Requisite Service Period
The requisite service period refers to the amount of time that an employee must work for a company in order to earn (or “vest” in) certain benefits or compensation. This period is particularly relevant when discussing stock-based compensation, such as stock options or restricted stock units (RSUs). The requisite service period acts as an incentive for employees to remain with a company for a specified duration.
Here are some key points regarding the requisite service period:
- Vesting Schedule: The benefits or compensation might not be granted all at once at the end of the requisite service period. Instead, they might vest gradually over time according to a predetermined vesting schedule. For instance, an employee might vest in 25% of their stock options after one year, another 25% after two years, and so on.
- Cliff Vesting : Some vesting schedules have a “cliff,” meaning the employee doesn’t vest in any portion of the benefit until they’ve completed a specific duration of the requisite service period. For example, if there’s a one-year cliff, the employee would not receive any vested stock options until they’ve been with the company for at least one year.
- Accelerated Vesting: In certain situations, such as a company buyout or the meeting of specific performance metrics, vesting might accelerate, allowing the employee to vest in their benefits faster than the original schedule.
- Employee Retention: The primary purpose of establishing a requisite service period and vesting schedule is to retain valuable employees. By tying a portion of their compensation to tenure, companies hope to reduce turnover and ensure continuity.
- Accounting Implications: For financial reporting purposes, companies often recognize the cost of stock-based compensation over the requisite service period. This means that the company will spread out the expense related to the stock award over the period in which the employee is earning the award.
Example of the Requisite Service Period
Let’s illustrate the concept of a requisite service period with a clear example involving stock options.
XYZ Tech Inc. hires Jane as a senior developer. To incentivize her to stay with the company long-term and align her interests with that of the company’s shareholders, XYZ Tech Inc. grants her 4,000 stock options. However, these options come with a requisite service period (often termed a “vesting schedule”).
Vesting Schedule:
- Year 1: 1,000 options vest after 12 months.
- Year 2: An additional 1,000 options vest after 24 months.
- Year 3: An additional 1,000 options vest after 36 months.
- Year 4: The final 1,000 options vest after 48 months.
- If Jane stays with XYZ Tech Inc. for the full 4 years, she will have the right to exercise all 4,000 stock options.
- If Jane decides to leave XYZ Tech Inc. after 2.5 years, she would have vested in 2,000 options at the end of the second year, and an additional 500 options halfway through the third year (assuming a linear vesting within the year). This means she can exercise 2,500 options. The remaining 1,500 options are forfeited.
- If XYZ Tech Inc. terminates Jane’s employment after 1.5 years without cause, depending on her employment agreement and the terms of the stock option grant, she might retain the 1,000 options that vested after the first year, but she would likely forfeit the rest. However, some agreements might have provisions for partial or full accelerated vesting upon certain termination conditions.
The requisite service period, as illustrated in this example, provides a clear incentive for Jane to remain with the company and contribute positively. It ensures that she’s rewarded progressively for her continued service, while the company benefits from her prolonged tenure and expertise.
