Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)

An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is a retirement plan in which an employer contributes its stock to the plan for the benefit of the company’s employees. This type of plan should not be confused with employee stock option plans, which give employees the right to buy their company’s stock at a set price after a certain period of time.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration oversees ESOPs. If you have a question about your ESOP, please contact:

U.S. Department of Labor
Employee Benefits Security Administration
Division of Technical Assistance and Inquiries
200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N5625
Washington, D.C. 20210
Toll-Free: 1-866-444-EBSA (3272)
Phone: (202) 219-8776

If you have a complaint about your plan, you can learn the procedures for filing a claim on the EBSA’s website. For help in finding a lawyer who specializes in pension matters, visit the website of the National Pension Lawyers Network. You can find information about pensions from the EBSA’s home page and more information on ESOPs from The National Center for Employee Ownership.