Happens quite often in my sector.
Think Magna International!
No pension plan but their profit sharing plan consisted of a % of the yearly profits to each employee based on length of service. Of the % to each employee, part was in cash and part was in Magna stock.
My last employer did the exact same thing. Part cash and part stock. Even through this recession they made SOME money. Was laid off in October and my portion consisted of about $300 cash and a few shares of low dollar stock
Whoopie! I guess its better than a kick in the ass with a steel toed boot.