It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for! Our program for the 18th Annual NASPP Conference has been finalized and was posted yesterday. With so many fantastic proposals to choose from in our selection process this year, I know that you’ll be as excited as I am to see which workshops have made it to our final offering!

One of the special perks of being Editorial Director here at the NASPP is that the Conference workshops remain a total mystery to me until the final vetted program is ready to be announced. It’s like having a big birthday present sitting in front of me waiting to be opened! Once I get my hands on the line-up, though, I do have to start my own selection process. Even though I know that I’ll be able to catch the audio of any workshop I miss, it’s still such a struggle to decide which presentations I will have the pleasure of attending live. So, today I’d like to let you in on the top five workshops that I’m looking forward to this September.

1. DOUBLE SESSION: State-to-State Mobility: What State Are Your Employees In? AND Global Mobility: Are you Prepared for an IRS Audit?

   This double session is a one-two punch on mobility. Because employee mobility is an increasingly visible issue that many companies are still struggling to reach an acceptable level of compliance in, it’s one of my favorite topics.

   The first half of this double session is all about state-to-state mobility. This is an important issue that I think a lot of companies still haven’t faced. I’m especially interested in digging into recent legislative updates impacting multijurisdictional tax considerations and the details that will be provided by the panelists on legislation for the largest states. What really are the trends and best practices for state-to-state mobility? Come to this workshop with me and find out!

   The second half of this double session dissects operational compliance for tax withholding and reporting obligations in the U.S. for globally mobile employees. The truly exciting facet of this workshop is that it really does have the inside scoop on preparing for an IRS audit–one of the panelists is the IRS executive who is leading the enforcement action on this specific issue. It doesn’t get much better than this!

2. Get the Lead Out: Ten Essential Stock Plan Updates

   This workshop exemplifies what makes the NASPP Conference so essential. What better way to stay on top of the hottest issues in equity compensation? These three panelists have their work cut out for them because this workshop will be adjusted to encompass any late-breaking developments that stock plan professionals will need to be in touch with! Not only will they cover today’s top issues, they’ll also provide specific recommendations on language companies can include in plan or grant documents to address them.

3. Thinking Outside the Equity Compensation Box

   I’m always excited to learn more about cutting-edge equity compensation strategies! This workshop will walk us through practical guidance on implementing and administering some truly creative stock plan programs. The panelists will also delve into the strategic motivation behind moving to these equity vehicles and why traditional equity awards may not be serving their intended purpose.

4. Proxy Statements 101 for Stock Plan Administrators

   The recent focus on executive compensation coupled with the new disclosure requirements intensifies the importance of understanding the process of drafting proxy statements. The panelists will provide a detailed review of the equity compensation items and potential disclosures that stock plan professions should be aware of. This is a workshop that I expect to walk away from with some really valuable materials!

5. Stop the Spreadsheet Madness: Getting Your Systems to Do What You Need

   Truth be told, I’m a real fan of Excel spreadsheets. The more I know about Excel, the more I realize I’m barely scratching the surface of its potential. Unfortunately, relying on manual manipulation of spreadsheets for crucial calculations also carries with it a heavy potential for costly and embarrassing errors. This workshop will walk us through the top alternatives though relevant scenarios that we can all relate to. These panelists will be tackling some solutions that go beyond the basics, including using Crystal Reports, Microsoft Access, and even spreadsheet macros.

Registration and Workshop Selection

If you haven’t already done so, don’t wait a moment longer to register for this year’s Conference. Now that our agenda is out, workshop selection is automatically incorporated into the registration process. For those of you who are already signed up for our power-packed offering, read over the Workshop Descriptions and let us know which workshops you plan on attending by completing this online form. This is a critical part of our planning because it makes it possible for us to accommodate seating in our most popular workshops!

See you in Chicago this September!

-Rachel