golden handcuffs

American  

[gohl-duhn hand-kuhfs] / ˈgoʊl dən ˈhændˌkʌfs /

plural noun

1. incentives like bonuses, raises, insurance plans, and flexible hours that discourage employees from leaving a company.

   She wasn’t especially happy in her job, but the healthcare benefits were the golden handcuffs that kept her from looking elsewhere.

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golden handcuffs British  

plural noun

1. informal payments deferred over a number of years that induce a person to stay with a particular company or in a particular job

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golden handcuffs Idioms  

1. Financial benefits that an employee will lose upon resigning, as in The company's presented all the middle managers with golden handcuffs, so they can't afford to leave. This slangy business expression dates from the 1970s.

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Etymology

Origin of golden handcuffs

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

In the United States, employees often get stock options, a form of so-called "golden handcuffs" allowing workers to profit from share price gains over a set period of time.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

“The golden handcuffs aren’t so golden anymore,” said Stephanie Geveda, who previously oversaw business-services investing at private-equity firm Warburg Pincus.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

According to Leo Peak, a real estate agent at Peak Family Real Estate Group, many homeowners are currently feeling the "golden handcuffs" effect of being locked into their homes by historically low mortgage rates.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2025

Some workers may now, post-layoff and with their golden handcuffs snipped, take the chance to find jobs more aligned with their values.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 24, 2023

The dignitary lifted the golden handcuffs from the pillow upon which they reposed.

From The Chessmen of Mars by Burroughs, Edgar Rice