Chan,
I respect you for the fact that you never pushed the DESPP on any of your employees (many of us have no clue). Was there a time when managers were encouraged to "advise" its employees to participate in the plan?
I ask this because there was a period of 3 or 4 years (around '01 to '05) that I was "advised" to participate in this plan. While I am smart enough not to take financial advice from someone whose's job is to manage packages, (I was encouraged at least 3 times privately in our one-vision talks), there are many hourlies that don't know any better.
Brownie.
When the Discounted Employee stock purchase program was first rolled out, may have been around the time you are referencing, a lot of training was done with UPS management to ensure they understood the program.
As I remember the presentations, UPS management spoke to employee participation, but were advised to not give any financial advice to UPS employees. Rather ensure the employees knew of the program and the benefits of purchasing stock at a discounted rate.
Buy low, sell high if you can with any stocks you own.
Although in today's financial mess who knows anymore?