Give him the golden handshake

Posted by Barney on February 29, 2000

In Reply to: Give him the golden handshake posted by Chester Helm on February 29, 2000

: What does it mean to "give someone the golden handshake"?

Now here I have a notion of the right answer but unfortunately in explanation of the phrase 'to give someone a Golden Handshake'.

This phrase is one of a threesome used by employers and has money at the bottom of it - what else.

Firstly we have 'The Golden Hello' - a sum of money paid to a new, much wanted employee, in fulfilment of a promise made to induce the individual to join the company

Secondly we have 'Golden Handcuffs' - once more a sum of money whose payment depends on the employee remaining with the company for a fixed period.
Thirdly (here we come to your query) 'The Golden Handshake' - a sum of money paid to an employee as compensation for foreshortened career prospect on the occasion of the employee's enforced departure form the company usually due to redundancy/downsizing/pushing out useless employees with a smile etc.

Hope this helps and doesn't upset any sensitive soul.