For more information about these and other modules, see Using Modules.
ESOP Landscape Modules
Capsule History of ESOPs
This module covers the roots of the 1974 ERISA legislation creating ESOPs, including background on Senator Russell Long, the primary sponsor of ESOP legislation, and Louis Kelso, the lawyer who invented the ESOP. Participants will leave with a sense for why ESOPs work the way they do and for the protections built into the law for ESOP participants.
ESOPs in the United States
Maps and simple statistics illustrate the broad trends in ESOP adoption in the United States, with a highlight on companies which are well-known to employees, including companies with national reputations. With minor research and customization, this module can also include local ESOP companies, and any vendors or customers which have ESOPs.
Research Highlights
A brief and accessible introduction to the research results documenting the effects of employee ownership on corporate performance, employee retirement assets, corporate longevity, and employee attitudes.
ESOPs and the Law
Federal Oversight
A brief overview of the roles of the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor in ESOPs, designed to give ESOP participants confidence that ESOPs operate fairly and in accord with law and the intent of Congress.
ESOPs and Company Ownership
This modules looks at the similarities and differences between ownership in a day-to-day context and ESOP ownership of a company. It explores a variety of issues: direct versus indirect ownership, individual versus dispersed ownership, and the “bundle” of ownership rights.
Legal Rights of ESOP Participants
This module explains what rights ESOP participants (or other employee owners) have, what rights they do not have, and what rights are based on the company’s initiative.
The Role of the ESOP Trust
The Role of the Valuation Firm
The Role of the Administrator
