Executive Change

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549   FORM 8-K   CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934   Date of Report: January 14, 2022 (Date of earliest event reported)   The Eastern Company (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)   Connecticut   001-35383   06-0330020 (State or other jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer of incorporation)       identification No.)   112 Bridge Street , Naugatuck , Connecticut   06770 (Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)   ( 203 ) 729-2255  (Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)   ________________________________________________ (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)   Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2)   ☐   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)   ☐   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)   ☐   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))   ☐   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4( c))   Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:   Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered Common Stock, No Par Value EML NASDAQ Global Market   Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).   Emerging Growth Company   ☐   If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.   ☐         Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.   On January 14, 2022, The Eastern Company (the “Company”) executed a Termination Agreement (the “Agreement”) with James P. Woidke, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer dated as of January 14, 2022.  The purpose of this agreement is to provide termination benefits to Mr. Woidke should he become terminated by the Company.      A copy of the Termination Agreement is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the Termination Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Termination Agreement.   Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.   (d) Exhibits   Exhibit No.   Title       10.1   Termination Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2022, between the Company and James P. Woidke.       104   Cover Page Interactive Data File (cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document)     2     SIGNATURES   Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.     The Eastern Company           Date: January 18, 2022 By: /s/John L. Sullivan III       John L. Sullivan III Vice President and Chief Financial Officer       3