Equity value collapses without refreshers: a 4-year vesting schedule is a retention contract, and the refresher policy is the manager's lever. Ask for it in writing at hire, promotion, and mid-cycle — the ask is cheap for committees when your level is justified.
The Three Refresh Moments
- New hire ramp grant: senior hires with competing offers get ramp equity in the offer stage — ask before signature. The band and level language comes from the compensation bands guide.
- Promotion top-up: title bumps come with a refresher sized to the new level. The promotion request should include an equity ask, not just base — the promotion generator adds the band-language version.
- Retention refresh: cycle-2 grants for strong performers; the argument is departure risk, framed as market data.
The Sentences Committees Move On
"My scope sits at the [target level] band. Equity at this level is [refresher range]. The offer is for level [X], and my ramp grant should reflect it."
Vague "equity is generous" promises mean nothing: get the level, the grant size, and the vesting schedule in writing. The post-exit math (windows, AMT) is in the vesting guide and the AMT guide.
Refreshers come from three moments, not from loyalty
A four-year grant is a retention contract that decays. A refresher is granted at one of three moments, and each has a different ask: the new-hire ramp, the promotion top-up, and the retention round. Ask at the moment, with numbers, and put the request in writing.
- New-hire ramp. Competing offers and a quantified existing unvested balance are what move a ramp grant. Ask during the offer stage, before signature, not after start.
- Promotion top-up. The top-up is sized to the new level, so the promotion request must include an equity ask alongside base and title.
- Retention round. Cycle-two grants respond to departure risk framed as market data: comparable roles at comparable levels, refreshed annually.
Send the promotion ask with the promotion request letter, and the offer-stage ask in the acceptance thread with the offer acceptance email, so grant size, vest start, and level mapping are all on the record.
The written ask committees act on
Committees move numbers, not adjectives. Use this shape:
“My scope sits at the [target level] band. Equity at that level refreshes at [range or units] per the policy. I am being hired at level [X], so the ramp grant should reflect [units or dollar value at the current valuation], vesting over [months] with a [cliff] cliff.”
- Name the level. Refresher size follows level mapping, so the level is the argument.
- Name the currency. Units at a valuation, or a dollar band. “Generous equity” is not a term.
- Name the schedule. Vest period, cliff, and grant date, because those decide your tax years.
- Ask for the policy. Request the refresher policy or the committee calendar in writing; if none exists, ask who approves off-cycle grants.
Anchor the cash side with the compensation band request and the salary counteroffer calculator, then confirm the grant terms in writing with the equity vesting entry as your checklist.
What a missing refresher costs at exit
The cost of no refresher shows up when you leave: unvested units forfeit, the exercise window starts, and your total-comp story for the next negotiation is thin.
- Forfeiture. Compute the unvested balance you walk away from in the vesting calculator, then use that number in the next offer conversation as the buy-in you need.
- Window risk. Options that expire unused are the most common silent loss in a departure.
- Negotiation leverage. A documented refresher is evidence that your level was recognized; without it, a level argument is just a claim.
- Refresh at layoff. In a reduction round, ask whether refresh grants scheduled for the cycle still land, and get the answer in writing.
Keep grant dates, units, and vest dates in one file. If you are comparing an offer against a current package, price both as total comp, not base, and log the dates in the application tracker so the next anniversary ask is not missed.
| Ask moment | What to request | Evidence that moves committees |
|---|
| Offer stage | Ramp grant sized to forfeited unvested equity | Competing offer and your current unvested balance |
|---|
| Promotion | Top-up sized to the new level plus vest dates | Written scope above the current band |
|---|
| Retention cycle | Refresher at the level range | Market data and departure risk, stated as data |
|---|
Before you rely on a date or an amount on this page, check it against the California job exit rules page and the New York job exit rules page, along with the Severance Package Negotiation Letter generator, the 401(k) Vesting Schedule definition, and the equity tax trails guide hub. Rules move, and those pages carry the current text.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- When should I ask for an equity refresher?
- At three moments: during the offer stage, with a promotion request, and before a retention cycle. Ask with units or a dollar band plus the vest schedule, and put the request in writing so the committee answer becomes part of your record.
- Is a verbal promise of generous equity enforceable?
- No. Grant size, units, valuation, vest dates, and the exercise window must appear in the award agreement or a written confirmation. Verbal generosity has no deadline and no number, so it cannot be defended later.
- How do I value a refresher against cash?
- Price it at the current valuation and your own vest timeline, then compare against base and bonus in the salary counteroffer calculator. Unvested equity is retention money with risk attached, not salary.
- Do refreshers continue during a layoff round?
- Only if the plan or the round includes them. Ask in writing whether scheduled refresh grants still land for your group, and confirm which unvested units are accelerated, cashed out, or forfeited at separation.
Sources (official record — verify before filing)
IRS — tax guidance