“The U.S. blocked 2013 cash pay increases for top executives at General Motors Co. but allowed several raises to stock-based compensation.

“:The U.S. Treasury Department gained power in 2009 to approve executive compensation at firms that received exceptional federal assistance, following public outrage at bonuses paid at American International Group Inc. after the financial crisis bailouts.

“AIG has repaid its bailout, leaving GM and Ally Financial Inc., formerly known as GMAC Inc., as the last big firms still under the government’s crisis-era bailout programs.

“Treasury on Friday notified GM and Ally that it would continue to apply the same restrictions as in past years to compensation packages for top executives at the companies. This is the second consecutive year that the Treasury has rejected salary increases requested by GM.”

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