A contract between a company and an employee, giving the employee the right to purchase a specific number of shares in the company for a fixed price, during a certain period of time. Employee Stock Option Plans should not be confused with the term EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS (also ESOPs), which are retirement plans.

ERI's 2026 Benefits Benchmarking Survey Highlights
Read More
United States and Canada Minimum Wage Updates - June 2026
Read More
Do Geographic Pay Differentials Account for Inflation?
Read MoreWHITE PAPERS

National Compensation Forecast April 2026
Read More
Compensation Strategies for Remote Work and Organizational Culture – Fall 2025
Read More
Planning Global Compensation Budgets for 2026 - January 2026
Read More
Common Compensation Terms and Formulas - January 2026