Perhaps I'm misinterpreting, but it sounds like you think this is ridiculous: can I ask why? Buying a company generally includes accepting their liabilities, I

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting, but it sounds like you think this is ridiculous: can I ask why? Buying a company generally includes accepting their liabilities, I don't see why employee bonuses would be any different. Edit: Parent has edited their post to completely rewrite it. The original seemed to express incredulity at the idea that a company's new owners would be on the hook for the company's liabilities after a buy-out.