We have released the September 2024 edition of our “Clients & Friends Newsletter,” which reviews the latest developments impacting share plans globally. Explore the newsletter, and/or register for our upcoming October 8th webinar, to learn more about the impact of the following tax, legal and regulatory changes on your share plans:
Sadly, due to Covid-19, it is now virtually certain we will enter a recession. While the experts are arguing about the length and severity, everyone agrees the current circumstances will lead to many businesses failing and a spike in unemployment. We are already seeing a significant decline of share prices across all industries and the accompanying volatility in the financial markets. I recognize that many of you are worrying about more pressing problems, such as…
Why hire through a PEO? When companies start expanding internationally, it is often important to “put boots on the ground” as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. The traditional approach of establishing a local entity and employing employees through the local entity may not always work due to the cost and time involved in setting up and maintaining the local entity and local payroll, as well as the complexity of establishing and administering supplementary benefits. Aside…
Sweden has not been a country previously featured in this blog, but we have become aware that the Swedish Tax Agency (the “STA”) has contacted several local employers in recent months to seek clarification on the amounts withheld in relation to equity award income and correct the reporting where needed. We believe it is possible that many more companies could be audited with respect to their equity award tax withholding practices in 2019 and beyond.…
Gender pay gap and pay equity are big discussion topics for companies around the world as more and more countries enact laws intended to close the gender pay gap and as case law develops involving discrimination claims related to pay equity. Beyond strictly legal obligations, many companies also face shareholder and employee pressure for increased transparency around diversity and gender pay. The Gender Pay Gap vs. Pay Equity In brief, the gender pay gap relates…
As we reported in our July 2, 2015 client alert, the new Australian share plan legislation received Royal Assent on June 30, 2015 and applies to all equity awards granted on or after July 1, 2015. Under the new tax regime, stock options are generally taxed at exercise only (not at vesting).
In this post, I want to explore the practical implications of the new legislation for most companies and examine the exceptions to the rule.
Grant Document Changes
Under the old tax regime that was in effect from July 1, 2009 until June 30, 2015, options generally were taxed at vesting which obviously was not a good result for companies nor for employees. As a result, many companies stopped granting options in Australia altogether. The companies that persevered (often private companies with no alternatives, such as RSUs, available to them) usually imposed special terms designed to avoid a taxable event prior to a liquidity event or at a time when options were underwater. To achieve this, they restricted exercisability of the options until a liquidity event occurred and/or until the option was in the money.
For options granted prior to July 1, 2015, these restrictions should continue to be enforced because the old tax regime continues to apply to these grants. However, for options granted on or after July 1, 2015, these restrictions are no longer needed. This means companies should revise their award documents and delete these restrictions (usually contained in the Australia appendix to the award agreement).