You are not logged in
Free Special Reports

Get Your FREE HR Management Special Report. Download Any One Of These FREE Special Reports, Instantly!

Featured Special Report

Claim Your Free Copy of Top 10 Best Practices in HR Management

HR professionals have the opportunity to play a more strategic role in the business by keeping up to date with the latest HR innovations--technological, legal, and otherwise. This special report will discuss how HR managers can anticipate and address some of the most challenging HR issues this year.

Topics in this special report include:

  • Healthcare in 2012
  • FMLA Paid Leave Initiatives
  • Ethics
  • Social Media
  • Environmental Responsibility
  • Workplace Wellness
  • Classifying Employees
  • Retirement of Baby Boomers
  • Identity Theft
  • Communications

Make sure you have the information you need to know about these current HR challenges and how to most effectively manage them in your workplace.

Download Now!

Bookmark and Share
February 18, 2002
Bonuses Coming into Question
Why
For a Limited Time receive a FREE HR Report "Top 10 Best Practices in HR Management." This comprehensive special report will give you the information you need to know about these current HR challenges and how to most effectively manage them in your workplace.   Download Now
do companies in financial trouble shower millions of dollars in bonuses on executives and other employees?

The question is being asked more and more often, USA Today reports.

The practice isn't new, according to the newspaper. Employers facing bankruptcy or liquidation say they need bonuses to hold onto to key employees.

But detractors are pointing to the size of the awards and the message they send to other employees, who may be facing layoffs and reduced severance and health benefits.

The examples, according to USA Today, include these:

- Federal lawmakers are looking into why Enron reportedly paid $55.5 million in bonuses to more than 500 employees as the company was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Dec. 2.

- Steelmaker LTV plans to give bonuses to more than 200 employees, raising questions from lawmakers and creditors in bankruptcy court. LTV wanted to give roughly $9 million, depending on specific scenarios to key executives and employees, but creditors complained the amount was too high.

- Some Burlington Industries employees opposed a company plan to award bonuses to top managers while it seeks bankruptcy protection. More than 70 managers at the textile company would get bonuses; the total plan could reach $13 million.

- Polaroid retirees took legal action in bankruptcy court to try to halt plans by the company to give millions of dollars in bonuses to top executives. Officials withdrew the motion for a retention bonus plan after an initial payment of $1.55 million was approved.

To read the USA Today article, click here.


Participate in this week's HR.BLR.com poll and discussion!

Twitter  Facebook  Linked In
Follow Us
WEBARRAY7
Copyright � 2012 Business & Legal Reports, Inc. All rights reserved. 800-727-5257
This document was published on http://HR.BLR.com
Document URL: http://hr.blr.com/HR-news/Benefits-Leave/Employee-Assistance-Programs-EAPs/Bonuses-Coming-into-Question/