What:  Media briefing (in-person and via telephone) regarding IRS payroll tax increase on stock options. This tax increase, which has generated over 15,000 emails from workers to Capitol Hill, most impacts lower-paid workers. It is estimated to cost tens of billions of dollars in new taxes on workers and in administrative costs to employers. More background below.

Who:    Moderator: William T. Archey, AeA President and CEO
           -Ronald E. Bird, Ph.D., Chief Economist, Employment Policy Foundation
           -Corey Rosen, Executive Director, National Center for Employee Ownership
           -James M. Delaplane, Jr., Vice President, Retirement Policy for American
            Benefits Council
           -Additional contacts

When: Monday, May 13, 2002 at 11:30 a.m. (EDT)

Where: AeA Headquarters, located at 601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 6^th Floor, Washington, D.C. Entrance on Indiana Ave. NW, between 6^th and 7^th Streets.

Call-In: To join the briefing by telephone, dial (703) 871-3016 and tell the operator you are calling for the Stock Options Media Briefing.

Why:   The IRS plans to impose payroll taxes on certain broad-based stock options beginning January 1, 2003. The IRS will hear testimony on this issue May 14. The IRS plan specifically impacts workers who earn less than the Social Security wage base (currently $84,900) annually and participate in Incentive Stock Option (ISO) plans and Employee Stock Purchase Plans (ESPPs).

Materials:  Packets will be available for those coming in person. For all participants, materials will also be available on the Internet beginning May 13 on the AeA and ABC websites.