Employee Ownership Blog

Proposed legislation would allow Connecticut companies to avoid a state corporate tax surcharge if they provide at least 80% of their employees with at least 300 shares apiece for each year the surcharge applies.

ESOP companies are often on the lookout for good communication and education resources to support their efforts around employee onboarding and training, specifically ESOP literacy, ownership culture, and countless other issues. This is why we are thrilled to announce a new member benefit launching this month—The Download.

One month ago, 1,650 employee-owners and 50 considering employee ownership for their business all descended on Kansas City, Missouri, for the 41st NCEO Annual Conference. We welcomed 880+ first-time attendees to the event. We also saw 130 members join us online.

Senators Chris Van Hollen and Marco Rubio and Representatives Dean Phillips and Blake Moore, have introduced the Employee Equity Investment Act (EEIA). The bill would use the Small Business Administration’s Small Business Investment Company program to provide loan guarantees for investment funds that are devoted to expanding employee ownership.

The Small Business Administration has taken steps to make loans to ESOPs much easier than under prior rules.

The Texas House of Representatives has passed HB 2389, “An Act relating to companies in which employees have ownership interests through employee stock ownership plans.” It will now head to the Senate, where, as SB 1233,

The Colorado legislature has passed a bill to expand its tax credits for converting to employee ownership, and Governor Jared Polis is expected to sign it.

If you were not in Kansas City last week for the 2023 Employee Ownership Conference, I want to share an announcement I made:

The Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University announced on April 18 that it is launching the Shares Laboratory.

By a unanimous vote, both chambers of the Washington State Legislature have passed S.B. 5096, “An act relating to expanding employee ownership.” On May 9, Governor Jay Inslee signed the bill.

The U.S. Department of Labor has stated that it will undertake a formal notice and comment rulemaking “relatively soon” on the adequate consideration requirement governing the valuation of ESOP-held shares.

On April 12, people from 23 employee-owned companies gathered online to talk about business literacy, stock value, and ESOPs for employees.