Document:

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                                                                    Exhibit 10.5

January 21, 2000

Mr. Fred Jones
9499 Inglewood Cove
Germantown, TN  38139

                              RE:  EMPLOYMENT STATUS AND CONDITIONS OF
                                   RETIREMENT WITH THOMAS & BETTS

Dear Fred:

To clarify our prior discussions, I have outlined below the terms and conditions
of your continued employment status as well as your retirement from Thomas &
Betts Corporation:

1.   Effective immediately, it is your intent to announce your plans to retire
     from Thomas & Betts. Concurrent with this announcement we will initiate an
     aggressive search for your replacement. You have agreed that during the
     search process you will continue in the position of our Chief Financial
     Officer at your current salary and with all current benefits. Further, you
     will assist your replacement in an appropriate transition period. Following
     the satisfactory transition of duties, you will be placed on an inactive
     employment status for a period of eight months or until January 5, 2001,
     whichever is later. During this inactive employment period, you will
     receive $10,961.54 per bi-weekly pay period but in no event will the
     aggregate bi-weekly payments during the inactive period exceed $200,000.00.
     Your retirement will be effective upon the termination of the inactive
     employment status. Determining the commencement of the inactive employment
     period shall be at my sole discretion; however, in no event will the
     inactive employment period commence later than July 1, 2000.

2.   During the active and inactive period specified above, you will continue to
     participate in all benefit and perquisite plans that are currently provided
     to Corporate Officers of Thomas & Betts. This shall include restricted
     stock and stock options and any earned bonus granted or paid at any time by
     the Company during your employment by the Company in fiscal year 2000, but
     specifically excludes restricted stock and stock options granted in 2001.
     Notwithstanding the date of your retirement, you shall be paid the bonus
     for fiscal year 2000 that you would have earned had you been an employee of
     the Company on its normal payment date. Such bonus shall be paid on the
     normal payment date, currently estimated to be in March 2001, without
     deferral or adjustment as might otherwise be provided under the new EVA
     incentive plan for "banked" amounts. Your Employment Agreement dated
     November 3, 1999 shall

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     remain in effect to the date of your actual retirement, and if a
     "Change-of-Control" as defined therein occurs prior to the effective date
     of your retirement, then in addition to the provisions of this Agreement
     you shall also have all rights granted under such Employment Agreement on
     the same basis as if your employment agreement was terminated voluntarily
     for "Good Reason" as defined in Section 6(c) therein.

3.   Your retirement date from Thomas & Betts shall be the day immediately
     following the completion of your period of inactive employment, as
     described above.

4.   Upon your retirement, which is with the consent of the Company for all
     purposes, all Stock Options which will at the time have been granted to you
     will be treated in accordance with the Grant Agreement. Specifically,
     Options may be exercised in full at any time within six (6) years of the
     date of retirement, provided, however, that if such exercise occurs more
     than three (3) months after the date of such retirement, the Option shall
     be treated as a nonqualified stock option. Options cannot extend beyond
     their expiration date.

5.   Regarding your Restricted Stock Awards, I will recommend to the Human
     Resource Committee of the Corporation's Board of Directors that the awards
     granted to you during your service with the corporation be released to you
     as of the time the restrictions lapse. As you know, the release of these
     awards is at the sole discretion of the Human Resource Committee. It is
     intended that, in accordance with past practices, the awards will be
     released as per the original schedules if you have not violated Sections 9,
     10 and/or 11 below. In the event of a Change-of-Control, as referenced
     above, the restrictions on all previously unvested shares shall immediately
     lapse and become vested, and all unvested options shall similarly
     immediately vest.

6.   I will also recommend that the Human Resource Committee approve an
     additional grant of benefits under the Thomas & Betts Executive Retirement
     Plan ("Retirement Plan"), as follows: Your benefits under the Retirement
     Plan shall be calculated under Section 2.05(b) of the Plan with the
     addition of five (5) years credited service such that you shall be credited
     with a total of ten years, and such additional months as appropriate, of
     service. In determining any Actuarial Equivalent under the Retirement Plan,
     the "PBGC Interest Rate," as otherwise defined in the Retirement Plan,
     shall be no greater than the actual PBGC Interest Rate in effect on the
     date of this letter.

7.   During the period of inactive employment described above in paragraphs 1
     and 2, you will provide consulting services to the corporation as may be
     reasonably requested from time to time both to facilitate the transition of
     your successor as well as on other matters within your competence,
     knowledge and experience.

8.   With the successful completion of the employment terms set forth above,
     upon the conclusion of the period of inactive employment, your retirement
     benefits shall be as follows:

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     a.   Executive Retirement Plan benefits as outlined in paragraph 6 above. A
          preliminary calculation is attached, in which a retirement date of
          October 1, 2000 was assumed. Your actual date of retirement will
          obviously affect the calculation.

     b.   Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, for you and your covered
          dependents, for a period of one year commencing on the day following
          your retirement date. The plan benefits and their costs will be based
          upon then-current plan offerings made available to active employees of
          Thomas & Betts. As you know, such plans may be changed from time to
          time and such changes in plan design, and/or participant contribution
          levels, will be applied to you in the same manner they are applied to
          our active employee participants.

          Following this one-year period of coverage, you will have the option
          to continue medical and dental benefits as available through the
          Consolidated Omnibus Benefits Reconciliation Act (COBRA).

     c.   The Company shall provide indemnification as currently in effect, and
          shall maintain Directors' and Officers' Liability coverage under terms
          and conditions at least as favorable to you, and in amounts at least
          as much, as those currently in effect; however, such coverage shall in
          any event be maintained for a minimum period of five (5) years
          following your retirement.

9.   You will refrain, directly or indirectly, from being employed by, engaging
     in or rendering service of any nature to any business competitive with the
     business of the corporation or any affiliate or subsidiary for a period of
     five years from the date of your retirement unless you obtain our prior
     written consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld where your
     services for such business would not directly relate to competitive
     activities. You also acknowledge that during your employment you developed,
     acquired and had access to substantial highly confidential operations,
     legal, technical and financial information. You agree that you shall retain
     all such confidential information in trust in a fiduciary capacity for the
     sole benefit of the Company and will not by any means divulge, use, or
     permit any third party to use any such confidential information except with
     the written approval of the Company's Chief Executive Officer.

10.  You agree to cooperate fully in any investigation requested by the
     corporation with respect to any matter that arose during your employment
     with the corporation or which may involve matters within your knowledge. If
     any claims are asserted by or against the corporation (including its
     subsidiaries and affiliated entities), with respect to any matter that
     arose during your employment or about which you have any knowledge or
     information, you will cooperate fully in the corporation's prosecution or
     defense of such claims. If these efforts on your part occur after the
     effective date of your retirement, you will receive reasonable compensation
     for such efforts.

11.  You specifically agree that you will not make any disparaging remarks,
     verbally or in writing, about the corporation, its officers, directors,
     shareholders, its policies,

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     practices and customs, its products, strategies, or otherwise. It is
     expressly understood that your violation of this undertaking may adversely
     affect the future vesting of shares and options which the Board's Human
     Resources Committee would otherwise approve.

12.  Your obligations under Sections 9, 10 and 11 above shall be contingent on
     the approval by the Human Resource Committee of your additional pension
     benefit as described in Section 6 above.

13.  This agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of any
     successor or assign of the Corporation.

14.  This agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the
     laws of the State of Tennessee.

15.  Nothing contained in this agreement shall supersede or eliminate any other
     retirement or other benefit to which you are entitled; the benefits
     provided herein are in addition to any other benefits to which you would
     otherwise be entitled. To the extent any benefit conferred here may be
     inconsistent with any practice or policy maintained by the Company, the
     provisions of this letter shall be controlling.

Fred, I wish you much happiness as you enter this new phase of your life.

Sincerely,

Clyde R. Moore

                                   Agreed:
                                             -----------------------------
                                             Fred  R. Jones

                                   Date:
                                        ----------------------------------<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 10.6

July 3, 2000

Mr. T. Roy Burton
9240 Forest Downs Drive
Memphis, Tennessee  38125

                              RE:  EMPLOYMENT STATUS WITH THOMAS & BETTS

Dear Roy:

     Earlier this year, our Board of Directors endorsed our recommendation to
sell the Electronics OEM business, including General Professional Electronics,
MPI, Automotive and Mobile Communications, allowing us to concentrate our
strategic focus on serving electrical distributors.

     Because of your unique ability to substantially contribute to this effort
and in light of your positive contributions during the actual due diligence and
transition process, I have outlined below the terms and conditions of your
employment status as well as the terms of your retirement from Thomas & Betts
Corporation:

1.   During the due diligence process, you served in the position of President,
     Electronics/OEM Division at your current salary and with all current
     benefits. With the satisfactory close of the transaction effective July 1,
     2000, it is understood that you may provide consulting services to Tyco
     International for an agreed-upon transition period of at least six months.

     As of July 1, 2000 you have been placed on an inactive employment status
     until March 31, 2001 and you will continue to receive $11,538.46 per
     bi-weekly pay period throughout this period.

2.   During the inactive period specified above, you will continue to
     participate in all benefit and perquisite plans that are currently provided
     to you by Thomas & Betts subject to the provisions in section 10. This will
     include restricted stock and stock options and any earned bonus granted or
     paid at any time by the Company during your employment by the Company in
     fiscal year 2001. Specifically, you shall be paid the bonus for fiscal year
     2000 so long as you remain an inactive employee on the day such bonus is
     paid, which is currently estimated to be in mid-March, 2001. The basis for
     your bonus calculation shall be a pro-rated amount applied to the results
     obtained for the Professional Electronics/OEM business segments up to the
     closing date of the sale of the business. The remainder of your calculation
     will be based upon overall

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     Corporate results from the closing date until year-end. Should the bonus
     include a "banked amount" it will be treated as a retiree account
     distribution as outlined in the plan document for the EVA Management
     Incentive Plan. Your Employment Agreement dated November 3, 1997 remained
     in effect to the official closing date of the transaction (July 1, 2000)
     and in now considered to be null and void.

3.   Your retirement date from Thomas & Betts shall be April 1, 2001, the date
     of the completion of your period of inactive employment, as described
     above.

4.   Upon your retirement, which is with the consent of the Company for all
     purposes, all Stock Options which will at the time have been granted to you
     by the Corporation prior to your retirement on April 1, 2001 will be
     treated in accordance with the Grant Agreement. Specifically, based upon
     your retirement, Options may be exercised in full at any time within six
     (6) years of the date of retirement, provided, however, that if such
     exercise occurs more than three (3) months after the date of such
     retirement, the Option shall be treated as a nonqualified stock option.
     Options cannot extend beyond their expiration date.

5.   Regarding your Restricted Stock Awards, I will recommend to the Human
     Resource Committee of the Corporation's Board of Directors that the awards
     granted to you by the Corporation prior to your retirement on April 1, 2000
     be released to you as of the time the restrictions lapse. It is intended
     that, in accordance with past practices, the awards will be released as per
     the original schedules if you have not violated Sections 9, 10, 11, 12
     and/or 13 below.

6.   I will also recommend that the Human Resource Committee approve an
     additional grant of benefits under the Thomas & Betts Executive Retirement
     Plan ("Retirement Plan"), as follows: Your benefits under the Retirement
     Plan shall be calculated under Section 2.05(b) of the Plan with the
     addition of five (5) years of credited service such that you shall be
     credited with a total of twelve (12) years, and such additional months as
     appropriate, of service.

7.   During the period of inactive employment described above in paragraphs 1
     and 2, you will provide consulting services to Thomas & Betts as may be
     reasonably requested from time to time both to facilitate the transition of
     the business as well as on other matters within your competence, knowledge
     and experience. It is understood that such consulting services may be
     concurrent with those consulting services which you may be performing for
     Tyco International.

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8.   With the successful completion of the employment terms set forth above, and
     upon the conclusion of the period of inactive employment, your retirement
     benefits shall be as follows:

     a.   A lump sum payment in the amount of $600,000 gross (representing the
          equivalent of your base pay times two) in addition to an amount equal
          to two times your average bonus paid for the results of fiscal year
          1998 ($15,154), 1999 ($10,626) and 2000 (to be determined). In the
          event you obtain employment prior to the end of your inactive
          employment, and a prorated bonus payment is made as outlined in
          section 10, you will receive a lump sum payment in the amount of
          $600,000 gross (representing the equivalent of your base pay times
          two) in addition to an amount of $118,313, which is equal to two times
          your average bonus paid for the results of fiscal year 1997
          ($151,689), 1998 ($15,154) and 1999 ($10,626).

          At the time of the above payment a deduction will be made (before the
          above is taxed) representing full repayment of the outstanding loan
          that was provided to you by Thomas & Betts on February 25, 1999 in the
          amount of $110,000.

     b.   Executive Retirement Plan benefits as outlined in paragraph 6 above. A
          preliminary calculation is provided (Attachment A).

     c.   Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, for you and your covered
          dependents, for a period of three years commencing on the day
          following your retirement date subject to the provisions of section
          10. The plan benefits and their costs will be based upon then-current
          plan offerings made available to active employees of Thomas & Betts.
          As you know, such plans may be changed from time to time and such
          changes in plan design, and/or participant contribution levels, will
          be applied to you in the same manner they are applied to our active
          employee participants.

          Following this three-year period of coverage, you will have the option
          to continue medical and dental benefits as available through the
          Consolidated Omnibus Benefits Reconciliation Act (COBRA).

     d.   The Company shall provide indemnification as currently in effect, and
          shall maintain Directors' and Officers' Liability coverage under terms
          and conditions at least as favorable to you, and in amounts at least
          as much, as those currently in effect; however, such coverage shall in
          any event be maintained for a minimum period of five (5) years
          following your retirement.

9.   You will refrain, directly or indirectly, from being employed by, engaging
     in or rendering service of any nature to any business competitive with the
     business of the corporation or any affiliate or subsidiary for a period of
     five years from the date of your retirement unless you obtain our prior
     written consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld. You also
     acknowledge that during your employment you

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     developed, acquired and had access to substantial highly confidential
     operations, legal, technical and financial information. You agree that you
     shall retain all such confidential information in trust in a fiduciary
     capacity for the sole benefit of the Company and will not by any means
     divulge, use, or permit any third party to use any such confidential
     information except with the written approval of the Company's Chief
     Executive Officer.

10.  You will notify us upon acceptance of any offer of employment obtained
     before the completion of your inactive employment status. In such event you
     become employed prior to the completion of your inactive status, the
     following will apply:

     -    Comprehensive coverage for medical and dental benefits will cease upon
          your participation in such plans by your new employer.

     -    You will secure from your new employer an agreement to make you
          available at reasonable times in order to fulfill your obligations
          under section 11 of this agreement.

     -    Your 2000 Management Incentive Plan payment will be based upon your
          active employment period only and payment will be prorated
          accordingly.

11.  You agree to cooperate fully in any investigation or other legal proceeding
     requested by the corporation with respect to any matter that arose during
     your employment with the corporation or which may involve matters within
     your knowledge. If any claims are asserted by or against the corporation
     (including its subsidiaries and affiliated entities), with respect to any
     matter that arose during your employment or about which you have any
     knowledge or information, you will cooperate fully in the corporation's
     prosecution or defense of such claims.

12.  You specifically agree that you will not make any disparaging remarks,
     verbally or in writing, about the corporation, its officers, directors,
     shareholders, its policies, practices and customs, its products,
     strategies, or otherwise. It is expressly understood that your violation of
     this undertaking may adversely affect the future vesting of shares and
     options and the receipt of fund due to be paid upon the completion of your
     inactive employment status which the Board's Human Resources Committee
     would otherwise approve.

13.  You understand and agree that you will refrain from recruiting and/or
     hiring any employee of Thomas & Betts and its affiliates for a period of
     three years following the completion of your active employment status.

14.  Your obligations under Sections 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 above shall be
     contingent on the approval by the Human Resource Committee of your
     additional pension benefit as described in Section 6 above.

15.  This agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of any
     successor or assignee of the Corporation.

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16.  This agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the
     laws of the State of Tennessee.

17.  Nothing contained in this agreement shall supersede or eliminate any other
     retirement or other benefit to which you are entitled; the benefits
     provided herein are in addition to any other benefits to which you would
     otherwise be entitled. To the extent any benefit conferred here may be
     inconsistent with any practice or policy maintained by the Company, the
     provisions of this letter shall be controlling.

Sincerely,

Clyde R. Moore
Chairman and CEO

                                   Agreed:
                                             -----------------------------
                                             T. Roy Burton

                                   Date:
                                        ----------------------------------

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