american tower corporation and subsidiaries notes to consolidated financial statements 2014 ( continued ) 3.00% ( 3.00 % ) convertible notes 2014during the years ended december 31 , 2008 and 2007 , the company issued an aggregate of approximately 8.9 million and 973 shares of common stock , respectively , upon conversion of $ 182.8 million and $ 0.02 million principal amount , respectively , of 3.00% ( 3.00 % ) notes . pursuant to the terms of the indenture , holders of the 3.00% ( 3.00 % ) notes are entitled to receive 48.7805 shares of common stock for every $ 1000 principal amount of notes converted . in connection with the conversions in 2008 , the company paid such holders an aggregate of approximately $ 4.7 million , calculated based on the discounted value of the future interest payments on the notes , which is reflected in loss on retirement of long-term obligations in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations for the year ended december 31 , 2008 . 14 . impairments , net loss on sale of long-lived assets , restructuring and merger related expense the significant components reflected in impairments , net loss on sale of long-lived assets , restructuring and merger related expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations include the following : impairments and net loss on sale of long-lived assets 2014during the years ended december 31 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 , the company recorded impairments and net loss on sale of long-lived assets ( primarily related to its rental and management segment ) of $ 11.2 million , $ 9.2 million and $ 2.6 million , respectively . during the years ended december 31 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 respectively , the company recorded net losses associated with the sales of certain non-core towers and other assets , as well as impairment charges to write-down certain assets to net realizable value after an indicator of impairment had been identified . as a result , the company recorded net losses and impairments of approximately $ 10.5 million , $ 7.1 million and $ 2.0 million for the years ended december 31 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 , respectively . the net loss for the year ended december 31 , 2008 is comprised of net losses from asset sales and other impairments of $ 10.7 million , offset by gains from asset sales of $ 0.2 million . the net loss for the year ended december 31 , 2007 is comprised of net losses from asset sales and other impairments of $ 7.8 million , offset by gains from asset sales of $ 0.7 million . merger related expense 2014during the year ended december 31 , 2005 , the company assumed certain obligations , as a result of the merger with spectrasite , inc. , primarily related to employee separation costs of former spectrasite employees . severance payments made to former spectrasite , inc . employees were subject to plans and agreements established by spectrasite , inc . and assumed by the company in connection with the merger . these costs were recognized as an assumed liability in the purchase price allocation . in addition , the company also incurred certain merger related costs for additional employee retention and separation costs incurred during the year ended december 31 , 2006 . the following table displays the activity with respect to this accrued liability for the years ended december 31 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 ( in thousands ) : liability december 31 , expense 2006 cash payments other liability december 31 , expense 2007 cash payments other liability december 31 , expense 2008 cash payments other liability december 31 , employee separations . . . . $ 20963 $ 496 $ ( 12389 ) $ ( 1743 ) $ 7327 $ 633 $ ( 6110 ) $ ( 304 ) $ 1546 $ 284 $ ( 1901 ) $ 71 2014 as of december 31 , 2008 , the company had paid all of these merger related liabilities. .

Table: employee separations liability as of december 31 2005 $ 20963 2006 expense $ 496 2006 cash payments $ -12389 ( 12389 ) other $ -1743 ( 1743 ) liability as of december 31 2006 $ 7327 2007 expense $ 633 2007 cash payments $ -6110 ( 6110 ) other $ -304 ( 304 ) liability as of december 31 2007 $ 1546 2008 expense $ 284 2008 cash payments $ -1901 ( 1901 ) other $ 71 liability as of december 31 2008 2014

american tower corporation and subsidiaries notes to consolidated financial statements 2014 ( continued ) 3.00% ( 3.00 % ) convertible notes 2014during the years ended december 31 , 2008 and 2007 , the company issued an aggregate of approximately 8.9 million and 973 shares of common stock , respectively , upon conversion of $ 182.8 million and $ 0.02 million principal amount , respectively , of 3.00% ( 3.00 % ) notes . pursuant to the terms of the indenture , holders of the 3.00% ( 3.00 % ) notes are entitled to receive 48.7805 shares of common stock for every $ 1000 principal amount of notes converted . in connection with the conversions in 2008 , the company paid such holders an aggregate of approximately $ 4.7 million , calculated based on the discounted value of the future interest payments on the notes , which is reflected in loss on retirement of long-term obligations in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations for the year ended december 31 , 2008 . 14 . impairments , net loss on sale of long-lived assets , restructuring and merger related expense the significant components reflected in impairments , net loss on sale of long-lived assets , restructuring and merger related expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations include the following : impairments and net loss on sale of long-lived assets 2014during the years ended december 31 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 , the company recorded impairments and net loss on sale of long-lived assets ( primarily related to its rental and management segment ) of $ 11.2 million , $ 9.2 million and $ 2.6 million , respectively . during the years ended december 31 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 respectively , the company recorded net losses associated with the sales of certain non-core towers and other assets , as well as impairment charges to write-down certain assets to net realizable value after an indicator of impairment had been identified . as a result , the company recorded net losses and impairments of approximately $ 10.5 million , $ 7.1 million and $ 2.0 million for the years ended december 31 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 , respectively . the net loss for the year ended december 31 , 2008 is comprised of net losses from asset sales and other impairments of $ 10.7 million , offset by gains from asset sales of $ 0.2 million . the net loss for the year ended december 31 , 2007 is comprised of net losses from asset sales and other impairments of $ 7.8 million , offset by gains from asset sales of $ 0.7 million . merger related expense 2014during the year ended december 31 , 2005 , the company assumed certain obligations , as a result of the merger with spectrasite , inc. , primarily related to employee separation costs of former spectrasite employees . severance payments made to former spectrasite , inc . employees were subject to plans and agreements established by spectrasite , inc . and assumed by the company in connection with the merger . these costs were recognized as an assumed liability in the purchase price allocation . in addition , the company also incurred certain merger related costs for additional employee retention and separation costs incurred during the year ended december 31 , 2006 . the following table displays the activity with respect to this accrued liability for the years ended december 31 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 ( in thousands ) : liability december 31 , expense 2006 cash payments other liability december 31 , expense 2007 cash payments other liability december 31 , expense 2008 cash payments other liability december 31 , employee separations . . . . $ 20963 $ 496 $ ( 12389 ) $ ( 1743 ) $ 7327 $ 633 $ ( 6110 ) $ ( 304 ) $ 1546 $ 284 $ ( 1901 ) $ 71 2014 as of december 31 , 2008 , the company had paid all of these merger related liabilities. .

Question: in 2006 what was percentage change in the employee separations liabilities
Answer: -65.1%
Calculation: subtract(7327, 20963)