Employee Stock Purchase Plan

In the United States, an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) is a means by which employees of a corporation can purchase the corporation's capital stock, or stock in the corporation's parent company, often at a discount up to 15%. Employees contribute to the plan through payroll deductions, which accumulate between the offering date and the purchase date. On the purchase date, the company uses the accumulated funds to purchase shares in the company on behalf of the participating employees. The amount of the discount depends on the specific plan but can be around 15% lower than the market price. ESPPs can also be subject to a vesting schedule, or length of time before the stock is available to the employees, which is typically one or two years of service.