Companies Tap Pension Plans To Fund Executive Benefits

I wrote about Brett Favre’s sense of entitlement, this weekend, but no one has a bigger sense of entitlement than Joe CEO – the guy who failed as a leader but leaves your organization with a little coin in his pocket.

Here’s the Punk Rock HR rule for operating yo’ business:

  • It’s time for your company’s board of directors (and the compensation committee) to be investigated for negligence if earnings are in the toilet and your CEO is asked to leave under the sweet-ass terms & conditions of his employment contract.

Golden parachutes are unethical and unfair, and they run contrary to everything that ‘the free marketplace’ stands for in America. If you can’t attract a CEO to run your business based on a straightforward compensation package, maybe you ought not to be in business.

4 Responses to “Companies Tap Pension Plans To Fund Executive Benefits”


  1. 1 Rachel Robbins August 4, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    This was an issue when we hired our new CEO. Our whole benefits package was based on equality for all within the organization (with set increases based on years of service). I can’t discuss a lot but let’s just say that there is no longer equality for all.

  2. 2 HR Maven August 4, 2008 at 8:59 pm

    Like our schools can afford this… the former president of Grand Rapids Community College, Juan Olivares, collected over $500,000 of salary and incentives for COMPLETING HIS TERM. And then he left.

    http://tinyurl.com/6qretk

    And he couldn’t figure out why the citizens of our county wouldn’t support a tax increase. GOOD GRIEF. That borders on criminal.

  3. 3 Laurie August 5, 2008 at 5:31 pm

    @Rachel Maybe I’m a sucker for even believing in equity in the first place?

    @hrMaven I heard about that and let’s just say it’s reason #45 that I stay away from Grand Rapids. That & too many Amway dudes.

  4. 4 hrwench August 5, 2008 at 7:15 pm

    Golden parachute = FAIL FAIL FAIL!

    FAIL on the part of the executive
    FAIL on the part of the BOD
    and
    FAILED ROI for shareholders.

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Laurie Ruettimann: Who Cares?


Laurie Ruettimann is a punk rock, Human Resources professional with extensive Fortune 500 experience. She writes and speaks about business trends, employment, Corporate America, and permanently opting-out of the rat race.

She also believes you should spay & neuter your pets.


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