NOTE 14 - COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Employment Agreements

On June 14, 2018, the Company entered into a two (2) year Employment Agreement (the “Phipps Agreement”) with Mr. Phipps, with an automatic one (1) year extension. Under the Phipps Agreement, Mr. Phipps will serve as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President and will receive an annual base salary equal to the sum of $170,000 and £48,000 to be paid through our operating subsidiary, GTCL. For the year ended December 31, 2018, the £48,000 equivalent to USD is $62,219 and the yearly conversion rate is 1.296229. The Phipps Agreement provides for a performance bonus based on exceeding our annual revenue goals and on our ability to attract new investment. The Phipps Agreement also provides for medical plan coverage, an auto allowance, paid vacation, and discretionary stock grants and option awards. In the event of termination without cause, termination as a result of a change in control, or resignation with good reason (as defined in the Phipps Agreement), Mr. Phipps will be entitled to a severance equal to twice his base salary, the immediate vesting of all unvested options, and other benefits. The Phipps Agreement terminates and supersedes the Original Phipps Agreement (as defined below) and any subsequent amendments, effective as of the June 14, 2018.

Previously the Company had a two-year Executive Employment Agreement with Mr. Phipps, effective January 1, 2016 (the “Original Phipps Agreement”). Under the Original Phipps Agreement, Mr. Phipps agreed to serve as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President and received an annual base salary equal to the sum of $144,000 and £48,000, or $61,293 at the yearly conversion rate of 1.276933. Mr. Phipps was also eligible for bonus compensation in an amount equal to up to fifty (50%) percent of his then-current base salary if the Company meets or exceeds criteria adopted by the Compensation Committee, if any, or Board and equity awards as may be approved in the discretion of the Compensation Committee or Board. On January 1, 2018, the Original Phipps Agreement automatically renewed for another year.

Also, on June 14, 2018, we entered into a new Employment Agreement (“Carlise Agreement”) with our Chief Financial Officer, Theresa Carlise. The Carlise Agreement is for a period of two (2) years, with an automatic one (1) year extension. Ms. Carlise’s base salary is $150,000 per year. The Carlise Agreement provides for performance bonuses based on exceeding our annual revenue goals and on our ability to attract new investment. The Carlise Agreement also provides for medical plan coverage, an auto allowance, paid vacation, and discretionary stock grants and option awards. In the event of termination without cause, termination as a result of a change in control, or resignation with good reason (as defined in the Carlise Agreement), Ms. Carlise will be entitled to a severance equal to twice her base salary, the immediate vesting of all unvested options, and other benefits. The Carlise Agreement terminates and supersedes the Original Carlise Agreement (as defined below) and any subsequent amendments, effective as of the June 14, 2018.

Prior to June 14, 2018, the Company had a one-year agreement with Ms. Carlise, as its Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary (the “Original Carlise Agreement”). The Original Carlise Agreement provided for an annual compensation of $140,000 as well as medical benefits. The Original Carlise Agreement was effective December 1, 2016 and had an automatic renewal clause pursuant to which the Original Carlise Agreement renews itself for another year, if not cancelled by the Company previously. The Original Carlise Agreement had been automatically extended for an additional term of one year on December 1, 2017. In addition to the base salary of $140,000 annually, Ms. Carlise was eligible to receive an annual cash bonus if the Company meets or exceeds criteria adopted by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and shall be eligible for grants of awards under stock option or other equity incentive plans of the Company.

On March 13, 2020, the Company and David Phipps and Theresa Carlise, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, respectively, executed waivers of the provisions in their respective employment agreement requiring prior written notice of non-renewal to the other party. As a result, their respective employment terms with the Company will not be automatically extended as set forth in such employment agreements and will terminate as of June 14, 2020.

Consulting Agreements

On May 13, 2019, the Company entered into two consulting agreements (each, a “Consulting Agreement” and together, the “Consulting Agreements”) with unrelated third parties to provide capital raising advisory services and business growth and development services, each for a term of nine months. In exchange for such services, each consultant will receive (i) a Note in the amount of $44,000 issued pursuant to the Agreement, (ii) a Note in the amount of $12,500 with a maturity of three years bearing interest at a rate of 6% per annum with an optional right of conversion, (iii) payment of a retainer ranging from $10,000 to $30,000, and (iv) monthly payments ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 for nine months. On August 29, 2019, one of the consulting agreements was extended for another three months to expire on February 13, 2020 and the other was extended on September 1, 2019 for another two months to expire on January 13, 2020.

Lease Agreement

Effective July 24, 2019, a three-year lease was signed for 2,660 square feet for £25,536 annually, for our facilities in Poole, England for £2,128 per month, or $2,717 per month at the yearly average conversion rate of 1.276933, or $2,822 using exchange rate close at December 31, 2019 of 1.3262. The lease has been renewed until July 23, 2022.

Such leases do not require any contingent rental payments, impose any financial restrictions, or contain any residual value guarantees. Variable expenses generally represent the Company’s share of the landlord’s operating expenses. The Company does not have any leases classified as financing leases.

The rate implicit in each lease is not readily determinable, and we therefore use our incremental borrowing rate to determine the present value of the lease payments. The weighted average incremental borrowing rate used to determine the initial value of right of use (ROU) assets and lease liabilities during the year ended December 31, 2019 was 6.00%, derived from borrowing rate, as obtained from the Company’s current lenders. Right of use assets for operating leases are periodically reduced by impairment losses. We use the long-lived assets impairment guidance in ASC Subtopic 360-10, Property, Plant, and Equipment – Overall, to determine whether an ROU asset is impaired, and if so, the amount of the impairment loss to recognize. As of December 31, 2019, we have not recognized any impairment losses for our ROU assets.

We monitor for events or changes in circumstances that require a reassessment of one of our leases. When a reassessment results in the remeasurement of a lease liability, a corresponding adjustment is made to the carrying amount of the corresponding ROU asset unless doing so would reduce the carrying amount of the ROU asset to an amount less than zero. In that case, the amount of the adjustment that would result in a negative ROU asset balance is recorded in profit or loss.

At December 31, 2019, the Company had current and long-term operating lease liabilities of $29,237 and $51,620, respectively, and right of use assets of $83,679.

Future minimum lease payments under these leases are as follows, in thousands, (unaudited):

In the Company’s financial statements for periods prior to January 1, 2019, the Company accounts for leases under ASC 840, and provides for rent expense on a straight-line basis over the lease terms. Net rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 were $31,563 and $27,851, respectively.

Litigation

From time to time, the Company may become involved in litigation relating to claims arising out of our operations in the normal course of business. The Company is not currently involved in any pending legal proceeding or litigation and, to the best of our knowledge, no governmental authority is contemplating any proceeding to which the Company is a party or to which any of the Company’s properties is subject, which would reasonably be likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and operating results.