Nancy Wiefek
The NCEO research team, looking at available data from the last few years, recently completed a detailed analysis of the breadth and depth of the retirement crisis facing the US workforce. The analysis shows not only what many American workers are lacking in retirement savings but also the potential impact of ESOPs in filling that gap.
Matthew Licina
The new Share Holder Allocation for Rewards to Employees Plan Act, or the SHARE Plan Act, has been introduced in the House. The bipartisan bill is sponsored by Representatives Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and Mike Kelly (R-PA). The bill would provide a tax reduction for large companies to share ownership broadly with employees.
Matthew Licina
On July 14 and 15, I was joined by 24 attendees from 17 different companies in San Diego, California, at the Hotel Republic for “Is an ESOP Right for You?” It was inspiring to see such a wide array of companies engage so deeply in conversations about implementing employee ownership.
Corey Rosen
Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), along with a bipartisan group of cosponsors, have introduced the Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2025 (PDF). This is a companion bill to H.R. 3105, introduced by Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA). The bill has four components:
Corey Rosen
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee unanimously voted to advance two pieces of proposed pro-ESOP legislation, making them eligible for full Senate consideration. It also incorporated the text of a third bill on ESOPs, while deferring action on two others.
Kimberly McCourtney
In an ESOP company, the CFO plays a unique (and critical) role, ensuring financial health, driving value creation, and safeguarding long-term sustainability. From capital structure to compliance, from repurchase planning to strategic growth, the impact of the CFO is far-reaching and can dictate the future of the company.
Matthew Licina
Yesterday, the Senate’s HELP (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) Committee held a hearing titled "Empowering Workers by Expanding Employee Ownership." As detailed in our previous post, this hearing was a rare example of a congressional hearing focused exclusively on employee ownership.
Corey Rosen
The US House of Representatives Education and Workforce Subcommittee held a hearing on July 22, 2025, on transparency and oversight at the Department of Labor (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). The hearing, titled “Restoring Trust: Enhancing Transparency and Oversight at EBSA,” focused on alleged EBSA overreach in enforcing the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). EBSA's enforcement includes audits, investigations, and litigation to ensure that companies comply with ERISA's requirements.
Nancy Wiefek
Research Associate Matt Mazewski from the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers has completed an analysis of US Census data on how many privately held firms in the US are “good candidates” for conversion to employee ownership through an ESOP or worker cooperative. He draws upon the US Census Bureau’s Annual Business Survey, County Business Patterns, and Economic Census.
