GM profit share, bonuses estimated to top $500M

2/29/2012

DETROIT — General Motors Co. is likely to spend more than $500 million on employee bonuses and profit-sharing based on the company’s performance last year.

GM, which made a record profit in 2011, will pay bonuses of at least $182 million to white-collar employees such as engineers, car designers, and managers on Wednesday, according to a formula obtained by the Associated Press. That’s on top of $332.5 million in profit-sharing it already agreed to pay factory workers.

In the past, such payments have drawn criticism from those who believe the government shouldn’t have bailed out GM and Chrysler Group LLC.

But GM, which made a record $7.6 billion last year, says the payments are needed to hold on to skilled employees. It’s also keeping fixed costs down by giving bonuses instead of annual pay raises.