4 pages. Excerpt: Stock options, including those issued to employees under stock option plans, are treated as a separate class of security for purposes of the Exchange Act. Although Exchange Act Rule 12h-1(a) provides an exemption from registration for interests in 'stock bonus, stock purchase, profit-sharing, pension, retirement, incentive, thrift, savings or similar plans,' there was previously no exemption for compensatory employee stock options.  MORE >>