The Company established a tax qualified Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) for the benefit of its employees in conjunction with the Reorganization, effective January 1, 2019. Eligible employees become 20% vested in their accounts after 1 year of service, 40% vested after 2 years of service, 60% vested after 3 years of service, 80% vested after 4 years of service, and 100% vested after 5 or more years of service, or earlier, upon death, disability or attainment of normal retirement age.

The ESOP purchased 175,528 shares of the Company’s common stock, which was funded by a loan from the Company. Unreleased ESOP shares collateralize the loan payable, and the cost of the shares is recorded as contra-equity account in the stockholders’ equity of the Company. Shares are to be released as debt payments are made by the ESOP to the loan. The ESOP’s sources of repayment of the loan can included dividends, if any, on the unallocated stock held by the ESOP, and discretionary contributions from the Company to the ESOP and earnings thereon.

Compensation expense for the ESOP is recorded at an amount equal to the shares allocated by the ESOP multiplied by the average fair market value of the shares during the period. The Company recognizes compensation expense ratably over the year based upon the Company’s estimate of the number of shares expected to be allocated by the ESOP. Unearned compensation applicable to the ESOP is reflected as a reduction of stockholders’ equity in the consolidated balance sheet. The difference between the average fair market value and the cost of the shares allocated by the ESOP is recorded as an adjustment to stockholders’ equity. The Company recognized $71 in compensation expense for the year ended December 31, 2019.

The following table provides the allocated and unallocated shares of common stock associated with the ESOP.


	Year ended December 31, 2019
	(dollars in thousands)
Shares committed to be released	$ 7,021
Total unallocated shares	168,507
Total ESOP shares	175,528
Fair value of unallocated shares (based on $10.78 share price as of December 31, 2019)	$ 1,817

The fair value of the unallocated shares is based on a per share price of $10.78 on December 31, 2019.