General Release of All Claims (a) For valuable consideration, the adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned Executive, on his own behalf and on behalf of his heirs, executors, administrators, successors, representatives and assigns, does herein knowingly and voluntarily unconditionally release, waive, and fully discharge the Parent, the Company and each of their subsidiaries (including successors and assigns thereof) and all of their respective past, present and future employees, officers, directors, agents, affiliates, parents, predecessors, administrators, representatives, attorneys, and shareholders, and employee benefit plans, from any and all legal claims, liabilities, suits, causes of action (whether before a court or an administrative agency), damages, costs, attorneys’ fees, interest, injuries, expenses, debts, or demands of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, liquidated or unliquidated, absolute or contingent, at law or in equity, which were or could have been filed with any Federal, state or local court, agency, arbitrator or any other entity, based directly on indirectly on the Executive’s employment with and separation from the Company or based on any other alleged act or omission by or on behalf of the Parent, or the Company prior to the Executive’s signing this Noncompetition Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing terms, this Noncompetition Agreement and this Section providing a general release of all claims specifically includes all claims based on the terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, and those based on breach of contract (express or implied), tort, harassment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, negligence, privacy, employment discrimination, retaliation, discharge not for just cause, constructive discharge, wrongful discharge, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended (the “ADEA”), the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, as amended, Executive Order 11,141 (age discrimination), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and 1871, Section 1981 through 1988 of Title 42 of the United States Code, as amended, 41 U.S.C. Section 1981 (discrimination), 29 U.S.C. Section 206(d)(1) (equal pay), Executive Order 11,246 (race, color, religion, sex and national origin discrimination), the National Labor Relations Act, the Equal Pay Act of 1993, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, as amended, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Immigration Reforn and Control Act, as amended, the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act, Sections 503-504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (handicap rehabilitation), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, any federal, state or local fair employment, civil or human rights, wage and hour laws and wage payment laws, and any other Federal, state, local or other governmental statutes, laws, ordinances, regulations and orders, under common law, and under any Company policy, procedure, bylaw or rule. This Section 5 of the Noncompetition Agreement shall not waive or release any rights or claims that the Executive may have which arise after the date of this Noncompetition Agreement or that arise under or are preserved by the Agreement, and shall not waive any claims for benefits required by applicable law (including post-termination health-continuation insurance benefits required by state or Federal law) or claims arising under the terms of any applicable plan, program or other arrangement of the Company.
(b) The Executive intends this Section 5 of the Noncompetition Agreement to be binding on his successors, and the Executive specifically agrees not to file or continue any claim in respect of matters covered herein. The Executive further agrees never to institute any suit, complaint, proceeding, grievance or action of any kind at law, in equity, or otherwise in any court of the United States or in any state, or in any administrative agency of the United States or any state, county or municipality, or before any other tribunal, public or private, against the Company arising from or relating to his employment with or his termination of employment from the Company and/or any other occurrences to the date of this Noncompetition Agreement, other than a claim challenging the validity of this Section 5 of the Noncompetition Agreement under the ADEA or respecting any matters not covered herein.
(c) The Executive is further waiving his right to receive money or other relief in any action instituted by him or on his behalf by any person, entity or governmental agency in respect of matters covered by this Section 5. Nothing in this Section 5 shall limit the rights of any governmental agency or his right of access to, cooperation or participation with any governmental agency, including without limitation, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Executive further agrees to waive his rights under any other statute or regulation, state or federal, with provides that a general release does not extend to claims which the Executive does not know or suspect to exist in his favor at the time of executive this Noncompetition Agreement, which if known to him must have materially affected his settlement with the Company and/or the Parent.
(d) The Executive agrees that he shall not be eligible and shall not seek or apply for reinstatement or re-employment with the Company, and he agrees that any application for re-employment may be rejected without explanation or liability pursuant to this provision.
(e) In further consideration of the promises made by the Company and the Parent in this Noncompetition Agreement, the Executive specifically waives and releases such parties, to the extent set forth in this Section 5, from all claims the Executive may have as of the date of this Noncompetition Agreement, whether known or unknown, arising under the ADEA. The Executive further agrees that:
(1) the Executive’s waiver of rights under Section 5 of this Noncompetition Agreement is knowing and voluntary and in compliance with the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990 (“OWBPA”);
(2) the Executive understands the terms of this Section 5 of the Noncompetition Agreement;
(3) the consideration offered by the Company on its behalf and on behalf of the Parent under this Noncompetition Agreement and the Agreement in exchange for the general release of all claims in this Section 5 represents consideration over and above that to which the Executive would otherwise be entitled, and that the consideration would not have been provided had the Executive no agreed to sign this Noncompetition Agreement and did not sign it;
(4) the Company is hereby advising the Executive in writing to consult with an attorney prior to executing this Noncompetition Agreement;
(5) the Company is giving the Executive a period of twenty-one (21) days within which to consider this Noncompetition Agreement;
(6) following the Executive’s execution of this Noncompetition Agreement, the Executive has seen (7) days in which to revoke this Noncompetition Agreement by written notice. An attempted revocation not actually received by the Company prior to the revocation deadline will not be effective; and
(7) this Noncompetition Agreement, the Agreement, and all payments and benefits under either or both of them shall be void and of no force and effect if the Executive chooses to so revoke, and if the Executive chooses not to so revoke this Noncompetition Agreement and the Agreement then become effective and enforceable.
(f) This Section 5 does not waive rights or claims that may arise under the ADEA after the date the Executive signs this Noncompetition Agreement. To the extent barred by the OWBPA, the covenant not to xxx contained herein does not apply to claims under the ADEA that challenge the validity of this Section 5 of the Noncompetition Agreement.
(g) To revoke this Noncompetition Agreement, the Executive must send a written statement of revocation to: Aon Corporation, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Chicago, Illinois 60602, 3d Floor, attention General Counsel, with a copy to the Secretary. The revocation must be received no later than 5:00 pm on the seventh day following the Executive’s execution of this Noncompetition Agreement. If the Executive does not revoke, the eighth day following the Executive’s acceptance will be the “effective date” of this Noncompetition Agreement.
Waiver of Right to Jury Trial TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, THE PARTIES HEREBY KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT THAT THEY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LITIGATION ARISING IN ANY WAY IN CONNECTION WITH ANY OF THE TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS, OR ANY OTHER STATEMENTS OR ACTIONS OF THE COMPANY OR THE PURCHASERS. THE PARTIES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED IN THE SIGNING OF THIS AGREEMENT AND IN THE MAKING OF THIS WAIVER BY INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL SELECTED OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL. THE PARTIES FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGE THAT (I) THEY HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE MEANING AND RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER, (II) THIS WAIVER HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY THE PARTIES AND THEIR COUNSEL AND IS A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT FOR ENTRY INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND (III) THIS WAIVER SHALL BE EFFECTIVE AS TO EACH OF SUCH TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS AS IF FULLY INCORPORATED THEREIN.
Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Trial by Jury THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE AGREEMENT, THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE PARTIES, AND/OR THE INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF THE PARTIES WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES OTHER THAN SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, EACH OF THE PURCHASER AND THE MORTGAGE LOAN SELLER HEREBY IRREVOCABLY (I) SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY NEW YORK STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN IN NEW YORK CITY WITH RESPECT TO MATTERS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT; (II) AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS WITH RESPECT TO ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING REGARDING SUCH MATTERS MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE OR FEDERAL COURTS; (III) WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST POSSIBLE EXTENT, WITH RESPECT TO SUCH COURTS, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM; (IV) AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW; AND (V) WAIVES TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, CLAIM, SUIT, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) RELATING TO OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT.
Governing Law; Injunctive Relief; Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Trial by Jury 9.9.1 THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY NON-CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW THAT WOULD HAVE THE EFFECT OF GIVING EFFECT TO THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION).
9.9.2 Each party acknowledges that it would be impossible to determine the amount of damages that would result from any breach of any of the provisions of this Agreement and that the remedy at Law for any breach, or threatened breach, of any of such provisions would likely be inadequate and, accordingly, agrees that each other party, in addition to any other rights or remedies which it may have, shall be entitled to seek such equitable and injunctive relief as may be available from any court of competent jurisdiction to compel specific performance of, or restrain any party from violating, any of such provisions. In connection with any action or Proceeding for equitable and injunctive relief permitted hereunder, each party hereby waives the claim or defense that a remedy at Law alone is adequate and, to the maximum extent permitted by Law, agrees to have each provision of this Agreement specifically enforced against it, without the necessity of posting bond or other security against it, and consents to the entry of equitable and injunctive relief against it enjoining or restraining any breach or threatened breach of such provisions of this Agreement.
9.9.3 Each of the parties hereto (i) consents to submit itself to the personal jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York or the courts of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan in connection with any dispute that arises out of this Agreement or the Sale, (ii) agrees that it will not attempt to deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction by motion or other request for leave from any such court and (iii) agrees that it will not bring any action relating to this Agreement (or any other agreement contemplated hereby) in any court other than the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York or the courts of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan unless venue would not be proper under rules applicable in such courts. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, a party may commence any such action in a court other than the above-named courts solely for the purpose of enforcing an order or judgment issued by one of the above-named courts.
9.9.4 EACH PARTY HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT TO ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT (OR ANY OTHER AGREEMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREBY).
Release of All Claims In consideration of receiving from Heartland Bancshares, Inc. (“Company”), the payments and benefits provided for in the Change in Control Agreement, dated as of July 19, 2004 (“Change in Control Agreement”) between the Company and the undersigned (“Executive”), which payments and benefits the Executive was not otherwise entitled to receive (except for the benefits provided in Subsection 4(a)), the Executive unconditionally releases and discharges the Company from any and all claims, causes of action, demands, lawsuits or other charges whatsoever, known or unknown, directly or indirectly related to the Executive’s employment with the Company, except as otherwise provided herein. The claims or actions released herein include, but are not limited to, those based on allegations of wrongful discharge, breach of contract, promissory estoppel, defamation, infliction of emotional distress, and those alleging discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis, including, but not limited to, any claim or action under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or any other federal, state, or local law, rule, ordinance, or regulation as presently enacted or adopted and as each may hereafter be amended; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE EXECUTIVE DOES NOT WAIVE RIGHTS OR CLAIMS THAT MAY ARISE AFTER THE DATE OF THIS RELEASE, OR RIGHTS OR CLAIMS THAT ARISE EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE DATE OF THIS RELEASE OUT OF CLAIMS FOR BENEFITS UNDER ANY EMPLOYEE PENSION, WELFARE, OR BENEFIT PLAN OR PROGRAM OF THE COMPANY OR AS A RESULT OF THE COMPANY’S BREACH OF THE CHANGE IN CONTROL AGREEMENT. With respect to any claim that Executive might have under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended:
Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.
Right to Join Employees shall have the right to form and join labor or employee organizations, and shall have the right not to form and join such organizations. Employees in an appropriate unit shall have the right by secret ballot to designate an exclusive representative for the purpose of negotiating grievance procedures and the terms and conditions of employment for employees of such unit with the School Board.
Release and Covenant Not to Sue 7.1. As of the Settlement Effective Date, the Plan (subject to Independent Fiduciary approval as required by Section 2.1) and the Class Members (and their respective heirs, beneficiaries, executors, administrators, estates, past and present partners, officers, directors, agents, attorneys, predecessors, successors, and assigns), on their own behalf and on behalf of the Plan, shall fully, finally, and forever settle, release, relinquish, waive, and discharge all Released Parties from the Released Claims, whether or not such Class Members have received or will receive a monetary benefit from the Settlement, whether or not such Class Members have actually received the Settlement Notice, whether or not such Class Members have filed an objection to the Settlement or to any application by Class Counsel for an award of Attorneys’ Fees and Costs, and whether or not the objections or claims for distribution of such Class Members have been approved or allowed.
7.2. As of the Settlement Effective Date, the Class Representatives, the Class Members and the Plan (subject to Independent Fiduciary approval as required by Section 2.1), expressly agree that they, acting individually or together, or in combination with others, shall not sue or seek to institute, maintain, prosecute, argue, or assert in any action or proceeding (including but not limited to an IRS determination letter proceeding, a Department of Labor proceeding, an arbitration or a proceeding before any state insurance or other department or commission), any cause of action, demand, or claim on the basis of, connected with, or arising out of any of the Released Claims. Nothing herein shall preclude any action to enforce the terms of this Settlement Agreement in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Settlement Agreement.
7.3. Class Counsel, the Class Representatives, Class Members, or the Plan may hereafter discover facts in addition to or different from those that they know or believe to be true with respect to the Released Claims. Such facts, if known by them, might have affected the decision to settle with the Released Parties, or the decision to release, relinquish, waive, and discharge the Released Claims, or the decision of a Class Member not to object to the Settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Class Member and the Plan shall expressly, upon the entry of the Final Order, be deemed to have, and, by operation of the Final Order, shall have fully, finally, and forever settled, released, relinquished, waived, and discharged any and all Released Claims. The Class Representatives, Class Members and the Plan acknowledge and shall be deemed by operation of the Final Order to have acknowledged that the foregoing waiver was bargained for separately and is a key element of the Settlement embodied in this Settlement Agreement of which this release is a part.
7.4. Each Class Representative, each Class Member, and the Plan hereby stipulate and agree with respect to any and all Released Claims that, upon entry of the Final Order, the Class Members shall be conclusively deemed to, and by operation of the Final Order shall, settle, release, relinquish, waive, and discharge any and all rights or benefits they may now have, or in the future may have, under any law relating to the releases of unknown claims pertaining specifically to Section 1542 of the California Civil Code, which provides: A general release does not extend to claims which 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. Also, the Class Representatives, Class Members and the Plan shall, upon entry of the Final Order with respect to the Released Claims, waive any and all provisions, rights and benefits conferred by any law or of any State or territory within the United States or any foreign country, or any principle of common law, which is similar, comparable or equivalent in substance to Section 1542 of the California Civil Code.
Release of Unknown Claims Employee expressly waives and relinquishes all rights and benefits afforded by any statute (including, but not limited to, Section 1542 of the Civil Code of the State of California and analogous laws of other states), which limits the effect of a release with respect to unknown claims. Employee does so understanding and acknowledging the significance of the release of unknown claims and the waiver of statutory protection against a release of unknown claims (including, but not limited to, Section 1542). Section 1542 of the Civil Code of the State of California states as follows: “A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH 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.” Thus, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1542 or of any similar statute, and for the purpose of implementing a full and complete release and discharge of the Company Releasees, Employee expressly acknowledges that this Agreement is intended to include in its effect, without limitation, all Claims which are known and all Claims which Employee does not know or suspect to exist in Employee’s favor at the time of execution of this Agreement and that this Agreement contemplates the extinguishment of all such Claims. Employee acknowledges that he/she might hereafter discover facts different from, or in addition to, those Employee now knows or believes to be true with respect to a Claim or Claims released herein, and they expressly agree to assume the risk of possible discovery of additional or different facts, and agree that this Agreement shall be and remain effective, in all respects, regardless of such additional or different discovered facts.
Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
