance, life, health and disability insurance as the Company generally
provides to its employees holding similar positions as that of the Employee. All
benefits provided hereunder shall be subject to the terms of the applicable
plans and programs, as they may be modified or terminated for employees
generally in the Company's discretion from time-to-time.

     3.  Title; Duties. The Employee shall be employed as Senior Vice President,
         -------------
Chief Accounting Officer of the Netplex Group, Inc. and/or Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of Netplex Group, Inc.'s Contractors Resources
subsidiary. The Employee shall diligently and conscientiously devote his full
time and attention and his best efforts to loyally and professionally discharge
the duties assigned to him by the Company. The Employee shall perform such
duties as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Company. The Employee
will report directly to the Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In
performing his duties, the Employee will comply with all applicable laws and all
policies and procedures of the Company, as they may be modified in the Company's
discretion from time-to-time.

     4.  Right to Contract; Conflict of Interest. The Employee hereby represents
         ---------------------------------------
and warrants to the Company that (i) he has full right and authority to enter
into this Agreement and to
<PAGE>

perform his obligations hereunder, and (ii) the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the Employee and the performance of the Employee's obligations
hereunder will not conflict with or breach any agreement, order or decree to
which the Employee is a party or by which he is bound. During the term of this
Agreement, the Employee shall not directly or indirectly consult, advise, be
retained or employed by, or in any manner perform any service with or to any
other business or entity in any line of business, regardless of whether such
line of business is competitive with the Company's business, without FIRST
obtaining consent in writing from the Company.

     5.  Termination by the Company.
         --------------------------

         (a) The Company shall have the right to terminate this Agreement with
or without cause at any time during the term of this Agreement by giving written
notice to the Employee. If the termination is with cause, the termination shall
become effective on the date specified in the notice. If the termination is
without cause, the termination date shall be a date at least sixty (60) days
following the date of the notice of termination itself, provided that the
Company may in its discretion at any time relieve the Employee of his duties and
provide him with pay in lieu of notice. In the event that this Agreement is
terminated by the Company for cause, the Company shall pay the Employee the base
salary due him under this Agreement through the day on which such termination is
effective. In the event that this Agreement is terminated by the Company without
cause, the Company shall pay to the Employee compensation equal to continuation
of the Employee's base salary for six (6) months plus a lump sum payment of 100%
of the Employee's maximum incentive compensation payable hereunder.

         (b) For purposes of this Section 5, "cause" shall mean (i) a material
breach by the Employee of any covenant or condition hereunder or a material
failure of performance by the Employee under this Agreement; (ii) abandonment by
the Employee of his duties hereunder; (iii) the commission by the Employee of
any act or omission constituting gross negligence, dishonesty, fraud, immoral or
disreputable conduct which is, or in the reasonable opinion of the Company's
Board of Directors, is likely to be, harmful to the Company or its reputation;
(iv) conviction of, or a plea or nolo contenders by, the Employee of a violation
of any federal, state or local law, rule regulation or ordinance; or (v)
material violation by the Employee of the Company's material policies as set
forth in the Company's personnel handbook, if one has been adopted, or announced
by Company management from time to time, and, with respect to subparts i, ii,
iii or v, which violation remains uncured to the Company's satisfaction thirty
(30) days after written notice to the Employee by the Company regarding such
violation has been provided.

     6.  Termination by Death or Disability of the Employee.
         --------------------------------------------------

         (a) In the event of the Employee's death during the term of this
Agreement, all obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate immediately,
and the Company shall pay to the Employee's legal representatives the base
salary due the Employee through the day on which his death shall have occurred.

         (b) If in the opinion of a physician selected by the Company and
approved by the Employee, which approval shall not unreasonably be withheld, the
Employee is unable to perform his duties hereunder due to mental, physical or
other disability for a period of 90 consecutive business days, as determined by
the Company, or for 90 business days in any period of 12 consecutive months,
this Agreement may be terminated by the Company, at its option, by written
notice to the Employee, effective on the termination date specified in such
notice, provided such termination date shall not be a date prior to the date of
the notice of termination itself In this case, the Company will pay the Employee
the base salary due him through the day on which such termination is effective.
<PAGE>

     7.  Termination by the Employee.
         ---------------------------

         (a) The Employee may terminate this Agreement at any time, with or
without cause, by giving sixty (60) days written notice to the Company. Any such
termination, if without cause, shall become effective on the date specified in
such notice, provided that the Company may elect to have such termination become
effective on a date after, but not more than 14 days after, the date of the
notice. If such termination is with cause, it shall become effective on the date
60 days after the date of such notice, but the Company has failed to cure the
cause specified in the notice. In the event that this Agreement is terminated by
the Employee without cause, the Employee shall be entitled to the base salary
due him through the day on which such termination becomes effective. In the
event that this Agreement is terminated by the Employee with cause, the Company
shall pay to the Employee compensation equal to continuation of the Employee's
base salary for twelve (12) months plus a lump sum payment of 100% of the
Employee's minimum incentive compensation payable hereunder.

         (b) For purposes of this Section 7, "cause" shall mean (i) a material
failure by the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, (ii) a
material reduction in the Employee's duties or responsibilities hereunder not
consented to by Employee or (iii) a relocation of more than fifty (50) miles
from the Company's principal executive offices not consented to by Employee.

     8.  Change of Control of the Company. For purposes of this Section 8, a
         --------------------------------
Change of Control shall not include a public stock offering by the Company or
any subsidiary of the Company, but shall mean only any of the following:

         (a) the merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another
unaffiliated entity, or the merger of another unaffiliated entity into the
Company or any subsidiary thereof with the effect that immediately after such
transaction the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such
transaction hold less than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of all
securities generally entitled to vote in the election of directors, managers or
trustees of the entity surviving such merger or consolidation;

         (b) the sale, lease or other transfer of all or substantially all of
the Company's assets to an unaffiliated person or group (as such term is used in
Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) or the sale
or transfer of more than fifty one percent (5 1 %) of the Company's then
outstanding voting stock (other than in a restructuring transaction which
results in the continuation of the Company's business by an affiliated entity)
to such persons or group; or

         (c) the adoption by the stockholders of the Company of a plan relating
to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

         (d) In the event of both (i) a Change of Control (as defined above) of
the Company and (ii) the termination of this Agreement by the Company (or its
successor) without cause within four (4) months following the consummation of
such Change of Control, the Company (or its successor) shall pay to the Employee
in a gross amount such that the net payments retained by the Employee after
payment of any tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended, with respect to such payment shall equal continuation of the
Employee's base salary for twelve (12) months plus a lump sum payment of 100% of
the Employee's minimum incentive compensation payable hereunder.

         (e) In the event of a Change of Control (as defined above) of the
Company, the Employee may terminate this Agreement within thirty (30) days
following the consummation of such change Change of Control by giving written
notice to the Company, with an effective date of such
<PAGE>

termination to be not later than sixty (60) days following the consummation of
such Change of Control. If the Employee elects to terminate this Agreement
pursuant to Section 8(e), the Company (or its successor) shall pay to the
Employee in a gross amount such that the net payments retained by the Employee
after payment of any tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, with respect to such payment shall equal continuation of the
Employee's base salary for six (6) months plus a lump sum payment of I 00% of
the Employee's minimum incentive compensation payable hereunder.

     9.  NonSolicitation. (a) The Employee agrees that, during his employment
         ---------------
hereunder, and for a period of two (2) year after the termination of his
employment under any circumstance, he will not on his own behalf or as a
partner, officer, director, employee, agent, or consultant of any other person
or entity or in any other capacity, directly or indirectly solicit or induce (or
attempt to solicit or induce) any of the Company's Customers, or Employees, not
to conduct business with the Company, or to stop conducting business with the
Company, to conduct business with or contract with any other person or entity,
or to leave their employment with the Company or consider employment as an
employee or contractor with any other person or entity. The Parties agree and
stipulate that as used herein "Customer" means all persons, firms or entities
that have either sought or purchased the Company's goods or services, have
contacted the Company for the purpose of seeking or purchasing the Company's
goods or services, or have been contacted or strategically targeted by the
Company for the purpose of selling its goods and services during the Employee's
employment. The Customers covered by this Agreement shall include any Customer
or potential Customer of the Company at any time during the Employee's
employment. The parties further agree that the term "Employees" as used herein
shall mean any persons who then are, or were at any time in the preceding six
(6) months period, or at any time during the Employee's employment with the
Company, employed by the Company.

         (b) The Employee further acknowledges that this Section 9 is an
independent covenant within this Agreement, and that this covenant shall survive
any termination of Agreement and shall be treated as an independent covenant for
the purposes of enforcement. With respect to this covenant, the Employee hereby
acknowledges receipt of Ten Dollars ($10.00) and other good and valuable
consideration stated herein including without limitation the consideration of
his continued employment by the Company.

         (c) The Employee shall, during the term of this Agreement and
thereafter, notify any prospective employer of the terms and conditions of this
Agreement regarding non-solicitation, non-competition, confidentiality and
non-disclosure.

     10. Non-Competition. The Employee agrees that during his employment
         ---------------
hereunder, and for a period of two (2) year after the termination of his
employment under any circumstance, he will not, on his own behalf or as a
partner, officer, director, employee, agent, or consultant of any other person
or entity, directly or indirectly, engage or attempt to engage in the business
of providing goods or services which are the same as or similar to the goods or
services of Netplex Group, Inc.'s Contractors Resources subsidiary anywhere
within the United States. The Employee acknowledges that the Company operates on
a nationwide basis and that he has nationwide responsibilities. Thus, he agrees
that the restrictions in this Section 10 are fair and reasonable, and in the
event of any litigation to enforce this Section 10, he shall not claim that any
portion of it is unreasonable or unenforceable.

     11. Confidentiality and NonDisclosure.
         ---------------------------------

         (a) The Employee shall hold in strict confidence and shall not, either
during the ten-n of this Agreement or after the termination hereof, use or
disclose, directly or indirectly, to any third party, person, firm, corporation
or other entity, irrespective of whether such person or entity is a
<PAGE>

competitor of the Company or is engaged in a business similar to that of the
Company, any trade secrets or other proprietary or Confidential Information of
the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company obtained by the
Employee from or through his employment hereunder. The Employee hereby
acknowledges and agrees that all confidential and proprietary information
referred to in this Section I I shall be deemed trade secrets of the Company and
of its subsidiaries and affiliates, and that the Employee shall take such steps,
undertake such actions and refrain from taking such other actions, as mandated
by the provisions hereof and by the provisions of the Virginia Uniform Trade
Secret Act. Employee further acknowledges that the Company's products and titles
consist of copyrighted material, and Employee shall exercise his best efforts to
prevent the use of such copyrighted material by any person or entity which has
not prior thereto been authorized to use such information by the Company.

         (b) "Confidential and/or proprietary information and documents" as used
in this Section includes, but is not limited to, trade secrets, inventions,
ideas, processes, formulas, source and object codes, data, programs, other works
of authorship, improvements, discoveries, drawings, contracts, methods of
operation, developments, designs and techniques, new products, marketing and
selling, customer identities, customer lists, customer contacts, customer
goodwill, business plans, budgets and unpublished financial statements,
licenses, prices and costs, suppliers and customers, infon-nation regarding the
skills and compensation of other employees of the Company, and any other trade
secrets not specifically mentioned herein which are not publicly known or are
only publicly known due to a breach of an obligation not to disclose them.

         (c) The Employee further hereby agrees and acknowledges that any
disclosure of any confidential or proprietary information prohibited herein, or
any breach of the provisions of Sections 4, 9 or 11 of this Agreement, may
result in irreparable injury, and damage to the Company which will not be
adequately compensable in monetary damages, that the Company will have no
adequate remedy at law therefor, and that the Company may obtain such
preliminary, temporary or permanent mandatory or restraining injunctions, orders
or decrees as may be necessary to protect the company against, or an account of,
any breach by the Employee of the provisions contained in Sections 4, 9, or 11.

         (d) The Employee further agrees that, upon termination of this
Agreement, whether voluntary or involuntary or with or without cause, the
Employee shall notify any new employer, partner, associate or any other firm or
corporation with whom the Employee shall become associated in any capacity
whatsoever of the provisions of this Section and that the Company may give such
notice to such firm, corporation or other person.

     12. Assignment and Disclosure of Inventions.
         ---------------------------------------

         (a) From and after the date the Employee first became employed with the
Company, the Employee hereby agrees to promptly disclose in confidence to the
Company all inventions, improvements, designs, original works of authorship,
formulas, processes, compositions of matter, computer software programs,
databases, mask works, and trade secrets ("Inventions"), whether or not
patentable, copyrightable or protectible as trade secrets, that are made or
conceived or first reduced to practice or created by the Employee, either alone
or jointly with others, during the period of the Employee's employment, whether
or not in the course of the Employee's employment.

         (b) The Employee hereby acknowledges that copyrightable works prepared
by the Employee within the scope of the Employee's employment are "works for
hire" under the Copyright Act and that the Company will be considered the author
thereof. The Employee hereby agrees that all Inventions that (a) are developed
using equipment, supplies, facilities or trade secrets of the Company, (b)
result from work performed by the Employee for the Company, or (c) relate to the
Company's
<PAGE>

business or current or anticipated research and development, will be the sole
and exclusive property of the Company and are hereby assigned by the Employee to
the Company.

     13. Severability. The Company and the Employee recognize that the laws
         ------------
and public policies of the Commonwealth of Virginia are subject to varying
interpretations and change. It is the intention of the Company and of the
Employee that the provisions of this Agreement shall be enforced to the fullest
extent permissible under the laws and public policies of the Commonwealth of
Virginia, but that the unenforceability (to the modification to conform to such
laws or public policies) of any provision or provisions hereof shall not render
unenforceable, or impair, the remainder of this Agreement. Accordingly, if any
provisions of this Agreement shall be determined to be invalid or unenforceable,
either in whole or in part, this Agreement shall be deemed amended to delete or
modify, as necessary, the offending provision or provisions and to alter the
balance of this Agreement in order to render it valid and enforceable.
Furthermore, the Court or arbitrator shall modify any invalid provision to make
it enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by law.

     14. Indemnification. The Company shall defend and hold the Executive
         ---------------
harmless to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Company
By-Laws and Certificate of Incorporation in connection with any claim, action,
suit, investigation or proceeding arising out of or relating to performance by
the Executive of services for, or action of the Executive as an employee of the
Company or any parent, subsidiary or affiliate of the Company, or of any other
person or enterprise at the Company's request, except in situations where the
Employee engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or unlawful or criminal conduct or
where the Employee and the Company are adverse parties in the legal proceeding.
Expenses incurred by the Executive in defending a claim, action, suit or
investigation or proceeding covered hereby shall be paid by the Company in
advance of the final disposition thereof upon the receipt by the Company of any
undertaking by or on behalf of the Executive to repay such amount unless it
shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified
hereunder; provided, however, that this Paragraph 14 shall not apply to a
non-derivative action commenced by the Company against the Executive.

     15. Assignment. Neither the rights nor obligations under this Agreement may
         ----------
be assigned by either party, in whole or in part, by operation of law or
otherwise, except that (1) the Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of any successor of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates,
whether by merger, reorganization or otherwise, or any purchaser of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company and the Company may assign its
rights and obligations hereunder to such successor or purchaser; and (2) the
Company may assign the rights and obligations under this Agreement with Employee
to Netplex Group Inc.'s Contractors Resources subsidiary at such time as
Employee ceases providing employment services to Netplex Group Inc. as Senior
Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer.

     16. Notices. Any notice expressly provided for under this Agreement shall
         -------
be in writing, shall be given either manually or by mail and shall be deemed
sufficiently given when actually received by the party to be notified or when
mailed, if mailed by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, addressed to
such party at their addresses as set forth below. Either party may, by notice to
the other party, given in the manner provided for herein, change their address
for receiving such notices.

         (a) If to the Company, to

         NETPLEX Group, Inc.
         1800 Robert Fulton Drive
         Suite 250
         Reston, Virginia 20191-4346
<PAGE>

         Attn:  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

         (b) If to the Employee, to

         Peter J. Russo
         21367 Sparrow Place
         Potomac Falls, Virginia 20165

     17. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be executed, construed and
         -------------
performed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia without
reference to conflict of law principles.

     18. Headings. The section headings contained in this Agreement are for
         --------
reference purposes only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.

     19. Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement constitutes and embodies
         ----------------------------
the entire agreement between the parties in connection with the subject matter
hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements and
understandings in connection with such subject matter. No covenant or condition
not expressed in this Agreement Shall affect or be effective to interpret,
change or restrict this Agreement. In the event of a conflict or inconsistency
between the terms of this Agreement and the Company's policies regarding
employees, the terms of this Agreement shall supersede the conflicting or
inconsistent Company policies. No change, termination or attempted waiver of any
of the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding unless in writing signed by
the Employee and on behalf of the Company by an officer thereunto duly
authorized by the Company's Board of Directors. No modification, waiver,
termination, rescission, discharge or cancellation of this Agreement shall
affect the right of any party to enforce any other provision or to exercise any
right or remedy in the event of any other default.

     20. Arbitration. Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to
         -----------
this Agreement or Employee's employment with the Company, except for claims of
violation of Sections 9, 1 0 or I I hereof, which may be enforced by the Company
in a court of competent jurisdiction shall be settled exclusively by binding
arbitration before a single arbitrator in or about the proximity of the Company
headquarters in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American
Arbitration Association then in effect. The provisions hereof shall be a
complete bar and defense to any suit, action or proceeding instituted in any
federal, state or local court or before any administrative tribunal with respect
to any matter which is arbitrable as herein set forth. Nothing herein contained
shall be deemed to give any arbitrator any authority, power, or right to alter,
change, amend, modify, add to, or subtract from any provisions of this
Agreement. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and conclusive.
Judgment on an award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court of
competent jurisdiction. In the event of any litigation or arbitration to enforce
any provision of this Agreement, the prevailing party may be awarded his or its
reasonable attorneys' fees and costs.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date
first above written.
<PAGE>

                                       COMPANY:

                                       THE NETPLEX GROUP, INC.
                                       By:

                                       Gene Zaino
                                       Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
                                       Date:  January 3, 2000

                                       EMPLOYEE:

                                       Peter J. Russo
                                       Date:  January 3, 2000
<PAGE>

                                   SCHEDULE A

1.   Base Salary Rate: $150,000 annually
     ----------------
2.   Incentive Compensation: Eligible to be earned under terms and conditions to
     ----------------------
     be provided by the Company within 60 days after the date hereof. The
     incentive compensation will provide the Employee with a minimum quarterly
     bonus of $12,500 payable at the end of each quarter.

3.   Vacation: 4 weeks per year
     --------
4.   Stock Options: The Employee shall be granted an incentive stock option to
     -------------
     acquire 100,000: shares of Netplex Group, Inc.'s Common Stock at an
     exercise price per share equal to the closing price of the Company's Common
     Stock on the Nasdaq National Market and an incentive option to acquire
     75,000 shares of Netplex Group Inc.'s Contractors Resources (currently a
     division with an expected incorporation as a subsidiary) at an exercise
     price of $1.00 per share. Such stock options shall be exercisable one-third
     on each annual anniversary hereof and have a term of ten years.
     Furthermore, upon a Change of Control of the Company (as defined in Section
     8), all unexercisable stock options shall become immediately exercisable
     for six (6) months following the date of the consummation of such Change of
     Control.

     The grant of stock options to the Employee hereunder will be evidenced by
     stock option agreements, to be prepared by the Company, and will be subject
     to the terms and conditions of the Company's Stock Incentive Plans.

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