Business Notes Employee Relations

When Du Pont wanted to trim its 100,000-employee U.S. work force last January, the company sought to avoid the hardship of layoffs by offering instead a generous early-retirement program. Du Pont estimated at the time that about 5,500 workers would cash in on the deal. But apparently the terms were far more attractive than the company realized. Du Pont plans to announce this week that about 12,000 workers intend to leave. This number is expected to include some highly talented employees whom the company would be sorry to lose. Du Pont's lucrative deal provided for pension benefits to be calculated as if the employees had five extra years of age and company service. As a result, the pension of a 55-year-old employee with a salary of $25,000 and 30 years experience would be $817 a month instead of $595.

Du Pont, like several other corporate giants, has been trimming its payroll because of increased productivity brought about by computers and other modern efficiencies. The company estimated that the retirement plan would cost $125 million in 1985 but could save $225 million in 1986. Yet the popularity of the program may cost more than expected. The company has had to offer bonuses to valued employees to keep them on the job.