The ESOP Association
ESOP Association Resources
Jun. 23
Employee ownership is continuing to see support in Congress, coming off two huge wins in the U.S. Senate. This time the House Appropriations Committee is considering a bill that would continue to direct the Small Business Administration to act in support of employee ownership. This effort continues the drumbeat in Congress, led by The ESOP Association, supporting employee ownership. Details are below.
Jun. 22
Senate Finance Committee passes the Enhancing American Retirement Now (EARN) Act, which includes a provision partially expanding section 1042 tax deferral to ESOPs that are S-corporations. The EARN Act section 1042 provision matches a similar provision in the Securing a Strong Retirement Act (H.R 2954) which passed the House of Representatives in March. The bill passed the Senate Finance Committee with unanimous support.
Jun. 17
The Senate Finance Committee today released a summary of the Enhancing American Retirement Now (EARN)
Jun. 14
The United States Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee has passed S. 4353, the Retirement Improvement and Savings Enhancement to Supplement Healthy Investments for the Nest Egg (RISE and SHINE) Act, which includes significant provisions that promote ESOPs and require the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to provide regulatory guidance the Association has been seeking for more than four decades.
Jun. 07
Comment Letter Forewarns against Future Use of Proposed New Regs Against ESOPs; Requests the Department hold Public Hearings
Jun. 02
New legislation, titled the RISE and SHINE Act, is expected to be introduced into the U.S. Senate with significant provisions that promote ESOPs and requires the U.S. Department of Labor to provide long-needed regulatory guidance.
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
Jul. 28
After several days of debate, Senate Republicans have offered their version of the “Phase Four” economic stimulus and COVID recovery bill. Of particular note to those in the ESOP community, this package of bills does not yet include S. 4236—the bill introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) that would offer grants to companies that create or expand an ESOP.
The package is a first draft and will likely change significantly as both parties work to hammer out an agreement. As currently written, this group of bills would offer the following items.
The package is a first draft and will likely change significantly as both parties work to hammer out an agreement. As currently written, this group of bills would offer the following items.
Jul. 27
S. 4236
Economic Recovery and Investment Through Employee Ownership Program
On July 21, 2020, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) introduced S. 4236, a bill to establish a federal grant program to encourage economic recovery through business investment and the creation and expansion of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). The bi-partisan bill has been co-sponsored by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.
Economic Recovery and Investment Through Employee Ownership Program
On July 21, 2020, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) introduced S. 4236, a bill to establish a federal grant program to encourage economic recovery through business investment and the creation and expansion of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). The bi-partisan bill has been co-sponsored by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.