Corey Rosen
Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, a project of the 2025 Presidential Transition Project, has strongly endorsed regulatory changes to make it easier to set up ESOPs. The project, led by the Heritage Foundation, invited over 400 conservative scholars and thinkers to set out detailed policy recommendations for all aspects of the federal government, resulting in an 883-page document.
Nancy Wiefek
The 2023 Repurchase Obligation Survey Report is now available. Our sincere gratitude goes to our survey respondents, who make these surveys possible.
Megan Bonwell
The NCEO always seeks new ways to support and connect the employee ownership community. That's why, starting July 27, we will offer monthly NCEO Office Hours! Each month, two NCEO staff members will be available to answer your questions, provide insights, or give you a glimpse behind the curtain.
Corey Rosen
On July 10, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced it is creating the Employee Ownership Initiative within its Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). The initiative results from the 2022 Worker Ownership, Readiness, and Knowledge Act (WORK Act), which was enacted as part of the SECURE 2.0 Act in the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The WORK Act requires the DOL to set up a grant program for state employee ownership centers. Funding for that provision will need an appropriation in the 2023 budget. The DOL’s Employment and Training Division will administer the grant program. The WORK Act also requires the DOL to set up an office to provide information to states and other interested parties about employee ownership. That will be under EBSA.
Corey Rosen
In 2022, the California Employee Ownership Act became law by a unanimous vote. The bill established the California Employee Ownership Hub within the California Office of Small Business. The Hub was directed to “increase awareness and understanding of employee ownership among stakeholders, assist business owners and employees in navigating available resources, and streamline and reduce barriers to employee ownership.” California has a variety of loan support programs for which companies seeking to convert to employee ownership could potentially qualify.
Dallan Guzinski
Friends and fellow members of the employee ownership community, I have an important and personal update for you: Today is my final day working for the National Center for Employee Ownership after more than ten years with this wonderful organization.
Scott Rodrick
On June 29, Paul Speigelman of the Small Giants Community, an organization of companies that “choose to be great instead of big,” did a podcast with NCEO founder Corey Rosen on employee ownership.
Lindsay Isaac
Education and communication are not just about scheduled training sessions; rather, they can be used to enhance ownership culture when integrated into existing systems and tools. The idea of simple, low-effort communication tools was the theme of the latest Innovative Communication Coalition (ICC) meeting, where companies shared ideas on how to keep employee ownership in the forefront of their employee-owners’ minds. Below are a few ideas from members on how they are using tools to increase ESOP awareness at their companies:
Corey Rosen
SB 1239, An Act Concerning Certain Employee Stock Ownership Plans, 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. The state surcharge equals 10% of taxes paid and applies to companies with $100 million or more in income or companies that are part of a combined group of companies that file a unitary income tax return, regardless of income.
