California Law This Agreement shall be subject to and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.
California Civil Code Section 1542 Executive acknowledges that he has been advised to consult with legal counsel and is familiar with the provisions of California Civil Code Section 1542, a statute that otherwise prohibits the release of unknown claims, which provides as follows: A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR 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 DEBTOR. Executive, being aware of said code section, agrees to expressly waive any rights he may have thereunder, as well as under any other statute or common law principles of similar effect.
Section 409A of the Code Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at the time of the Executive’s termination of employment with the Company, the Company has determined that the Executive is a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A of the Code and any severance payments and benefits to Executive are considered a “deferral of compensation” under Section 409A of the Code (the “Deferred Payments”), such Deferred Payments that are otherwise payable within the first six months following the Termination Date will become payable on the first business day of the seventh month following the Executive’s Termination Date, or if earlier the date of the Executive’s death. In the event that payments under this Agreement are deferred pursuant to this Section 14(h), then such payments shall be paid at the time specified in this Section 14(h) without interest. The Company shall consult with the Executive in good faith regarding the implementation of the provisions of this Section 14(h) provided, that neither the Company nor any of its employees or representatives shall have any liability to the Executive with respect thereto. Any amount under this Agreement that satisfies the requirements of the “short-term deferral” rule set forth in Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) of the Treasury Regulations will not constitute Deferred Payments for purposes of this Agreement. Any amounts scheduled for payment hereunder when they are ordinarily paid out or when they are made to other executive officers, will nonetheless be paid to Executive on or before March 15th of the year following the year when the payment is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, the right to a series of installment payments under this Agreement shall be treated as a right to a series of separate payments, and references herein to the Executive’s termination of employment shall refer to Executive’s separation of services with the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, except to the extent any expense, reimbursement or in-kind benefit provided pursuant to this Agreement does not constitute a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code: (x) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits provided to the Executive during any calendar year will not affect the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits provided to the Executive in any other calendar year, (y) the reimbursements for expenses for which the Executive is entitled to be reimbursed shall be made on or before the last day of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the applicable expense is incurred, and (z) the right to payment or reimbursement or in-kind benefits hereunder may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit.