Ask YC: Using Employee Stock Purchase plans to cover short positions?

Follow up - theoretically, if I thought my employer's stock was going to go down but wasn't privy to nonpublic info, could I put on a short position to lock in gains or ride out a dip? Or is just working for that co enough to make that illegal?

Talk to a lawyer; but I'm pretty sure that using employee owned stock as collateral for covering a short position is illegal.

i think this is more an ethical decision. however, if i were an employee and my company offered me stock options instead of a check, i'd be looking for a new job.