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The Employee Ownership Action Network (EOAN) is a free-to-join, grassroots advocacy movement for anyone with a stake in ensuring employee ownership continues to grow and thrive in the US.
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What Our Members Have to Say
“Membership in The ESOP Association is vital to an ESOP owned company. The advocacy and education services are invaluable and are not duplicated by any other organization.”
-David Kelly, CFO at Acadian Ambulance Service Inc.
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The Employee Owned Conference, attended annually by more than 2,000 employee-owners, thought leaders, and professional advisors, is the largest ESOP conference in the world.
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The #EO Solution
The ESOP Association and Project Equity have partnered to create state -by-state data that amplifies employee ownership as a common sense way to preserve businesses, strengthen jobs and build a more resilient post-pandemic economy.
ESOP Association Resources
Forming an ESOP - A New Video Series on Business Succession Planning
Hear from ESOP companies in multiple different industries, and their seasoned advisors, about what an ESOP is and if it’s right for you.
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What is an ESOP?
An ESOP is a retirement plan—but also a way of living and running a company. For insights on both technical and cultural aspects of these plans—which provide benefits to employee owners, the company, the community, and exiting owners—and links to additional resources, see our web page titled What is an ESOP?
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The ESOP Association
ESOP Association Resources
Dec. 29
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (P.L. 117-328) includes the Worker Opportunity, Readiness and Knowledge (WORK) Act, sponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), which creates the Employee Ownership Initiative at the DOL to promote employee ownership and directs the DOL to provide formal guidance on the vital issue of properly valuing shares of company stock to be bought by an ESOP– a key rule long missing from the ESOP regulatory landscape. The law included new provisions allowing S corporation ESOPs limited use of section 1042 tax deferral.
Dec. 07
The ESOP Association has been working with Congress during this congressional session on bipartisan retirement security legislation. That important legislation – which includes provisions that affect every ESOP and employee ownership in general – is being considered in the final days of the current Congress. If this bill, which was painstakingly negotiated and enjoys broad bipartisan support, doesn’t pass now, the entire legislative process must start over next year.
Sep. 29
The ESOP Association's Immediate Past Chair, and Chairman of Eagle Broadband, Gary Shorman, will testify at the House Committee on Small Business Hearing on "Empowering Employee Owned Businesses and Cooperatives Through Access to Capital." He will represent the interests of ESOPs and The ESOP Association at the hearing.
From the committee website:
From the committee website:
Sep. 09
Today, President Biden announced strict new mandates from the federal government requiring more than 100 million Americans to be vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19. These requirements will impact ESOP companies with more than 100 employees, health care ESOP companies including but not limited to hospitals, dialysis facilities, ambulatory surgical settings, and home health agencies, and ESOPs with government contracts.
Employers with more than 100 Employees
Employers with more than 100 Employees
Mar. 14
The Department of Labor proposes regulations that would make advisors to ERISA plans—including ESOP appraisers—fiduciaries under ERISA. A grassroots effort on Capitol Hill helps ensure the new regulations would not adversely affect ESOPs and the “fiduciary rule” is rejected.