1. Also at issue are the severance payments made to Bolduc after an inquiry into the sexual harassment complaints. 2. Although there is some question in federal courts whether a company can make severance payments conditional, Texas law prohibits it. 3. Analysts said this was higher than typical because of above average severance payments. 4. And that includes severance payments that were arranged before the bankruptcy filing. 5. And severance payments whipped up under the threat of a takeover smack of corporate welfare, if not something worse. 6. And the cash-strapped company had begun to skip severance payments to recently laid-off employees. 7. Another development investors are following is the discussion among labor, business and government representatives aimed at reforming the government-mandated system of severance payments. 8. As a result, companies often fired workers after a year or two to avoid higher severance payments. 9. At American, Watson, the spokeswoman, declined to say how much the airline would save by not making its severance payments. 10. Because of the bankruptcy filing, Enron officials said they were unable to even approach making such large severance payments. |