Exhibit 10.15

SEPARATION AND RELEASE AGREEMENT

This Separation and Release Agreement (this “Agreement”) is by and between Patrick Harkleroad (“Individual”), and Amergent Hospitality Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Individual has been employed by the Company as the position of Chief Financial Officer, and in that capacity, has provided services to the Company.

WHEREAS, the initial term of the Individual’s Employment Contract, dated January 7, 2019, ended December 31, 2020 (“Employment Contract”).

WHEREAS, Individual provided written Resignation Notice to the Board of the Company on November 24, 2020. As stated in this Resignation notice, though Individual did not provide the required 90-day notice period under his Employment Contract, Individual provided the Company the option to retain his services for a period of up to six months upon mutually agreeable terms between the Company and the Individual after December 31, 2020.

WHEREAS, the Company’s board of directors waived the 90-day notice of non-renewal required pursuant to the Employment Contract, at Individual’s request, and accepted Individual’s resignation of employment effective December 31, 2020.

WHEREAS, Individual provided a transition list of items to the Company via email on November 24, 2020 to help define what duties need to be transitioned to a new Chief Financial Officer and Controller for the Company (“Transition List”);

WHEREAS, the parties desire to enter into this Agreement to reflect their mutual undertakings, promises, and agreements concerning the post-termination services Individual will provide to the Company and the separation benefits to be provided to Individual upon or by reason of such separation from employment.

NOW, THEREFORE, in exchange for the valuable consideration paid or given under this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt, adequacy, and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties knowingly and voluntarily agree to the following terms:

TERMS

Severance Pay. The Company has paid Individual “Separation Pay” in the amount of (i.) $6,236.29 (less applicable withholding) on January 15^th, and (ii) $6,238.29 on January 29^th , represents a sum equal to the Individual’s regular pay through and including, January 24th 2021, plus the Company shall pay Individual (ii) the sum of twenty two thousand five hundred dollars ($22,500.00) (less applicable withholding), payable in equal installments consistent with the Company’s regular payroll periods, beginning with the payroll period ending on or about February 12^th through and including the April 9^th payroll period. In addition, and provided Individual has supplied the Transition Services (as defined below) to the Company’s reasonable satisfaction and has signed after April 1, 2021 and left unrevoked the Supplemental Release attached hereto as Exhibit A, The Company will pay Individual an additional fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00) on May 15th. Unless the Company provides written notification to the Individual that the Individual has not provided the Transition Services to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company with specifics as to what issues need to be addressed, with the ability for the Individual to cure said issues within a reasonable timeframe, the above Severance Payments will be paid.

By signing below, Individual hereby certifies that Individual has migrated all work product to the Company’s server and has not retained any copies on Individual’s devices or laptop computer.

By signing below, Individual represents and warrants that he has provided the Company with a list of all passwords related to Company related accounts and/or password protected information.

The parties acknowledge and agree that it was the responsibility of previous CFO, Eric Lederer, to process payroll prior to his termination Individual was not given full access to process the Company’s payroll until after Eric Lederer’s termination date.

Individual agrees that the confidentiality and non-disparagement provision in this Agreement prevent him from discussing matters related to the Company with vendors, press, or others and he shall direct all inquiries to Mike Pruitt for response.

(a) this Agreement shall not in any manner constitute an admission of liability or wrongdoing on the part of Individual, the Company or any of the other Released Parties;

(b) Individual and the Company and the other Released Parties expressly deny any such liability or wrongdoing; and, (c) except to the extent necessary to enforce this Agreement, neither this Agreement nor any part of it may be construed, used, or admitted into evidence in any judicial, administrative, or arbitral proceedings as an admission of any kind by Individual, the Company or any of the other Released Parties.

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AGREED as of the Effective Date:

	COMPANY:
	Amergent Hospitality Group, Inc.
	By:
	Name:	Michael D. Pruitt
	Title:	CEO
	Date:	March 26, 2021

	Patrick Harkleroad
	Date:

Exhibit A (This is to Be Signed ON OR AFTER 4/1/2021

SUPPLEMENTAL RELEASE AGREEMENT

This Supplemental Release Agreement (this “Agreement”) is by and between Patrick Harkleroad ( “Individual”), and Amergent Hospitality Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Individual was employed by the Company as the position of Chief Financial Officer, and in that capacity, has provided services to the Company.

WHEREAS, the parties then entered into a Separation and Release Agreement to reflect their mutual undertakings, promises, and agreements concerning the post-termination services Individual will provide to the Company and the separation benefits to be provided to Individual upon or by reason of such separation from employment.

NOW, THEREFORE, the post-termination services having concluded, and in consideration for payment to Individual of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00), and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt, adequacy, and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Individual hereby agrees as follows:

TERMS

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement but subject to Individual’s waiver in subparagraph 2(a) below, nothing in this Agreement is intended to, or does, preclude Individual from (i) contacting, reporting to, responding to an inquiry from, filing a charge or complaint with, communicating with, or otherwise participating in an investigation conducted by, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or any other federal, state, or local governmental agency, commi ssion, or regulatory body; (ii) giving truthful testimony or making statements under oath in response to a subpoena or other valid legal process or in any legal proceeding; (iii) otherwise making truthful statements as required by law or valid legal process; (iv) engaging in any concerted or other legally protected activities; or (v) disclosing a trade secret in confidence to a governmental official, directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, if the disclosure is made solely for the purpose ofreporting or investigating a suspected violation oflaw. Accordingly, Individual understands that he will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that (i) is made (A) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and (B) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (ii) is made in sworn testimony, a lawsuit or complaint, or document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Individual likewise understands that, if he files a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, he may disclose the Company’s trade secret(s) to his attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if he (i) files any document containing the trade secret under seal; and (ii) does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.

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AGREED as of the Effective Date: