An Empirical Analysis of CEO Employment Contracts: What Do Top Executives Bargain For?
41 Pages Posted: 15 Apr 2004 Last revised: 9 Oct 2014
Date Written: April 9, 2004
Abstract
In this paper, we examine the key legal characteristics of 375 employment contracts between some of the largest 1500 public corporations and their Chief Executive Officers. We look at the actual language of these contracts, asking whether and in what ways CEO contracts differ from what are thought of as standard employment contract features for other workers. Our data provide some empirical answers to several common assertions or speculations about CEO contracts, and shed light on whether these contracts are negotiated solely to suit the preferences of CEOs or have provisions that insure that the employers' interests are also safeguarded.
After giving an overview of the general characteristics of a CEO employment contract, and the process by which they are negotiated, we focus on five contracting issues: (1) the term just cause that defines when an executive can be terminated involuntarily with penalties; (2) the good reason termination clauses in the contract that permit an executive to leave voluntarily without financial penalties; (3) the non-competition clauses in the contract; (4) the use of arbitration clauses as a method of resolving contractual disputes; and (5) the contractual restrictions, if any, on the CEO selling stock options. We also discuss some of the less-well known economic terms of these contracts, including their length and the level of perquisites given to CEOs.
Keywords: CEO, Employment Contracts
JEL Classification: K2, K22, G30, G34, J30
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
Are CEOS Really Paid Like Bureaucrats?
By Brian J. Hall and Jeffrey B. Liebman
-
Are CEOS Really Paid Like Bureaucrats?
By Brian J. Hall and Jeffrey B. Liebman
-
The Other Side of the Tradeoff: The Impact of Risk on Executive Compensation
-
Good Timing: CEO Stock Option Awards and Company News Announcements
-
Good Timing: CEO Stock Option Awards and Company News Announcements
-
The Use of Equity Grants to Manage Optimal Equity Incentive Levels
By John E. Core and Wayne R. Guay
-
The Other Side of the Tradeoff: the Impact of Risk on Executive Compensation
-
Stock Options for Undiversified Executives
By Brian J. Hall and Kevin J. Murphy