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:
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.
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 Unknown Claims This Agreement is intended to be effective as a general release of and bar to each and every Claim hereinabove specified. Accordingly, Executive hereby expressly waives any rights and benefits conferred by Section 1542 of the California Civil Code and any similar provision of any other applicable state law as to the Claims. Section 1542 of the California Civil Code provides: “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 acknowledges that Executive later may discover claims, demands, causes of action or facts in addition to or different from those which Executive now knows or believes to exist with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and which, if known or suspected at the time of executing this Agreement, may have materially affected its terms. Nevertheless, Executive hereby waives, as to the Claims, any claims, demands, and causes of action that might arise as a result of such different or additional claims, demands, causes of action or facts.
Unknown Claims Executive acknowledges that Executive has been advised to consult with legal counsel and that Executive is familiar with the principle that a general release does not extend to claims that the releaser does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release, which, if known by him or her, must have materially affected his or her settlement with the releasee. Executive, being aware of this principle, agrees to expressly waive any rights Executive may have to that effect, as well as under any other statute or common law principles of similar effect.]3
Specific Release of ADEA Claims In further consideration of the payments and benefits provided to Executive under the Employment Agreement, the Releasors hereby unconditionally release and forever discharge the Releasees from any and all Claims that the Releasors may have as of the date Executive signs this Agreement arising under the Federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (“ADEA”). By signing this Agreement, Executive hereby acknowledges and confirms the following: (i) Executive was, and is hereby, advised by the Company in connection with his termination to consult with an attorney of his choice prior to signing this Agreement and to have such attorney explain to Executive the terms of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the terms relating to Executive’s release of claims arising under ADEA, and Executive has in fact consulted with an attorney; (ii) Executive was given a period of not fewer than 21 days to consider the terms of this Agreement and to consult with an attorney of his choosing with respect thereto; (iii) Executive knowingly and voluntarily accepts the terms of this Agreement; (iv) the payments and benefits provided to Executive in consideration of this release are in addition to any amounts otherwise owed to Executive; and (v) this Agreement is written in a manner designed to be understood by Executive and he understands it. Executive also understands that he has seven days following the date on which he signs this Agreement within which to revoke the release contained in this paragraph, by providing the Company a written notice of his revocation of the release and waiver contained in this paragraph.
Claims Not Released Notwithstanding the foregoing, this general release (the “Release”) shall not operate to release any rights or claims of the undersigned (i) to payments or benefits under Section 4(b)-(d) of that certain Employment Agreement, dated as of July [ ], 2021, between the Company and the undersigned (the “Employment Agreement”), with respect to the payments and benefits provided in exchange for this Release, (ii) to payments or benefits under any equity award agreement between the undersigned and the Company, (iii) with respect to Section 2(b)(vi) of the Employment Agreement, (iv) to accrued or vested benefits the undersigned may have, if any, as of the date hereof under any applicable plan, policy, practice, program, contract or agreement with the Company, (v) to any Claims, including Claims for indemnification and/or advancement of expenses arising under any indemnification agreement between the undersigned and the Company or under the bylaws, certificate of incorporation or other similar governing document of the Company, (vi) to any Claims which cannot be waived by an employee under applicable law or (vii) with respect to the undersigned’s right to communicate directly with, cooperate with, or provide information to, any federal, state or local government regulator.
Release of Releasees
(1) Upon the Effective Date, and in consideration of payment of the Settlement Amount, and for other valuable consideration set forth in the Settlement Agreement, the Releasors forever and absolutely release the Releasees from the Released Claims that any of them, whether directly, indirectly, derivatively, or in any other capacity, ever had, now have, or hereafter can, shall, or may have.
RELEASE OF LIABILITY, WAIVER OF CLAIMS AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT In consideration of the Releasees allowing me to participate in wilderness activities I hereby agree as follows:
Release and Waiver of Claims (a) As used in this Release, the term “claims” will include all claims, covenants, warranties, promises, undertakings, actions, suits, causes of action, obligations, debts, accounts, attorneys’ fees, judgments, losses and liabilities, of whatsoever kind or nature, in law, in equity, or otherwise.
(b) For and in consideration of the Severance Benefits (as defined in the Change in Control Severance Agreement), and other good and valuable consideration, you, for and on behalf of yourself and your heirs, administrators, executors, and assigns, effective as of the Effective Date, do fully and forever release, remise, and discharge the Company, its direct and indirect parents, subsidiaries and affiliates, and their respective successors and assigns, together with their respective officers, directors, partners, stockholders, employees, and agents (collectively, the “Group”), from any and all claims whatsoever up to the date hereof which you had, may have had, or now have against the Group, whether known or unknown, for or by reason of any matter, cause or thing whatsoever, including any claim arising out of or attributable to your employment or the termination of your employment with the Company, whether for tort, breach of express or implied employment contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, wrongful termination, unjust dismissal, defamation, libel or slander, or under any federal, state or local law dealing with discrimination based on age, race, sex, national origin, handicap, religion, disability or sexual orientation. This release of claims includes, but is not limited to, all claims arising under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Family Medical Leave Act, and the Equal Pay Act, each as may be amended from time to time, and all other federal, state and local laws, the common law and any other purported restriction on an employer’s right to terminate the employment of employees.
(c) You acknowledge and agree that as of the date you execute this Release, you have no knowledge of any facts or circumstances that give rise or could give rise to any claims under any of the laws listed in the preceding paragraph.
(d) You specifically release all claims relating to your employment and its termination under ADEA, a United States federal statute that, among other things, prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in employment and employee benefit plans.
(e) Notwithstanding any provision of this Release to the contrary, by executing this Release, you are not releasing any claims relating to: (i) your rights with respect to the Severance Benefits and any other rights under your Change in Control Severance Agreement or any other written agreement by and between you and the Company that survive the termination of your employment; (ii) any rights to accrued, vested benefits that you have under the employee benefit and fringe benefit plans, programs and arrangements of the Group; (iii) any claims that cannot be waived by law and any claims that may arise after the date on which you sign this Release; (iv) any rights that you have as a stockholder of the Company or an equity holder of any member of the Group; or (v) any indemnification rights (including advancement and reimbursement of legal fees and expenses) you may have as a former officer or director of the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates or coverage under directors and officers liability insurance.
