5. Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement. As an employee of the Company, you will continue to have access to certain confidential information of the Company and you may, during the course of your employment, develop certain information or inventions that will be the property of the Company. To protect the interests of the Company, your acceptance of this Agreement reaffirms that the terms of the Company’s At-Will Employment, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment, and Arbitration Agreement that you previously signed (the “Confidentiality Agreement”) continue to be in effect.
6. At-Will Employment. You acknowledge and agree that your employment with the Company will be “at-will” employment and may be terminated at any time with or without cause or notice. You understand and agree that neither your job performance nor commendations, bonuses, or the like from the Company give rise to or in any way serve as the basis for modification, amendment, or extension, by implication or otherwise, of your employment with the Company. You further acknowledge and agree that the Company may modify job titles, salaries and benefits from time to time as it deems necessary. However, as described in this Agreement, you may be eligible to receive severance benefits under the Severance Agreement depending on the circumstances of the termination of your employment with the Company.
7. Tax Matters.
(a) Withholding. All payments made under this Agreement shall be subject to reduction to reflect taxes or other charges required to be withheld by law, and you will be solely responsible for any and all taxes arising in connection with this Agreement and compensation paid or payable to you, including but not limited to any taxes, penalties and interest, if any, arising under Section 409A.
(b) Section 409A. The Company intends that all payments and benefits provided under this Agreement or otherwise are exempt from, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any final regulations and guidance thereunder and any applicable state law equivalent, as each may be amended or promulgated from time to time (“Section 409A”) so that none of the payments or benefits will be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities will be interpreted to so be exempt or comply. Each payment and benefit payable under this Agreement is intended to constitute a separate payment for purposes of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2) of the Treasury Regulations.
(c) Tax Advice. You are encouraged to obtain your own tax advice regarding your compensation from the Company. You agree that the Company does not have a duty to design its compensation policies in a manner that minimizes your tax liabilities.
8. Entire Agreement, Amendment and Enforcement. This Agreement, the Severance Agreement and the Confidentiality Agreement supersede and replace any prior agreements, representations or understandings (whether written, oral, implied or otherwise)
3