Mutual Release of Claims a) Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, in consideration for the payments and benefits specified in this Agreement, Executive hereby releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company, its parents and subsidiaries, and their officers, directors, agents, servants, employees, shareholders, successors, assigns and affiliates (the “Released Parties,”) of and from any and all claims, liabilities, demands, causes of action, costs, expenses, attorneys’ fees, damages, indemnities and obligations of every kind and nature, in law, equity or otherwise, known and unknown, suspected and unsuspected, disclosed and undisclosed (other than any claim for indemnification Executive may have as a result of any third party action against Executive based on Executive’s employment with the Company or any other right expressly excluded herein), arising out of or in any way related to agreements, events, acts or conduct at any time prior to signing the Agreement, including, but not limited to: all such claims and demands directly or indirectly arising out of or in any way connected with Executive’s employment with the Company or the termination of that employment, including, but not limited to, claims of intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, any and all tort claims for personal injury, claims or demands related to salary, bonuses, commissions, stock, stock options or any other ownership interests in the Company, vacation pay, fringe benefits, expense reimbursements, severance pay, or any other form of compensation; and claims pursuant to any federal, state or local law or cause of action including, but not limited to, the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended (“ADEA”), the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, as amended, tort law, contract law, wrongful discharge, discrimination, fraud, defamation, emotional distress, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; provided, however, that nothing here shall be construed in any way to: (1) release the Company from its obligation to indemnify the Executive pursuant to the Company’s indemnification obligation pursuant to written agreement or applicable law; (2) release any claim against the Company relating to this Agreement or the Executive’s rights hereunder; (3) release any claim that cannot be waived by private agreement as a matter of law; (4) prohibit Executive from exercising any non-waivable right to file a charge with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”), or any other federal, state or local government agency; provided, however, that Executive shall not be entitled to recover any monetary damages or to obtain non-monetary relief if the agency were to pursue any claims relating to Executive’s employment with the Company. In giving the general release of claims herein, which includes claims that may be unknown to Executive at present, Executive acknowledges that Executive has read and understands Section 1542 of the California Civil Code, which reads as follows: “A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release and that, if known by him or her, would have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor or released party.” Executive hereby expressly waives and relinquishes all rights and benefits under that section and any law of any other jurisdiction of similar effect with respect to the releases granted herein, including, without limitation, the release of unknown and unsuspected claims granted herein.
