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. .

Liability  as of December 31, 2005
2006 Expense
2006 Cash Payments
Other
Liability  as of December 31, 2006
2007 Expense
2007 Cash Payments
Other
Liability  as of December 31, 2007
2008 Expense
2008 Cash Payments
Other
Liability  as of December 31, 2008
Employee separations
$20,963
$496
$(12,389)
$(1,743)
$7,327
$633
$(6,110)
$(304)
$1,546
$284
$(1,901)
$71
—

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: Analyse this data from a financial earnings document. what is the net change in the balance of liability related to employee separations during 2005?
Choices:
1345
-5781.0
-3.7
1543
5781
Correct choice index: 1