Bosses Day

Monday is Bosses Day. A recent American Express Co. survey found that a majority of American workers feel their bosses should be given a raise. Other surveys, however, reveal some enlightening facts about executive compensation that workers might want to mull over on Bosses Day:

* The median annual total compensation (salary plus bonuses) for chief executives in the U.S. was $1.68 million in 1999. (Report on Salary Surveys)

* The most highly compensated U.S. executive in 1999 was Charles B. Wang, founder and CEO of Computer Associates International Inc. His total compensation package was $650 million, which included $645 million in vested stock grants. (Forbes)

* The federal minimum wage is $5.15 an hour.

* The ratio of top executive pay to the average U.S. worker’s pay is 475 to 1. (Report on Salary Surveys)

* A survey done for the Los Angeles Times by consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide found that the 10 most highly compensated CEOs in Southern California earned at least $12 million each.

* The top three earners in Southern California got their big bucks after being forced to resign. They were:

Mark Willes, Times Mirror Co., $64.5 million

Robert Annunziata, Global Crossing Ltd., $40.5 million

Jill E. Barad, Mattel Inc., $38.5 million

*

Sources: Report on Salary Surveys, BusinessWeek, Forbes, Times research.

Researched by NONA YATES/Los Angeles Times