There's nothing stopping companies from giving out shares, plus cash to cover the taxes on those shares. Companies don't do that because it costs them more. Opt

There's nothing stopping companies from giving out shares, plus cash to cover the taxes on those shares. Companies don't do that because it costs them more. Options expiring and returning to the pool is a feature, not a bug, to the employer. I'd suggest employees unionize and demand actual shares if they want equity, but individually there's not much you can do.