parachute

golden handshake

A large severance package given to an executive who leaves a company due to termination, corporate restructuring, or retirement. The company's vice president received a $500,000 golden handshake after being pressured to leave his position.
See also: golden, handshake

golden parachute

A large severance package given to an executive who is forced to leave a company due to a corporate merger or takeover. Daniel refused to take the position unless the company added a golden parachute clause to his contract.
See also: golden, parachute
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

golden handshake

Generous severance pay to an employee, often as an incentive for early retirement. For example, With a dwindling school population, the town decided to offer golden handshakes to some of the teachers . This slangy business term dates from the mid-1900s. A close relative is golden parachute, a generous severance agreement for an executive in the event of sudden dismissal owing to a merger or similar circumstance. This expression first appeared about 1980.
See also: golden, handshake
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

golden parachute

n. a special kind of severance pay for persons who may be forced to leave a job. (see also golden handcuffs.) If all the golden parachutes were used at the same time, it would bankrupt the company.
See also: golden, parachute
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

golden parachute

An employment agreement that gives generous benefits to its high-ranking executives if they are dismissed owing to a company merger or takeover. This term, dating from about 1980, may have been based on the older golden handshake, which offers an employee generous benefits or a bonus in exchange for early retirement. It dates from the mid-1900s, when a dwindling school population prompted many localities to offer such an incentive to teachers. In contrast, golden handcuffs are a financial incentive to keep an employee from leaving a company. Stock options that can be exercised only far in the future are a popular form of golden handcuffs. This term dates from about 1970.
See also: golden, parachute
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • a golden handshake
  • golden handshake
  • handshake
  • golden parachute
  • be hard done-by
  • be/feel hard done by
  • elephant ear
  • feel hard done-by
  • hard done by
  • hard done-by
References in periodicals archive
The global military parachute market, by region, has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East & Africa, and Latin America.
Military Parachute Market Global Trends, Competitive Landscape, Size, Segments, Emerging Technologies and Industry Growth by Forecast to 2023
Although decades of anecdotal experience have suggested that parachute use during jumps from aircraft can save lives, many studies of parachutes have suggested injuries related to their use in both military and recreational settings.
Parachute Use Doesn't Necessarily Prevent Death, Major Injury -Experts
[23] suggested using airbag systems as a shock absorber for UAVs to assist with rapid parachute landings.
Design of Fully Automatic Drone Parachute System with Temperature Compensation Mechanism for Civilian and Military Applications
The MoD admitted that 230 members of the Parachute Regiment - whose "Utrinque Paratus" motto translates as "Ready for Anything" - were "not qualified" as military parachutists.
Eight British Army troops hurt every month in parachute accidents, shock Ministry of Defence figures reveal; The numbers make grim reading for soldiers training to jump into combat
Doctor: you tell them you need to run more tests, then take the parachute in order to make your next appointment.
All about parachutes
"I looked up, that's when I saw a parachute. It took me a while to see that it was a reserve that was malfunctioning.
victoria 'thrown around' by chute; Cilliers murder bid trial
For example, What does shape have do to with the falling of the parachute?
Parachute drop
The TSO C23B regulations cover standard and low speed parachute categories (see below), while the standard sets no legal limits on parachute gross weight or deployment speed, manufacturers specify reasonable physical limits, Mr.
The man who fell to earth: parachutes have been providing soft landings for people who have needed to leave flying objects, either in an emergency or by design, for more than a century, enabling escape from damaged aircraft and the delivery of troops behind enemy lines during airborne assaults or special forces insertions
The company said it has been selling the Peregrine UAV ballistic parachute system for some time with the Raptor CO2 release.
Fruity Chutes introduces flexible CO2 parachute deployment system for drones
Define the Problem: Working in pairs, build a parachute to slow the fall of a metal washer that is released from 2 meters up.
Parachute plunge
TWO British servicemen cheated death after colliding mid-air during a parachute training jump.
Two parachute experts collide in RAF training; EXCLUSIVE
The parachute test was one of many that the company needs to pass, before it is ready to send astronauts to space in the Crew Dragon.
SpaceX tests parachutes to bring astronauts back from ISS
ARESPECTED teacher died after being knocked unconscious when his parachute opened too quickly, an inquest has heard.
Parachutist 'knocked unconscious' in fatal jump
A fast-thinking soldier, who was part of the British Army's freefall parachute display squad, swooped over to catch his struggling team-mate whose parachute had not opened properly.
Frantic mid-air rescue as Red Devil's parachute fails
HONOLULU, Sha'ban 22, 1436, Jun 9, 2015, SPA -- A parachute failed during a NASA test of new technology for landing larger spacecraft and eventually astronauts on Mars, the agency said Monday, according to AP.
Parachute fails to inflate during NASA test off Kauai