THOMAS & BETTS CORP
SEVERANCE LETTER DTD 12-1-00
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-10.29
<SEQUENCE>8
<FILENAME>a2040384zex-10_29.txt
<DESCRIPTION>SEVERANCE LETTER DTD 12-1-00
<TEXT>

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                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.29

                    [THOMAS & BETTS CORPORATION LETTERHEAD]

December 1, 2000

Mr. Gregory M. Langston
9528 Ednam Cove
Germantown, TN  38139

                                   RE:      EMPLOYMENT STATUS AND CONDITIONS OF
                                            TERMINATION FROM THOMAS & BETTS
Dear Greg:

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

1.   Until January 1, 2001, you will continue to be employed by Thomas & Betts.
     During this time, you will be available by telephone or upon request in
     person to assist in our efforts to transition the international business to
     the new structure as well as on other matters within your competence,
     knowledge and experience. Following the completion of your employment
     period, you will be terminated.

2.   Your Employment Agreement dated November 3, 1997 is considered to be null
     and void as of January 1, 2001.

3.   You will receive a one-time, lump sum severance payment in the amount of
     $450,000 gross in the pay period immediately following your termination. In
     addition, you will receive payment for any earned and unused and/or accrued
     vacation benefits.

4.   At the time of the above payment a deduction will be made representing full
     repayment of the outstanding loan in the amount of $3,348 as documented in
     the attached Promissory Note. In addition, the $50,000 loan payment made to
     you in May of 1998 is forgiven.

5.   Upon your termination, 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 termination on January 1, 2001 will be
     treated as a `retirement' in accordance with the Grant Agreement.
     Specifically, Options may be exercised in full at any time within six (6)
     years of the date of termination, 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.

6.   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 termination on January 1,
     2001 be released to you as of the time the restrictions lapse. It is
     intended that, in accordance with past practices, the awards will

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     be released as per the original schedules if you have not violated Sections
     10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 below.

7.   I have recommended and the Human Resource Committee has approved 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 eleven (11) years, and such additional months as
     appropriate, of service.

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

         a. Executive Retirement Plan benefits as outlined in paragraph 7
         above. A preliminary calculation is provided (Attachment A).

         b. Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, for you and your current
         covered dependents, for a period of five years commencing on the day
         following your termination date subject to the provisions of section
         11. 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 five-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).

9.   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
     termination.

10.  You will notify Thomas & Betts if you are 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
     two years from the date of your termination. You have agreed with the
     obligations set forth in the Employment Proprietary Information and
     Invention Agreement (a copy of which is attached as Attachment B). The
     Company hereby waives any and all restrictions of non-compete as set forth
     in paragraph 8 of the Agreement, however, you understand and agree that the
     waiver of this paragraph in no way affects any obligation you have under
     any other provisions of the Employment Proprietary Information Agreement.
     You 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.

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11.  You will notify us upon acceptance of any offer of employment obtained.
     In such event, the following will apply:

         a. Comprehensive coverage for medical and dental benefits will cease
         upon your participation in such plans by your new employer if
         available. In the event the coverage provided by your new employer
         includes any limitation on coverage of a pre-existing condition, then
         your coverage for that condition under the Thomas & Betts plan will
         continue uninterrupted, but will be secondary to the coverage provided
         under the plans of your new employer.

         b. You will secure from your new employer an agreement to make you
         available at reasonable times in order to fulfill your obligations
         under section 12 of this agreement.

12.  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.

13.  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 funds due to be paid upon the completion of your
     employment which the Board's Human Resources Committee would otherwise
     approve.

14.  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.

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

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

16.  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,

/s/ T. KEVIN DUNNIGAN
------------------------
T. Kevin Dunnigan
Chairman and C.E.O.

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                                  Agreed:      /s/ GREGORY M. LANGSTON
                                               --------------------------
                                               Gregory M. Langston

                                  Date:        January 9, 2001
                                               --------------------------
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