Release
You, for yourself, your spouse and your agents, successors, heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, hereby irrevocably and unconditionally forever release and discharge Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (the “Company”), its parents, divisions, subsidiaries and affiliates and its and their current and former owners, directors, officers, stockholders, insurers, benefit plans, representatives, agents and employees, and each of their predecessors, successors, and assigns (collectively, the “Releasees”), from any and all actual or potential claims or liabilities of any kind or nature, including, but not limited to, any claims arising out of or related to your employment and separation from employment with the Company and any services that you provided to the Company; any claims for salary, commissions, bonuses, other severance pay, vacation pay, allowances or other compensation, or for any benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) (except for vested ERISA benefits); any claims for discrimination, harassment or retaliation of any kind or based upon any legally protected classification or activity; any claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §1981, 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the Family Medical Leave Act and any similar state law, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and any similar state law, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681, et seq., the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, 29 U.S.C. § 2101, et seq., the Equal Pay Act and any similar state law, including the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, Cal. Labor Code § 1400, et seq., the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, Cal. Gov’t Code § 12940, et seq., California Government Code Section 12900 et seq. (which prohibits discrimination based on protected characteristics including race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, language restrictions, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, age, and denial of leave), California Civil Code Section 51 et seq. (which prohibits discrimination based on age, sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, marital status, or sexual orientation), the California Family Rights Act of 1993, the California Equal Pay Law, Cal. Lab. Code § 1197.5, et seq. or any California wage payment law, any other section of the California Labor Code, any section of the applicable Order of the California Industrial Welfare Commission, the Maryland Equal Pay Act, Title 20 of the State Government Article of the Maryland Annotated Code, as well as any amendments to any such laws; any claims for any violation of any federal or state constitutions or executive orders; any claims for wrongful or constructive discharge, violation of public policy, breach of contract or promise (oral, written, express or implied), personal injury not covered by workers’ compensation benefits, misrepresentation, negligence, fraud, estoppel, defamation, infliction of emotional distress, contribution and any claims under any other federal, state or local law, including those not specifically listed in this Release, that you, your heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns now have, ever had or may hereafter have, whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, up to and including the date of your execution of this Release.
- 16 -
For the purpose of implementing a full and complete release and discharge of the Releasees as set forth above, you acknowledge that this Release is intended to include in its effect, without limitation, all claims known or unknown that you have or may have against the Releasees which arise out of or relate to your employment, including but not limited to compensation, performance or termination of employment with the Company, except for, and notwithstanding anything in this Release to the contrary, claims which cannot be released solely by private agreement. This Release also excludes any claims relating to any right you may have to payments due following your termination date under the Employment Agreement, entered into as of March 2, 2021, by and between the Company and you, any claim for workers’ compensation benefits or benefit entitlements to vested benefits under the Company’s group health, insurance and retirement plans, and claims relating to any rights you may have as a stockholder of the Company, and any rights you may have to indemnification or directors’ and officers’ liability insurance under the Company’s bylaws or certificate of incorporation, any indemnification agreement to which you are a party or beneficiary or applicable law, as a result of having served as an officer, director or employee of the Company or any of its affiliates. You further acknowledge and agree that you have received all leave of absence and reinstatement benefits to which you were entitled through the date of your execution of this Release, and that you were not subjected to any improper treatment, conduct or actions as a result of a request for leave of absence or reinstatement.
You further acknowledge that you have read Section 1542 of the Civil Code of the State of California, which provides 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.
You understand that Section 1542 gives you the right not to release existing claims of which you are not now aware, unless you voluntarily choose to waive this right. Even though you are aware of this right, you nevertheless hereby voluntarily waive the right described in Section 1542 and any other statutes of similar effect, and elect to assume all risks for claims that now exist in your favor, known or unknown, arising from the subject matter of the Release. You acknowledge that different or additional facts may be discovered in addition to what you now know or believe to be true with respect to the matters released in this Release, and you agree that this Release will be and remain in effect in all respects as a complete and final release of the matters released, notwithstanding any such different or additional facts.
Nothing contained herein shall prohibit you from reporting possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity, including but not limited to the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, any Inspector General, or making other disclosures protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal
- 17 -
law or regulation. You do not need the prior authorization of the Company to make any such reports or disclosures and you are not required to notify the Company that you have made such reports or disclosures.
You affirm, by signing this Release, that you have not suffered any unreported injury or illness arising from your employment, and that you have not filed, with any federal, state, or local court or agency, any actions or charges against the Releasees relating to or arising out of your employment with or separation from the Company. You further agree that while this Release does not preclude you from filing a charge with the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) or a similar state or local agency, or from participating in any investigation or proceeding with them, you do waive your right to personally recover monies or reinstatement as a result of any complaint or charge filed against the Company with the NLRB, EEOC or any federal, state or local court or agency, except as to any action to enforce or challenge this Release, to recover any vested benefits under ERISA, or to recover workers’ compensation benefits.
You acknowledge:
| |
(a) | That you were provided [twenty-one (21) / forty-five (45)] full days during which to consider whether to sign this Release. If you have signed this Agreement prior to the expiration of the [21-day / 45-day] period, you have voluntarily elected to forego the remainder of that period. |
| |
(b) | That you have carefully read and fully understand all of the terms of this Release. |
| |
(c) | That you understand that by signing this Release, you are waiving your rights under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended by the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, 29 U.S.C. § 621, et seq., and that you are not waiving any rights arising after the date that this Release is signed. |
| |
(d) | That you have been given an opportunity to consult with anyone you choose, including an attorney, about this Release. |
| |
(e) | That you understand fully the terms and effect of this Release and know of no claim that has not been released by this Release. And, you further acknowledge that you are not aware of, or that you have fully disclosed to the Company, any matters for which you are responsible or which has come to your attention as an employee of the Company that might give rise to, evidence, or support any claim of illegal conduct, regulatory violation, unlawful discrimination, or other cause of action against the Company. |
| |
(f) | That these terms are final and binding on you. |
- 18 -
| |
(g) | That you have signed this Release voluntarily, and not in reliance on any representations or statements made to you by any employee or officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. |
| |
(h) | That you have seven (7) days following your execution of this Release to revoke it in writing, and that this Release is not effective or enforceable until after this seven (7) day period has expired without revocation. If you wish to revoke this Release after signing it, you must provide written notice of your decision to revoke this Release to the Company, to the attention of the Board of Directors of the Company at the address of the Company’s headquarters, by no later than 11:59 p.m. on the seventh calendar day after the date on which you have signed this Release. |
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. THIS RELEASE INCLUDES A RELEASE OF ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS.
ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED
______________________
Steven Reinharz
Date:
- 19 -