"The real question is: Can you fire them without these very large severance payments being triggered?"
The company said that if jobs are lost, it will provide severance payments.
The severance payments were indeed generous and based on tenure.
It was a mistake that cost the company perhaps $90 million in severance payments.
Under French law, investors have the right to vote on severance payments.
In August, given a choice between the severance payments or their jobs, 9 of the 26 executives stayed on while the rest left the company.
The $42 million severance payment was not affected by either settlement.
Analysts said this was higher than typical because of above average severance payments.
Several employees said the company was offering generous severance payments.
A 98% special tax on severance payments with retroactive effect.
