CANADA CHAPTER

Imagine getting a job offer from your dream company, but they refuse to disclose the currency of your salary—this is how the startup equity compensation market often operates. Employers offer stock options or RSUs without revealing the total number of company shares, leaving employees uncertain about their actual ownership stake. Current regulations do not require startups to provide comprehensive valuation information, leading to an overestimation of equity grants and undermining the high-tech labor market's competitiveness.

EY's 2024 Mobility Reimagined survey reveals that only 25% of employers have fully developed mobility functions, despite 64% of employees expressing a higher likelihood of staying after long-term global assignments. Companies face increasing cross-border risks, with 71% of respondents noting heightened challenges, including tax/regulatory and data privacy risks, highlighting the need for robust policies and integration of mobility functions to attract and retain top talent and ensure business resilience.

This article advocates for greater democratization of workplaces, highlighting the absence of democratic rights for workers despite their significant time spent in these environments. It discusses the potential benefits of enabling employees to have more control and ownership in their workplaces, citing examples of successful employee-owned firms in Canada and abroad. The article also outlines various public policy options, including the creation of Employee Ownership Trusts, to facilitate the expansion of democratic employee ownership in Canada and address barriers such as limited access to capital.

Australia is trailing behind the US and advanced European economies in implementing employee share schemes, as revealed by the first global survey spearheaded by tax partner Shaun Cartoon and lawyer Eileen Liu. Conducted by a team of specialists from Arnold Bloch Leibler, Baker McKenzie, KPMG, and Tapestry Compliance, along with issuers and academics, the survey measured operating environments across 26 countries. Australia's complex tax rules and regulatory constraints on unlisted companies have hindered the scaling up of share plans, with tax incentives playing a significant role in decision-making for companies.

Airbnb has expanded compensation transparency by providing all employees globally with access to their base pay ranges, bonus targets, and annual performance equity award targets. This move, along with previously sharing base pay hiring ranges on job postings in the U.S., aims to enhance consistency in compensation and build a culture of trust and accountability. Additionally, Airbnb has conducted annual pay equity analyses since 2015, finding no significant unexplained gaps in pay, as part of their commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace.