If you look back 20-30 years, it was common for companies to offer employees access to company stock through company retirement plans, stock compensation plans, or employee stock purchase plans. In the fallout following the collapse of Enron and WorldCom in 2002, many employees lost not only their jobs but also their life savings as their company stock went to zero. This resulted in tremendous scrutiny from regulators, ultimately leading to legislation aimed to protect employees from corporate meltdowns. READ MORE