nytimes com article enron paid retention bonuses bankruptcy filing article nytimes com sent louise enron com advertisement special offer ny times customers get free shipping orders 75 starbucks com enron paid retention bonuses bankruptcy filing december 6 2001 richard oppel jr kurt eichenwald days enron news quote filed bankruptcy laid 4 000 people paid 55 million bonuses 500 employees according several people dealings company yesterday evening enron spokesman confirmed bonuses describing retention incentives crucial employees bankruptcy experts said payments almost certain closely scrutinized probably challenged enron creditors separately labor department said yesterday opened investigation enron managed employees 401 k retirement plans accounts heavily invested enron shares company rules prohibited many employees diversifying holdings labor department said employees lost 90 percent value accounts enron employees gotten short end stick sudden collapse company said labor secretary elaine l chao enron said temporary freeze kept employees shifting retirement investments long planned allowed another company take job administering plan enron declined say much paid bonuses received money range payments executives companies entering bankruptcy defend payments necessary hope reorganizing going concern often prove incendiary example 1990 disclosed drexel burnham lambert paid key executives 250 million bonuses filing bankruptcy creditors government reacted outrage end court hearings issue drexel estate sued employees get money back payments enron substantially high means probably become issue bankruptcy case said james feder bankruptcy lawyer feder mills law firm los angeles question might come whether fair consideration given amount bonuses whether reasonable circumstances creditors convince court employees overpaid payments made keep money creditors hands much difficult argument prove judge void payments order money returned said lynn lopucki law professor university california los angeles tamp disputes company typically file request part bankruptcy filing make payments certain employees proceed payments receiving judge approval mr lopucki said yesterday mark palmer enron spokesman defended payments necessary order protect maintain value estate payments done every bankruptcy said adding payments made employees levels organization employees lost jobs enron filed bankruptcy protection sunday told may receive 4 500 severance pay also told petition bankruptcy court cash unused vacation days another legal slap enron shareholder lawsuit filed late tuesday accused 29 enron officers directors engaging massive insider trading making false misleading statements company financial performance selling 1 1 billion worth stock last three years enron spokesman declined comment suit filed amalgamated bank known activist shareholder advertise information advertising e mail newsletters creative advertising opportunities new york times web please contact alyson racer alyson nytimes com visit online media kit http www nytimes com adinfo general information nytimes com write help nytimes com copyright 2001 new york times company