Securities and Exchange Commission December 11, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') is proposing for public comment amendments to the exemption from registration under the rules of the Securities Act of 1933 (``Securities Act'') for securities issued by non-reporting companies pursuant to compensatory arrangements and to Form S-8, the registration statement for offerings by reporting companies pursuant to employee benefit plans. The amendments would establish a temporary provision under Securities Act rules that, on a trial basis, would permit a non- reporting issuer to offer and sell securities for a compensatory purpose to an expanded group of workers without having to register the offers and sales under the Securities Act, as long as certain conditions are met. Specifically, the proposed amendments would permit the issuer to offer and sell securities to those workers who provide services available through the issuer's internet-based marketplace platform or through another widespread, technology-based marketplace platform or system (``platform workers''). The amendments would similarly, on a trial basis, permit a reporting issuer to include such workers in compensatory offerings registered on Form S-8. These proposed rule amendments would expire, absent further action by the Commission, five years from the date of their effectiveness. We are also proposing to amend the rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange Act''). The amendment would extend the exclusion from the definition of ``held of record'' and corresponding safe harbor, which currently applies to securities held by persons who received them pursuant to an employee compensation plan, to securities held by persons who received them pursuant to a compensation plan for platform workers under the proposed Securities Act rule amendment. The proposed exclusion and safe harbor for securities issued to platform workers under Exchange Act rules would not be temporary.