The Executive hereby (a) reaffirms the rights and obligations contained within the Restrictive Covenants, and (b) understands, acknowledges and agrees that such rights and obligations shall survive the Executive’s termination of employment with the Company and remain in full force and effect in accordance with all of the terms and conditions thereof.  All post-employment restricted periods applicable to the Restrictive Covenants shall commence as of the Separation Date.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, no provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted so as to impede the Executive (or any other individual) 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 Congress, and any agency Inspector General, or making other disclosures under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation.  The Executive does not need the prior authorization of the Company to make any such reports or disclosures and the Executive shall not be not required to notify the Company that such reports or disclosures have been made.  Nothing in the Agreement or the General Release is intended to conflict with 18 U.S.C. § 1833(b) or create liability for disclosures of trade secrets that are expressly allowed by 18 U.S.C. § 1833(b).  18 U.S.C. § 1833(b) provides that “An individual shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that—(A) is made—(i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.”  Accordingly, the parties to this Agreement have the right to disclose in confidence trade secrets to federal, state, and local government officials, or to an attorney, for the sole purpose of reporting or investigating suspected violation of law.  The parties also have the right to disclose trade secrets in a document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, but only if the filing is made under seal and protected from public disclosure.