Corey Rosen
NCEO Puts Model State Legislation and State Legislative Policy Memos Online
The NCEO now has three documents for use when working with state legislators on prospective legislation to help move employee ownership forward.
Employee Ownership Blog
Dallan Guzinski
Network, Get Feedback, and Commit to Action with Fellow ESOPs
You might be surprised by just how many employee-owned companies that use our Ownership Culture Survey are shocked when receiving employee feedback about their workplaces and ESOPs. Thankfully, all the companies we work with are eager to get that feedback because it gives them insights into the experiences of their fellow employee-owners. With the critical feedback and input they need, companies identify their strengths, but more importantly, they identify important aspects of company culture in need of improvement. Over the next few months, the NCEO will bring ESOP companies together for its first Ownership Culture Survey Networking program to collect feedback concerning employee attitudes and work collaboratively to build an effective action plan.
Loren Rodgers
Rutgers Announces Employee Ownership Research Fellows for 2021-22
The Rutgers Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing is the academic home for the largest collection of scholars on employee ownership. On November 11, the Institute announced the 25 scholars who will have fellowships for the 2021–2022 academic year.
NCEO
Join us this December for the Communications Committee Crash Course
A former communications committee member at a mature ESOP company recently told me that her participation gave her the tools to apply for an plan administration position that had opened at the company. Prior to participating on the committee, she had not gained the education or experience necessary for the role. She noted that being in a position to educate and communicate technical information to her colleagues made her a better learner in the process, but that the learning never stops. Whether you're new to employee-ownership or ESOP communications or you need a refresh, there's always more to be shared and ideas to be had when working with other employee-owners in all 50 states.
Dallan Guzinski
Join Us This December for the Communications Committee Crash Course
A former communications committee member at a mature ESOP company recently told me that her participation on their company's committee gave her the tools to apply for an open plan administration position at the company that she did not previously have the experience for. She noted that being in a position to educate and communicate technical information to her colleagues made her a better learner in the process, but that the learning never stops. Whether you're new to employee ownership or ESOP communications or you need a refresh, there's always more to be shared and ideas to be had when working with other employee-owners in all 50 states.
Corey Rosen
State Small Business Credit Initiative Program Now Allows Funding for Employee Ownership
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2) included an appropriation of $10 billion for another round of funding for the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), a program that has been in place since 2010. SSBCI funds might make it easier for lenders to ESOPs to provide larger and less collateralized ESOP loans or for mezzanine lenders to loan at lower rates.
Corey Rosen
IRS Announces Benefit Plan Limits for 2022
The IRS announced COLA (cost of living adjustment) changes for 2022 retirement plan limits (see Notice 2021-61 and the IRS's summary table with links to more information). Changes of special interest for ESOPs include:
Corey Rosen
Trustee Litigation Risks in Ongoing ESOPs Are Very Low
A new NCEO analysis of ESOP litigation in closely held companies over the last 10 years shows that of 74 lawsuits involving trustees, 54 were for issues dealing with a transaction. The large majority of these concerned the ESOP’s initial purchase of shares from a seller, with the remainder dealing with either a second-stage transaction (1 lawsuit) or the sale of the company (5 lawsuits).
Megan Bonwell
Call for Content for the 2022 Webinar Series
We invite you to present your expert advice on topics of your choosing to our community of employee-owners, business owners, and more during our weekly webinars!