Document:

Exhibit 10.9

 

 

December 16, 2011

 

Pierre-Michel Kronenberg
 4700 Eldorado Springs Drive
 Boulder, CO 80303

 

Dear Mike,

 

I am pleased to confirm our offer of employment with GFI (“the Company”) to you as set forth below. This offer is contingent upon favorable results from our standard background check.

 

	
Position:
    	
 
    	
Chief Technology Officer - In this position, you   will report directly to me, Walter Scott, Chief Executive Officer. You will   be employed by one of the Company’s U.S. entities and will reside in   Switzerland.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Compensation:
    	
 
    	
You will be compensated at an annualized base   salary rate of USD $310,000 which is paid biweekly and subject to normal U.S.   deductions and withholdings, plus an annualized bonus of USD $150,000 gross   at target, payable (quarterly) at the discretion of the Board of Directors   with 50% based on company performance and 50% based on achievement of   individual performance based criteria.  

 

Subject to board approval you will be eligible   for a stock option grant of 425,000 with 4 year vesting at current fair   market value and upon a change in control, as defined in the GFI Stock Option   Plan, 25% of the unvested portion of the stock option grant shall become   vested and exercisable. All other provisions will be in accordance with the   terms and conditions of the GFI Stock Option Plan.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Relocation:
    	
 
    	
The Company will reimburse you up to USD $16,000   in relocation expenses. If you voluntarily resign from the company before   completing one year of service you will be responsible for repaying the   relocation reimbursement amount in the following proportions:  

 

Less than 3 months of employment – 100% repayment  

3 months to 6 months – 75% repayment  

6 months to 9 months – 50% repayment  

9 months to 12 months – 25% repayment
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Benefits:
    	
 
    	
You will be eligible to participate in our 401k   Employee Savings Plan.  

 

You will be entitled up to 25 days of vacation   leave, plus local public holidays, while based in Switzerland, calculated on   a pro-rata basis based on your start date. Unused vacation leave will not be   paid out in the event your employment is terminated.  

 

You have the option of either selecting from our   U.S. health plans and insurance (pending approval) or the Company will   reimburse you up to USD $13,500 per year for private medical insurance for   you and your family, based on the provision of invoices or receipts.  

 

If you select the U.S. health plans and insurance   option, you will be eligible for medical and dental benefits the first of the   month following your date of hire. You will be eligible for long term   disability, short term disability, and life insurance the first of the month   following ninety (90) days of employment. The Company may, in 
    

 

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
its sole discretion, change the benefits and may   modify the employee manual at any time and in any manner, but any such   changes or modifications will be generally applicable to all similarly   situated employees.  

 

The Company will also provide you up to USD   $2,000 for tax return prep assistance for the 2012 calendar year.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Employment Date:
    	
 
    	
The start date will be January 1, 2012.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
IMPORTANT:
    	
 
    	
You acknowledge that by, accepting this position,   you will not violate the term of any prior agreement applicable to you, and   that you will not utilize or make available to us any confidential or   proprietary information of any third party or violate any obligation with   respect to such information.  

 

ALL EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO SIGN THE ATTACHED   CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT, PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. YOUR OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT   IS EXPRESSLY CONTINGENT UPON THE SIGNING OF THIS AGREEMENT AND EMPLOYMENT IS   ALSO SUBJECT TO ALL THE TERMS OF OUR EMPLOYEE MANUAL. THIS OFFER OF   EMPLOYMENT IS ALSO CONTINGENT UPON YOUR PRESENTATION OF DOCUMENTS VERIFYING   YOUR RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UNITED STATES, BACKGROUND CHECK AND REFERENCE   VERIFICATION.
    

 

While we have every expectation that you will have a long and successful career with us, we must remind you that your employment with the Company is on an “at will” basis, which means that either of us may choose to terminate your employment at any time, with or without cause. Accordingly, nothing in this offer letter should be construed as creating a contract of employment tor a specified term.

 

Residing in Switzerland you will be subject to taxation and filing obligations in both the U.S. and Switzerland. The U.S. tax code allows the utilization of an exclusion and/or credit to minimize double taxation, though there may be a residual tax obligation due to the incremental difference in U.S. and Swiss tax rates. As it is your personal choice to reside in Switzerland, all Swiss and U.S. tax liabilities and filing obligations while you are employed with the Company will be your personal liability.

 

Please be advised if you continue to work tor a GFI U.S. entity you acknowledge that there may be issues with your authority if the GFI U.S. entity does not have a tax presence in Switzerland (e.g. you will have no authority to conclude contracts in the name of the GFI U.S. entity or any of its subsidiaries unless they are related only to preliminary or auxiliary services such as maintenance of a representative office, purchase of goods, advertising, etc.) and will in no event represent to any person that your acceptance of an order constitutes the GFI U.S. entity’s agreement to supply materials, products, or services on the terms or conditions specified in the order to give any prospective purchaser any reasonable basis for belief that you have authority to bind the GFI U.S. entity.

 

If you find the offer acceptable, please sign and date this letter at the end of page 3, as well as the attached Confidentiality Agreement. The original signed documents must be returned to us on or before your first day of work.

 

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We are very happy to extend this offer to you. We look forward to your formal acceptance, and in the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Sincerely,

	
/s/ Walter Scott
    	
 
    

Walter Scott
 Chief Executive Officer
 GFI Software - www.gfi.com

 

Attachment:  Confidentiality Agreement

 

The undersigned accepts the above Offer of Employment and agrees that it contains the terms and conditions of employment with GFI, that the employment offered is “at will” as described above and that this offer supersedes any and all prior understandings, offers or agreements, whether oral or written and that there are no other terms express, or implied.

 

	
Accepted:
    	
/s/ Pierre-Michel Kronenberg
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Date of Acceptance:
    	
12/22/2011
    	
 
    
				

 

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CONFIDENTIALITY, NON-COMPETE AND OWNERSHIP AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is entered into as of start date to be determined, by and between Monitis Inc., a corporation with its registered office located at 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware 19808 (“GFI” or the “Corporation”), and Pierre-Michel Kronenberg (“Employee”).

 

WHEREAS, GFI has employed or continues to employ the Employee;

 

WHEREAS, in the course of Employee’s employment, Employee has gained and/or will gain access to certain proprietary information of GFI; and

 

WHEREAS, GFI requires Employee to enter into this agreement as a condition to Employee’s employment and/or Employee’s continued employment by GFI;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the employment and/or continued employment of Employee, the promises hereinafter contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

 

1.     Confidentiality. Employee covenants and agrees that, during and after this employment Employee will treat as confidential and will not, without the prior written approval of GFI, use (other than in the performance of Employee’s designated duties for GFI) or disclose, directly or indirectly, the Trade Secrets or Confidential Information (i) disclosed by GFI or its affiliates or developed by Employee as part of Employee’s duties hereunder, or (ii) disclosed to GFI or its affiliates, or to Employee as part of Employee’s duties hereunder, by Customers or other third parties subject to obligations of confidentiality; provided that the foregoing obligations with respect to Confidential Information shall expire one (1) year after termination of Employee’s employment by GFI, and the obligations with respect to Trade Secrets shall continue for so long as the information remains a Trade Secret under applicable law. For purposes hereof, the term “Trade Secret” shall mean information regarded as a trade secret under applicable law and information without regard to form, including, without limitation, know-how embodied in computer program algorithms, system design, architecture, logic, and structure, technical or non-technical data, a formula, a pattern, a compilation, a program, a device, a method, a technique, a drawing, a design, a process, financial data, financial plans, product plans, or a list of actual or potential customers or suppliers, which is not commonly known by or available to the public and which information:  (a) derives economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use; and (b) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy. For purposes hereof, the term “Confidential Information” shall mean any confidential or proprietary information relating to GFI or its customers that is not a Trade Secret under applicable law. The Employee agrees to diligently protect any and all Trade Secrets and Confidential Information against loss by inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure and to comply with regulations established by GFI for the purpose of protecting such information.  FOR PURPOSES HEREOF, THE FOLLOWING SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO BE TRADE SECRETS OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION:  (i) INFORMATION PUBLICLY KNOWN THAT IS GENERALLY EMPLOYED BY THE TRADE AT OR AFTER THE TIME EMPLOYEE FIRST LEARNS OF SUCH INFORMATION, (ii) GENERAL INFORMATION OR KNOWLEDGE WHICH EMPLOYEE WOULD HAVE LEARNED IN THE COURSE OF EMPLOYMENT OR WORK ELSEWHERE IN THE GENERAL TRADE, AND (iii) EMPLOYEE METHODOLOGY.  For purposes hereof, the term “Employee Methodology” shall mean know-how embodied in computer program algorithms, system design, architecture, logic, and structure which is (i) developed or known by Employee completely independent of and prior to Employee’s employment relationship with GFI and supported by Employee’s written records, (ii) not proprietary to or restricted by any third party, and (iii)

 

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which becomes a part of Employee’s knowledge and experience. Employee shall diligently protect any and all Trade Secrets and Confidential Information against loss by inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure and to comply with regulations established by GFI for the purpose of protecting such information.

 

2.     Records and Materials. All records, notes, files, recordings, tapes, disks, memoranda, reports, price lists, client lists, drawings, plans, sketches, documents, equipment, apparatus, and like items, and all copies thereof, relating to the business of GFI, the Trade Secrets or the Confidential Information, which shall be prepared by Employee or which shall be disclosed to or which shall come into the possession of Employee, shall be and remain the sole and exclusive property of GFI. Employee agrees, upon request from GFI and upon the termination of employment, to promptly deliver to GFI the originals and all copies of any of the foregoing that are in the Employee’s possession, custody or control.

 

3.     Employee Inventions and Works. Any invention, original work of authorship, idea, improvement, discovery, process, formula, code, algorithm, program, system, method or visual works (collectively, “Inventions”), which is made, developed or conceived, either solely or jointly with others, by Employee (i) in the course of Employee’s employment, (ii) with the use of GFI’s time, material or facilities, or (iii) in connection with the actual or demonstrably anticipated business, work, or research and development of GFI, will be promptly and fully disclosed by the Employee to Employee’s supervisor at GFI. Any such Inventions, whether made prior to, on, or after the date hereof, will be the sole and absolute property of GFI, including all patent, copyright, and other rights in respect thereof, and Employee hereby assigns, and upon the future creation thereof automatically assigns to GFI without further consideration, and Employee agrees to assign to GFI without further consideration, any right, title or interest Employee may have to such Inventions created prior to, on, or after the date hereof in any medium, including all rights to create derivative works based thereon. At the request and expense of GFI, either during or after employment, Employee will execute and deliver all such documents and will do all such other acts as may be in GFI’s opinion necessary or desirable to secure to GFI or its successors and assigns, complete, exclusive, perpetual, and worldwide right, title and interest in and to any such Inventions. Employee agrees to keep and maintain adequate and current written records (in the form of notes, laboratory notebooks, sketches, drawings, and as may otherwise be specified by GFI) of all inventions and original works of authorship made by Employee (solely or jointly with others) using GFI’s resources, on GFI’s time, or which relate to the actual or demonstrably anticipated business of GFI, which records shall be available to and remain the sole property of GFI at all times.  The provisions of this paragraph shall be binding upon the heirs, successors, and assigns of Employee.

 

4.     Cooperation. Employee agrees to cooperate at any time to the extent and in the manner reasonably requested by GFI and at GFI’s expense, in the prosecution or defense of any claims, litigation or other proceeding involving the property of GFI, the Trade Secrets, or the Confidential Information.

 

5.     Other Obligations. Employee acknowledges that GFI from time to time may have agreements with other persons or with the governmental entities or agencies which impose obligations or restrictions on GFI regarding inventions and original works of authorship made during the course of work thereunder or regarding the confidential nature of such work. Employee agrees to be bound by all such obligations and restrictions and to take all action necessary to discharge the obligations of GFI thereunder.

 

6.     Trade Secrets and Obligations to Others. Employee represents that Employee’s performance of all the terms of this Agreement and as an employee of GFI does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence proprietary information, knowledge or data acquired by him in confidence or in trust prior to Employee’s employment with GFI, and Employee will not disclose to GFI, or induce GFI to use, any confidential or proprietary information or material belonging to any previous employer or others. Employee represents that Employee is not a party to any non-compete agreement or other contract which would conflict with or prevent Employee from entering into employment with GFI or performing employee duties for GFI. Employee agrees not to enter into any agreement, either written or oral, in conflict herewith.

 

7.     Covenant Not to Solicit Customers. Employee covenants and agrees that during Employee’s employment hereunder and for a period of twelve (12) months following the termination of such

 

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employment for any reason, or, if later, the end date of any garden leave period as set forth in Section 11, Employee shall not, without the prior written consent of GFI, either directly or indirectly, on Employee’s own behalf or in the service or on behalf of others solicit or attempt to divert or appropriate any customers or prospective customers of GFI with whom Employee had actual contact during the twelve (12) month period immediately preceding Employee’s termination of employment with GFI to any business engaging in the same or substantially similar business as the business of GFI.

 

8.     Covenant Not to Solicit Employees. Employee covenants and agrees that during the term of Employee’s employment and for a period of twelve (12) months following the termination of such employment for any reason, or, if later, the end date of any garden leave period as set forth in Section 11, Employee shall not, either directly or indirectly, on Employee’s own behalf or in the service of or on behalf of others, hire away or contact, solicit, divert, or encourage any person employed by GFI with the intent of enticing him or her away from the employ of GFI, or otherwise induce or influence any person to discontinue employment with GFI, whether such person is a full-time or temporary employee of GFI and whether such employment is pursuant to a written agreement or such employment is for a determined period or is at will.

 

9.     Services for Others. This Agreement shall not be construed to restrict Employee’s right to provide services and/or develop other works for third parties, except as set forth in Section 11; provided, however, that there is prior disclosure to GFI and GFI approves such activities in writing, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. This right is subject, however, to all of the other restrictions contained in this Agreement, and to the condition that Employee use only Employee’s own time and resources with such services.

 

10.  Remedies. Employee acknowledges and agrees that, by virtue of the duties and responsibilities attendant to Employee’s employment by GFI and the special knowledge of GFI’s affairs, business, clients and operations that Employee has and will have as a consequence of such employment, irreparable loss and damage will be suffered by GFI if Employee should breach or violate any of the covenants and agreements contained in Sections 1 through 8; and Employee further acknowledges and agrees that each of such covenants are reasonably necessary to protect and preserve the business of GFI. Employee, therefore, agrees and consents that, in addition to any other remedies available to it, GFI shall be entitled to an injunction to prevent a breach or contemplated breach by the Employee of any of the covenants or agreements contained in such Sections. The existence of any claim, demand, action or cause of action of Employee against GFI, whether predicated upon this Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by GFI of any of the covenants contained herein.

 

11.  Garden Leave, Release from Duties. If either GFI or the Employee serves notice on the other to terminate the Employee’s employment, regardless of the reason for such termination and regardless of whether such employment is terminated by the Employee or the Corporation, GFI may require the Employee to take ‘garden leave’ for a period of up to 12 months. During this time, the Employee will be released from his duties to perform work for GFI. Any period of such release shall be offset against any holiday entitlement. GFI may require the Employee to stop performing any work for GFI, exclude him from the premises and/or assign to him other duties instead of his regular work duties. During any such period, Employee will continue to receive his full salary and benefits. GFl may appoint any other person to perform Employee’s work duties under this Agreement whether on a permanent or temporary basis.

 

The Employee covenants and agrees that, during a period of garden leave, Employee will not, directly or indirectly, individually or as a partner, corporate employee, stockholder, consultant, officer, director, entity or advisor render or perform “Development Services” (as hereinafter defined) that directly compete against products developed by GFI. For purposes of this Agreement, “Development Services” are defined as those same or similar types of activities performed by the Employee during the twelve (12) month period immediately prior to the start of the garden leave period. The implied duties of trust and confidence and any of Employee’s covenants and duties set forth herein, including but not limited to the covenants and duties set forth in Sections 1, 4, 7, 8 and 9 will continue to apply during any such period.

 

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12.  Electronic Mail, Voice Mail, and Computer Monitoring. Electronic mail service, voice mail service, and computers provided by GFI are intended solely for business use. Employee acknowledges GFI’s right to monitor Employee’s use of such facilities without notification.

 

13.  Telephone Monitoring. Telephone service provided by GFI is intended solely for business use. Employee acknowledges GFI’s right to monitor Employee’s use of such telephone service without notification.

 

14.  Severability. Each covenant of this Agreement shall be deemed and shall be construed as a separate and independent covenant, and should any part or provision of any such covenants be declared invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall in no way render invalid or unenforceable any other part or provision thereof or any other separate covenant of Employee not declared invalid.

 

15.  Notices. Any notice or communication required or permitted to be given hereunder may be delivered by hand, deposited with an overnight courier, sent by email or facsimile (provided delivery is confirmed), or U.S. Mail (registered or certified only), return receipt requested, in each case to the address set forth on the initial page hereof or at such other addresses as shall be designated in writing by either party to the other in accordance with this Section. Such notice will be deemed to be given when received.

 

16.  Other Rights and Agreements. The rights of GFI under this Agreement are in addition to, and not in lieu of, all other rights GFI may have at law or in equity to protect its confidential information, trade secrets and other proprietary interests. No amendment or modification of this Agreement shall be valid or binding upon GFI unless made in writing. The waiver by one party of a breach of any provision of this Agreement by the other party shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach of the same or any other provision by the other party. Nothing in this Agreement affects the fact that Employee’s employment with GFI is expressly at-will.

 

17.  Miscellaneous. This Agreement shall be construed under the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and merges all prior communications, understandings, and agreements. This Agreement may be modified only by a written agreement signed by the parties. The failure of either party to enforce at any time any of the provisions hereof shall not be a waiver of such provision, or any other provision, or of the right of such party thereafter to enforce any provision hereof.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed below.

 

	
GFI:  
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By: 
    	
Walter Scott III  
    	
 
    	
Date:  
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Title: Director
    	
 
    	
Signature:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
EMPLOYEE:  
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Signature:
    	
/s/ Pierre-Michel Kronenberg
    	
 
    	
Date: 
    	
12/22/2011
    
							

 

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EXHIBIT A

 

Description of Prior Inventions and Works

 

	
TO:
    	
GFI
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
FROM:
    	
Pierre-Michel Kronenberg
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
DATE:
    	
December 22, 2011
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
SUBJECT:
    	
Exhibit to amend Employee Confidentiality,   Non-Compete and Ownership Agreement dated 12/22/2011
    

 

The following is a list of inventions or improvements relevant to the subject matter of my employment by GFI / Monitis (the “Company”) that have been made or conceived or first reduced to practice by me alone or jointly with others prior to my engagement by the Company:

 

	
Description
    	
 
    	
Date of Concept or Creation
    	
 
    	
Owner
    
	
US Patent 5,907,703
    	
 
    	
Filed May 8, 1996 Granted May 25, 1999
    	
 
    	
N/A
    
	
US patent 6,405,265
    	
 
    	
Filed April 16, 1999 Granted June 11, 2002
    	
 
    	
N/A
    
	
US Patent 7,937,758
    	
 
    	
Filed January 23, 2007 Granted May 3, 2011
    	
 
    	
PC Tools, lnc./Symantec
    
	
“ExplorerPlus”, file management and computer   system optimization.
    	
 
    	
1995
    	
 
    	
Kronenberg
    
	
“Nemo/Monitor365”, hosted client/server that   monitors, manages, maintains and repairs systems.
    	
 
    	
2003
    	
 
    	
Kronenberg
    

 

Employee name:  Pierre-Michel Kronenberg

 

 

	
Employee signature: 
    	
/s/ Pierre-Michel KronenbergExhibit 10.10

 

GFI

 

CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT

 

Dated July 4, 2011

 

between

 

GFI SOFTWARE GMBH c/o Ruter & Partner Prielmayerstrasse 3, D-80335, Munich, Germany (“we”, “us”, “our”, ‘the Employer’ or “the Company”)

 

and

 

INGO BEDNARZ, residing at:  Kettenhofweg 121, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany (‘the Employee’, or ‘you’)

 

REQUIRED INFORMATION

 

	
Job Title
    	
 
    	
Corporate Lawyer
    
	
Salary
    	
 
    	
€ 175,000 (Gross) per annum
    
	
Bonus
    	
 
    	
€ 25,000 (Gross) per annum 
   Guaranteed for the first 6 months of employment
    
	
Stock Options
    	
 
    	
100,000 subject to board approval 
   All terms and conditions according to GFI Stock Option Plan
    
	
Relocation Expenses
    	
 
    	
Up to € 5,000 on the provision of receipts
    
	
Date of Commencement of Employment
    	
 
    	
18 July 2011
    
	
Employment Status
    	
 
    	
Full-time
    

 

This Contract of Employment comprising this “Required Information” page together with the attached Schedule entitled “Terms and Conditions of Employment” annexed and subscribed as relative hereto is subscribed as follows:

 

	
Executed as a deed by GFI Software GmbH acting
    	
 
    	
SIGNED by the Employee
    
	
by Josef Calleja, a Director
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
/s/  Josef Calleja
    	
 
    	
/s/  Ingo Bednarz
    
	
Josef Calleja, Director
    	
 
    	
Ingo Bednarz
    

 

 

This is the Schedule referred to in the foregoing Agreement between you and GFI Software GmbH and it is part of the legally binding Agreement between us, as signed.

 

Schedule:  Terms and Conditions of Employment

 

1                                         Job Title

 

The title of your job and the person you are responsible to are described in the Required Information section of your contract of employment (“Required Information”).  For internal purposes, your job title shall be “General Counsel & Corporate Secretary”.  In addition to your normal responsibilities, we may require you from time to time to carry out additional or other responsibilities as necessary to meet the needs of the business.

 

2                                         Commencement of Employment and Continuous Employment

 

Your employment by the Company under this contract began on the date shown in the Required Information section.  If existing, any former employment relations and/or contractual relations between you and us shall be substituted through this agreement.  As far as possible under law, your period of continuous employment also runs from this date.

 

3                                         Qualifications and References

 

3.1                                 Your employment is conditional upon the examination grades and/or work experience claimed on your application form or at interview being accurate.  We reserve the right to avoid our employment offer retrospectively, or terminate your employment either with or without notice depending upon the particular circumstances, in any case where it is discovered you do not have any of the said qualifications or experience.  You will be required to bring the originals of all examination certificates and professional qualifications with you on your first day at work or at any later date if requested.

 

3.2                                 Whilst every effort will be made to obtain all such references as quickly as possible your employment may start before some or all of your references are received.  If so it is agreed that we may terminate your employment either with or without notice depending upon the particular circumstances if any reference falls short of our requirements.  Our decision is final as to whether your references meet the required standard.

 

4                                         Probationary Period

 

The first six months of your employment is a probationary period.  Your performance and suitability for continued employment will be reviewed throughout the probationary period.  At any time during or at the end of the probationary period your employment may be terminated by you or us giving two weeks’ notice in writing.  At the end of the probationary period, provided that your performance has been satisfactory we will confirm your employment.

 

5                                         Place of Work

 

5.1                                Your normal place of work will be in Goppigen, Germany.  We may require you to work temporarily or permanently at any other place of business of ours, and/or one of our customers or clients, whether inside or outside of Germany as the business may require.  In the course of your employment you may also be required to make visits and attend training sessions and meetings throughout or outside Germany.  The amount of travel required will vary from month to month and you will be required to be flexible and willing to work in different locations as is necessary to meet the needs of the business.

 

6                                         Expenses

 

We will reimburse all work related expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred by you in the proper performance of your work.  Work related expenses include all reasonable travel, accommodation, entertainment and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred on authorised Company business excluding any 

Employee’s Initials IB

 

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car parking or road traffic offence fines and subject to the production of such receipts or other evidence of expenditure as we may reasonably require.

 

7                                         Salary

 

7.1                                 Your salary has been set out in the Required Information and shall be payable in arrears by equal monthly instalments at the end of each month after any necessary deductions for income tax and national insurance and any other authorised deductions have been made.  Overtime work is compensated with the salary.

 

7.2                                 It will be your responsibility throughout your employment to ensure that the HR Department is given the name of your current bank, its sort code number and the number of your account.

 

7.3                                 The agreed salary is to be kept confidential at all times.

 

7.4                                 If a bonus payment or comparable one-off payment is granted by the Employer, this is made voluntarily and he is entirely free to cancel or deduct this amount at any time, subject to the condition that even repeated payment will not create any legal right of the Employee to claim such payment, neither in respect of the cause or the amount, nor for the past or for the future.  There is also no claim to further regular voluntary additional payments of a permanent nature at a subsequent date.

 

8                                         Hours of Work

 

8.1                                 Regular weekly full-time working hours amount to 40 hours, provided that you shall be released as necessary to act as an independent German lawyer as set forth in more detail in section 14.  The allocation of working hours to individual weekdays and the setting of the beginning and end of daily working hours is linked to the Company’s requirements.

 

8.2                                 We recognise that flexibility is important to ensure that we are meeting the needs of the business and that as a result, you may from time to time require to work outside these normal hours if we consider that business needs require it.

 

9                                         Vacation

 

9.1                                 Our vacation year runs from 1 January to 31 December and you are entitled to 25 days per annum.

 

9.2                                 If you choose not to take all the vacation days to which you are entitled during a particular year then you will be permitted to carry forward up to a maximum of 5 days vacation to the next year.  These days are to be used before the end of March of the next year, otherwise any unused vacation entitlement will be lost and no payment in lieu will be made.

 

9.3                                 Whilst we will make every effort to accommodate you in fixing vacation dates this is subject to the needs of the business and therefore vacation dates should be agreed in advance.  All vacation days must be approved in writing by either the Managing director or your most senior Line Manager.

 

9.4                                 In the year in which your employment commences or terminates your vacation entitlement will be calculated on a pro-rata basis for each complete month worked.

 

9.5                                 If you resign or are dismissed and have not taken your full accrued vacation entitlement, you will be paid for your any unused accrued entitlement.  However we may require you to take any outstanding accrued vacation entitlement during your notice period (see section 19).

 

10                                  Sickness

 

10.1                           If you are unable to attend work due to sickness or injury you should inform your Supervisor/Manager/HR Manager of your absence and reasons for it before 10 am on your first day of absence.  If the absence is due to sickness or injury and causes the individual to be absent for more than 3 working days at a time then a medical certificate signed by your doctor (“Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung”) as to the estimated duration of such absence must be handed in or sent to us by the next working day.  Thereafter medical certificates should be provided to cover any continued absence.

 

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10.2                           Provided the notification requirements of the previous clause above are followed, you will receive continued remuneration payments up to a period of 6 weeks in accordance with statutory provisions.

 

10.3                           In the unlikely event that this is required, we reserve the right to require you to visit the respective medical service of the national insurers (“Medizinische Dienst der Krankenversicherung”) to be medically examined and assessed on your fitness and suitability for continued employment at any time during or after a period of absence on the grounds of sickness or injury.

 

11                                  Confidentiality

 

11.1                           In this Agreement “Confidential Information” means all and any information about business plans, business methods, corporate plans, management systems, finances, maturing new business opportunities, research and development projects, concepts, ideas, new products, source code, software, software designs, sales statistics, marketing surveys and plans, sales techniques, costs, prices and discount structures, the names, addresses and contact details of users of our services, our customers and suppliers and parties working on our behalf (past or present) or potential users, customers, suppliers and parties (whether or not recorded in writing or on computer disk or tape or otherwise), which we treat as confidential together with any information of a confidential or proprietary nature belonging to our clients or third parties which is communicated to you in the course of your employment with us.

 

11.2                           You acknowledge that during the course of your employment you will have access to and be entrusted with Confidential Information.

 

11.3                           You agree that you shall not (except in the proper course of your duties) during or after the period of your employment, communicate or divulge to any person whatsoever or exploit or otherwise make use of (and shall use your best endeavours to prevent the publication or disclosure of) any Confidential Information.

 

11.4                           All notes and memoranda of any Confidential Information (both originals and copies) which shall be acquired, received, or made by you during the course of your employment is our property and shall be surrendered by you to us at the termination of your employment, or at our request, during the course of your employment.

 

11.5                           In the event that any of the said restrictions shall be held void, but would be valid if part of the wording thereof were deleted, such restrictions shall apply with such deletion as may be necessary to make it or them valid and effective.

 

11.6                           The obligations contained in this Clause shall continue to apply after termination of your employment without limit of time but shall cease to apply to information or knowledge which comes into the public domain otherwise than by your own fault.

 

12                                 Intellectual Property

 

12.1                           For the purposes of this clause the following definitions will apply:-

 

12.1.1                  “Intellectual Property Rights” means all patents, trade marks, designs, and copyright, topography rights, rights in computer software, rights in databases and other protectable lists of information, rights in Confidential Information, rights in know-how, trade and business names, domain names, and rights in the Inventions, in each case whether registered or unregistered and applications (or rights to apply) for any of the foregoing, and renewals and extensions of such rights and any rights or forms of protection of a similar nature and having equivalent or similar effect to any of them which may subsist anywhere in the world.

 

12.1.2                  “Inventions” means all inventions, new ideas, methods, processes, concepts, software, designs, drawings, technical know how, computer techniques, programs, systems, trade secrets, discoveries, improvements, modifications or developments, in each case whether or not patentable, and whether or not recorded in any medium.

 

12.1.3                  “Employment Inventions” means any and all inventions created, developed, conceived or made by you alone or with others or otherwise arising in the course of your employment (whether or not during working 

 

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hours or using our premises or resources insofar as they relate to your duties under this employment agreement).

 

12.1.4                  “Employment IPR” means all Intellectual Property Rights created, developed, conceived or made by you alone or with others or otherwise arising in the course of your employment insofar as they relate to your duties under this employment agreement (whether or not during working hours or using our premises or resources).

 

12.2                           You hereby agree to:

 

12.2.1                  promptly notify and disclose to us in writing, on their creation, full details of all Employment Inventions and Employment IPR;

 

12.2.2                  provide full written details and all explanations and demonstrations as we may reasonably request to enable us to fully understand, use, produce and protect Employment Inventions;

 

12.2.3                  at our request and in any event on the termination or expiry of your employment for any reason to give to us all originals and copies of correspondence, documents, papers and records on all media which record or relate to any of the Employment Inventions and Employment IPR which are in your possession, custody or control;

 

12.2.4                  not apply for the registration of any Employment IPR nor attempt to patent any Employment Invention unless expressly requested to do so by us; and

 

12.2.5                  keep confidential all Employment Inventions and Employment IPR unless we have consented in writing to the disclosure of such by you.

 

12.3                           All Employment IPR and all Intellectual Property Rights subsisting (or which may in the future subsist) in the Employment Inventions will be and will remain at all times our exclusive property and will vest in us at the time they are first created.

 

12.4                           In the event and to the extent that any of the Employment IPR are deemed for any reason not to vest in us in terms of this Clause then you shall hold them in trust for us until such time as they are fully vested in us.

 

12.5                           To the extent that any Employment IPR (other than patents), do not belong to us, to the fullest extent permitted by law, you assign to us by way of present assignment of future rights, exclusively your whole right, title and interest in and to all such Employment IPR.

 

12.6                           You hereby waive all of your present and future moral which may arise in respect of the inventions, and all similar rights in other jurisdictions relating to any copyright which forms part of the Employment IPR and you hereby agree not to support, maintain nor permit any claim for infringement of moral rights in such copyright works.

 

12.7                           You acknowledge that, except as provided by law e.g. Section 9 Arbeitnehmerefindungsgesetz (German Employee Invention Act), no further remuneration or compensation other than that provided for in this agreement is or may become due to you in respect of your compliance with this Clause.  This Clause is without prejudice to your rights under the German Patents Act.

 

12.8                          You undertake to render all reasonable assistance to us, to execute all documents and do or procure the doing of all such acts both during and after your employment by us, as may in our opinion, be necessary or desirable to vest the Employment IPR in us and to enable us to fully exercise our rights as owners of such rights (including without limitation, to enable us to apply for, register and renew these rights in our name with any competent authority anywhere in the world and to protect and maintain them).  Such documents may, at our request, include waivers of all and any statutory moral rights relating to any copyright works which form part of the Employment IPR.  We agree to reimburse your reasonable expenses of complying with this Clause.

 

12.9                           You agree to give all necessary assistance to us to enable us to enforce our Employment IPR against third parties, to defend claims for infringement of third party Intellectual Property Rights and to apply for 

 

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registration of Employment IPR, where appropriate throughout the world, and for the full term of those rights.

 

12.10                     You hereby irrevocably grant to us a power of attorney to sign any and all such documents to give effect to this Clause.

 

12.11                     The provisions of the Arbeitnehmerefindungsgesetz (German Employee Invention Act) remain unaffected;

 

13                                  Restrictive Covenants

 

13.1                           For the purposes of this Clause the following words and expressions shall have the following meanings:-

 

13.1.1                  “Business” means our business or the businesses of the Company in or with which you have been involved or concerned at any time during the period of 12 months.

 

13.1.2                  “Competitive Business” means any business or activity in competition with or similar to the Relevant Goods or Services carried on by us at the Termination Date or during the Relevant Period and in particular, but without prejudice to the foregoing generality, competitive business carried out by the following companies or any associated company of such a company or to any person, firm, company or other organisation trading under the same or a similar name to any of the names noted below:

 

	
ActiveXperts
    	
 
    	
N-Able
    	
 
    	
Level Platforms
    
	
Barracuda
    	
 
    	
Patchlink
    	
 
    	
McAfee
    
	
Captaris
    	
 
    	
Shavlik
    	
 
    	
Kaspersky
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Technologie
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Clearswift
    	
 
    	
Symantec
    	
 
    	
ESET
    
	
eEye
    	
 
    	
Trend
    	
 
    	
Panda
    
	
EventSentry
    	
 
    	
WebSense
    	
 
    	
AVG
    
	
Kaseya
    	
 
    	
Sophos
    	
 
    	
Avast
    

 

whether such company, person, firm or other organisation continues to hold or trade with the same name or a changed name or suffers a change in the person or entity who controls such company, person, firm or organisation.

 

13.1.3                  “directly or indirectly” means you acting either alone and on your own behalf or jointly with or on behalf of any other person, firm or company, whether as principal, partner, manager, employee, contractor, director, consultant, investor or otherwise.

 

13.1.4                  “Key Personnel” means any person who is at the Termination Date or was at any time during the period of 12 months prior to the Termination Date employed or engaged as a consultant in the Business in an executive or senior managerial capacity and with whom you have had dealings other than in a de minimis way during the course of your employment.

 

13.1.5                  “Prospective Customer/Client” means any person, firm or company which has been engaged in negotiations with us, with which you have been personally involved, with a view to purchasing goods and services from us during the period of 6 months prior to the Termination Date.

 

13.1.6                  “Relevant Area” means world wide.

 

13.1.7                  “Relevant Customer/Client” means any person, firm or company which at any time during the 12 months prior to the Termination Date was a customer/client of ours, with whom or which you dealt directly other 

 

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than in a de minimis way or for whom or which you were responsible on our behalf at any time during the said period.

 

13.1.8                  “Relevant Goods and Services” means the business carried on by us at the Termination Date and namely the development, provision, sale and support of network and internet security and fax communication software tools or any goods and services competitive with those supplied by us at any time during the 12 months prior to the Termination Date in the supply of which you were directly involved or concerned at any time during the said period.

 

13.1.9                  “Relevant Period” means the period of the Employment,

 

13.1.10            “Relevant Supplier” means any person, firm or company which at any time during the 12 months prior to the Termination Date was a supplier of any goods or services to us (other than utilities and goods or services supplied for administrative purposes) and with whom or which you had personal dealings during your Employment other than in a de minimis way.

 

13.1.11            “Termination Date” means the date on which the Employment shall terminate.

 

13.2                           Without prejudice to the next Clause (non-involvement in any other business or undertaking) you shall not without our prior written consent directly or indirectly at any time within the Relevant Period engage or be concerned or interested in any business within the Relevant Area which is a Competing Business or which (a) competes or (b) will at any time during the Relevant Period compete with the Business.  Nothing in this sub-clause shall prevent you from being or becoming a Minority Holder provided that you disclose this to us.

 

13.3                           You shall not without our prior written consent directly or indirectly at any time within the Relevant Period:

 

13.3.1                  solicit the custom of; or

 

13.3.2                  facilitate the solicitation of; or

 

13.3.3                  deal with

 

any Relevant Customer/Client in respect of any Relevant Goods and Services; or

 

13.3.4                  solicit the custom of; or

 

13.3.5                  facilitate the solicitation of; or

 

13.3.6                  deal with

 

any Prospective Customer/Client in respect of any Relevant Goods and Services; or

 

13.3.7                  interfere; or

 

13.3.8                  endeavour to interfere

 

with the continuance of supplies to us (or the terms relating to those supplies) by any Relevant Supplier.

 

13.4                           You shall not without our prior written consent directly or indirectly at any time during the Relevant Period:

 

13.4.1                  entice away from us; or

 

13.4.2                  endeavour to entice away from us

 

any Key Personnel.

 

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13.5                           You shall not without our prior written consent directly or indirectly at any time during the Relevant Period:

 

13.5.1                  employ or engage; or

 

13.5.2                  endeavour to employ or engage

 

any Key Personnel.

 

13.6                           You acknowledge (having taken appropriate legal advice) that the provisions of this Clause are fair, reasonable and necessary to protect the goodwill and interests of the Company (“the Interests”).  Whilst the provisions of this Clause have been framed with a view to ensuring that the Interests are adequately protected taking account of our legitimate expectations of the future development of the business, you acknowledge that the business may change over time and as a result it may become necessary to amend the provisions of this Clause in order to ensure that the Interests remain adequately protected.  You, therefore, agree that we shall be entitled to amend the provisions of this Clause in accordance with the Clause below in order to protect the Interests.

 

13.7                           In order to amend the provisions of this Clause, we shall notify you in writing of why we believe it is necessary to amend and the amendments which we propose.  You shall then have a period of 14 calendar days in which to put forward any objections which you might have to the proposed amendments.  In the event that you do not put forward any such objections, then this Clause shall take effect with the proposed amendments on the expiry of the 14 day period.  In the event that you do put forward objections, we shall endeavour to accommodate them and to agree the amendments with you (insofar as they are reasonable and where reasonably possible given our overriding objective must be to ensure adequate protection of the Interests).  We shall then, having considered your objections, serve a further written notice on you informing you of the final amendments to this Clause which will thereafter take immediate effect.

 

13.8                           You acknowledge that the provisions of this Clause shall constitute severable undertakings given to the Company and the said undertakings may be enforced by us.

 

13.9                           If any of the restrictions or obligations contained in this Clause is held not to be valid on the basis that it exceeds what is reasonable for the protection of the goodwill and interests of the Company but would be valid if part of the wording were deleted then such restrictions or obligations shall apply with such deletions as may be necessary to make it enforceable.

 

13.10                     You acknowledge and agree that you shall be obliged to draw the provisions of this Clause to the attention of any third party who may at any time before or after the termination of your Employment offers to employ or engage you in any capacity and for whom or with whom you intend to work during the Relevant Period.

 

13.11                     You shall, at our request and cost, enter into a direct agreement or undertaking with any other Group Company to which you provide services whereby you will accept restrictions corresponding to the restrictions in this Clause (or such of them as may be appropriate in the circumstances) as we may require in the circumstances.

 

14                                 Other Employment / Outside Business Interests

 

14.1                           We are aware and acknowledge that you are exercising the profession of an independent German lawyer and may represent third party clients aside from your employment with GFI.  We agree to release you to exercise the profession of an independent German lawyer as necessary to carry out your duties as a lawyer, in particular with respect to urgent and time sensitive matters.  Aside from such exercise, during your employment with us, you must not, without our agreement, be involved, engaged, concerned or interested either directly or indirectly in any other business or undertaking or any other regular work (whether paid or unpaid) whatsoever which might interfere with the performance of your duties or cause you a conflict of interest.  Should you wish to accept an outside appointment or take up additional employment you must first obtain our consent unless such activities relate to a charitable, social or sports club or venture.

 

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14.2                           You warrant that by virtue of entering into this Contract of Employment you will not be in breach of any express or implied terms of any contract with or of any other obligation to any third party binding upon you.

 

15                                  Termination of Employment

 

15.1                           Notice of Termination

 

15.1.1                  During the probationary period, either party may terminate the employment by observing a notice period of two weeks.

 

15.1.2                  Following completion of your Probationary Period, your employment may be terminated by either you or by us giving the other party eight weeks’ prior notice in writing.  Notice period is to be observed to the fifteenth (15th) or end of each calendar month, which ever occurs first.

 

15.1.3                  After 24 months of employment, the notice period is automatically extended to a period of 12 weeks to the end of each calendar month.

 

15.1.4                  Variation of notice entitlement will be with the consent of both parties and in the given case agreed upon separately.

 

15.1.5                  The contract of employment may not be terminated by ordinary notice prior to the commencement of the employment.  If either party disregards such exclusion, a penalty equivalent to one month’s salary will be owed to the other party.

 

15.1.6                  Any notice of termination with regard to the employment given by the Employer is considered as a notice of termination with respect to any loans granted to the Employee, such notice given within the statutory notice periods.  If the Employee owes the Employer any other payments — e.g. on the basis of salary prepayments — the repayment obligation shall become due when the Employer gives notice of termination of the employment.  However, any other express stipulations of the parties shall prevail.  The Employer may offset its claims — observing, if legally required, the statutory thresholds for the seizure of goods — against any counterclaims of the Employee.

 

16                                  Summary Dismissal

 

16.1                           For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in previous clauses prevents us from terminating your employment summarily or otherwise in the event of any serious breach by you of the terms of your employment or in the event of any act or acts of gross misconduct by you (see section 626 para 2 CC, ‘Termination without notice for a compelling reason’).

 

16.2                           The Company is entitled to terminate your employment without notice period in any of the following circumstances:-

 

16.2.1                  you are guilty of gross misconduct.  For the purposes of this Clause gross misconduct includes but is not limited to:-

 

(a)                                  theft or fraud to our detriment;

 

(b)                                 physical violence or bullying;

 

(c)                                  deliberate and serious damage to property (whether belonging to the Company or a third party);

 

(d)                                 serious misuse of the Company’s property or name;

 

(e)                                  deliberately accessing internet sites containing pornographic, offensive or obscene material;

 

(f)                                    serious insubordination;

 

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(g)                                 unlawful discrimination or harassment;

 

(h)                                 bringing the Company into serious disrepute;

 

(i)                                     serious incapability at work brought on by alcohol or illegal drugs;

 

(j)                                     causing loss, damage or injury through serious negligence;

 

(k)                                  a serious breach of health and safety rules; and

 

(l)                                     a serious breach of confidence.

 

16.2.2                  you commit a serious breach of any terms or conditions of this Agreement (whether that term or condition specifically refers to the right of summary dismissal under this Clause or not);

 

16.2.3                  you repeat or continue any breach of this Agreement the cumulative effect of which, in our reasonable opinion, constitutes a serious breach; or

 

16.2.4                  you are convicted of any criminal offence (other than an offence under road traffic legislation anywhere for which a fine or a non-custodial sentence is imposed) which might reasonably be thought to adversely affect the performance of your duties.

 

17                                  Retirement

 

The employment relationship ends at the end of the month in which the Employee attains statutory state pension annuity age or in which the additional contribution establishes the full reduction in earning capacity in the sense defined in the German Social Security Code Book, without termination of the contract being necessary.

 

18                                  Return of Company Property

 

Upon termination of your employment (or earlier if requested) you shall immediately on request return to us all property belonging to us including (but not limited to) all Confidential Information, motor vehicles, keys, credit cards, phones, computer equipment, computer software, disks, documents, information, files, customer records, lists, books, records, literature, products and work products, all copies and originals, however recorded and whether retained electronically, on paper or otherwise.

 

19                                  Garden Leave, Release from duties

 

19.1                           If either of us serves notice on the other to terminate your employment, we may require you to take ‘garden leave’.  During this time, you will be released from your duties.  Any period of such release shall be offset against any holiday entitlement.

 

19.2                           Otherwise we may release you only if such release is justified with view to the protection of predominant interests of the Employer (e.g during the course of a disciplinary process to which you are subject, imminent danger of disclosure of secrets by you etc.).  Any period of such release shall be offset against any holiday entitlement.

 

19.3                          If you are asked to take garden leave we may require you to stop performing your job and/or exclude you from entering our premises and/or assign you other duties in place of your normal job duties.

 

19.4                           During any such period you will continue to receive your full salary and benefits but there is no duty upon us to provide you with work.

 

19.5                           We may appoint someone else to perform your duties under this Agreement whether on a permanent or temporary basis.

 

19.6                           The implied duties of trust and confidence will continue to apply during any such period and you will not be permitted to work for another employer.

 

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19.7                           You acknowledge and agree that to the extent we meet our obligations to pay you in accordance with this clause you have no right to work elsewhere during any period of release from duties.

 

20                                  Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures

 

Our disciplinary rules and grievance procedures from time to time in force are applicable to your employment.  Copies of these policies are also available from the Human Resources Department.

 

21                                  Health and Safety at Work

 

We will take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure your health safety and welfare while at work.  You must familiarise yourself with our Health and Safety Policy and its rules.  These policies can be amended from time to time as required.  It is also your legal duty to take care for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues.

 

22                                  Equal Opportunities

 

In order that we may maintain a positive work environment for all employees, you are required to familiarise yourself with and adhere to our Equal Opportunity Policy and our Bullying and Harassment Policy from time to time in force.  These policies are not contractual and they can be amended from time to time as required.  We view very seriously any conduct which may amount to harassment or discrimination and may consider this to be gross misconduct which could result in summary dismissal.

 

23                                  Use of computers and telephone

 

Use of the internet, telephone and corporate email address for private use is not permitted within working hours except in exceptional cases.  Outside working hours, private use of these communication tools is permitted only to a reasonable extent and only insofar as it cannot damage the business interests and reputation of the Employer.  Saving private files onto the Employer’s IT system is forbidden.

 

While working for us, you will be authorised to gain access to certain computer systems, programs and data.  You must not attempt, alone or with others, to gain access to data or programs to which you have not been authorised to gain access.

 

Your use of our Internet, e-mail and telephone system will be governed by internal policies from time to time in force.  You accept that we may monitor the use of our telephone, e-mail and internet systems in accordance with this Policy.  This Policy is not contractual and it can be amended from time to time as required.  Copies of this Policy are available from the Human Resources Department.

 

24                                  Data Protection

 

24.1                           You acknowledge and expressly agree that:-

 

(a)                                  We are permitted to hold Personal Dais about you as part of our personnel and other business records, including any Sensitive Personal Data;

 

(b)                                 We may collect and disclose your Personal Data (including Sensitive Personal Data) from time to time to and from third parties including our insurers, bankers, legal, medical and other professional advisers, or your own pension provider;

 

(c)                                  We may transfer your Personal Data (including Sensitive Personal Data) to our offices and clients outside Germany to countries which do not provide the same level of data protection.  If we do make such a transfer, we or they will, if appropriate, put a contract in place to ensure that your Personal Data is protected;

 

(d)                                 We may use such Personal Data in the course of our business where in our view it is required for the proper conduct of our business.

 

24.2                           This clause applies to Personal Data held, used or disclosed in any medium.

 

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25                                  Deductions

 

You hereby authorise us to deduct from your salary and/or any other sums due under this Contract of Employment any sums due from you to us including, without limitation, any overpayments, loans or advances made to you by us, the cost of repairing any damage or loss to our property caused by you and any losses suffered by us as a result of any negligence or breach of duty by you, to the extent that it is subject to pledge.  In addition you will at all times pay to us upon demand any sums which you owe us.  This provision does not affect our right to recover from you any sums or balance of sums owed to us by taking legal proceedings.

 

26                                  Forfeiture of claims

 

26.1                           All claims by both parties resulting from the existing employment relationship - other than those claims that result from any intentional actions - must be asserted in writing within three months of their occurrence in accordance with the German Civil Code (BGB).  Where the claim is not asserted, it ceases to be valid.

 

26.2                           Where the other contractual party rejects the claim or does not provide an explanation within two weeks of asserting the claim, the claim must therefore be rejected by judicial process by the opposing party within a period of three months following the written rejection of the claim or the expiry of the period, otherwise it also ceases to be valid.

 

26.3                           The regular limitation period for all claims resulting from, or connected with this Agreement shall be one year.

 

27                                  General

 

27.1                           By mutual agreement, reasonable changes to any of your terms and conditions of employment may be affected and you will be notified in writing of such changes.

 

27.2                           The Contract of Employment is intended to serve as a statement in compliance with the provisions of the German legislation.  The Contract and Schedule set out the entire agreement and understanding of the parties and replaces any previous contracts of employment between the parties (which shall be deemed to have been terminated by mutual consent).

 

27.3                           Termination of this contract of employment shall not affect any provisions which are intended to operate after termination.

 

27.4                           Each clause and sub-clause of this contract is separate and severable from the remaining provisions and enforceable accordingly.  If any provision of this contract shall be unenforceable for any reason but would be enforceable if part of the wording thereof were deleted, it shall apply with such deletions as may be necessary to make it enforceable.

 

27.5                           The validity construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by German legislation (and the parties hereby submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the German Courts).

 

27.6                          Any notice to be given by a party under this Agreement must be in writing and must be given by delivery at or sending by registered post.  Notices to us should be addressed to our registered office.

 

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