The NCEO's ESOP Q&A is an online resource that contains hundreds of questions and answers about employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and related issues-just about every question of note we have been asked or should have been asked. It does not address equity compensation. The Q&A is not a technical reference with citations to section numbers, etc., but rather a resource to answer questions in a clear and concise way. It is meant to be used in conjunction with our publications and other resources.
Elements of the Q&A
The Q&A screen has three areas: the top bar with a blue background; the frame on the left where you can either list the questions or search the Q&A; and the frame on the right where the complete text of a question and its answer will appear when you click on a link to it in the left frame. You can make the left or right frame wider or narrower than the opposite frame by grabbing the right size of the bar down the middle and pulling it in the desired direction.
After the list of questions loads, it will collapse itself into a short set of categories that you can then click to expand into subcategories, which in turn expand into question lists (and then you can click on a subcategory or category to collapse it back). Alternately, you can click "Show All" or "Hide All" to show or hide all the subcategories and questions. Clicking on a question causes the question and its answer to appear in the frame on the right. Clicking the "Search the Q&A" button hides the question list and instead shows the search page. As with the question list, you can click on links in the search results to show the full question and answer in the right-hand frame.
When you switch from the list view to the search view or vice versa and then switch back, you'll be exactly where you were, so you won't lose a set of search results or your place in the question list, and you won't have to wait to reload the page. (As noted below, if you disable Javascript in your Web browser, the Q&A will function but behave a little differently.)
How to Use the Q&A: Browsing vs. Searching
There are two ways to explore the Q&A: by browsing through the list of questions or by searching. Because your place is saved when you switch between the question list view and search view, you can, for example, use the search interface, end up on page 5 of the search results, switch to the question list view for awhile, and then instantly click back to where you were in the search results.
The Q&A is not an online book, and the questions do not necessarily follow each other in a sequence meant for continuous reading. Thus, it is not meant to be read "from cover to cover," but rather to be used for specific questions or browsed for topics of interest as you would with a dictionary or encyclopedia. For printed material in an organized, narrative format, see our dozens of publications and online courses.
Caveat
The Q&A does not constitute legal advice nor does it substitute for the advice of qualified professionals. It is merely designed to provide accurate and authoritative information regarding the subject matter covered. We have tried to make it as accurate as we can, but cannot guarantee the accuracy of any given statements. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.
System Requirements
The Q&A will display best in modern Web browsers. In our experience, Firefox, with its superior performance, will render the question list (display it, collapse it, and populate it with the little plus, minus, and bullet sympbols) faster than Internet Explorer.
If you have Javascript disabled in your Web browser, (1) the list of questions will always be expanded (instead of being collapsed into categories by default); (2) when switching from the list view to the search view, the page will load in full and not keep your place, and (3) certain minor things will be different or missing (for example, the "Print" button will not appear below a question and its answer, but you can still print from your Web browser by choosing its print command).
If you have a slow (dialup) Internet connection, the list of questions may take some time to load.
Where to Submit Suggestions and Corrections
Contact NCEO Executive Director Corey Rosen at CRosen@nceo.org.
Copyright Information
The contents and organization of the Q&A are copyrighted by the NCEO and may not be reproduced elsewhere, in whole or in part.