Sears Holdings wants to pay executives as much as $19 million in quarterly bonuses, amidst the company’s struggle to stay in business in the wake of a bankruptcy possibility.
The retailer has submitted two bonus plan for the court’s approval.The first one intends to pay as much as $2.1 million per quarter collectively for the top 18 executives. As part of the second plan, 322 other unnamed executives could get $16.9 million a quarter in aggregate - apparently as an incentive to stay with the firm during its tough times. No executive would receive more the $150,000 in bonuses for remaining in the company during the bankruptcy process. Also, Eddie Lampert, the company's primary shareholder and chairman, might not receive a bonus, according to the filing (as mentioned in a CNN article).
The judge’s verdict on the bonus proposals is due December 20.
On the other hand, Sears is laying off several workers at the stores it is shuttering down.