You are dismising what you call a "perk" as if it were inconsequential...on the order of a free burger. This particular "perk" is a benefit that has very real value. It's a form of compensation. It's not unusual for benefits to add another third in dollar value to one's salary.
Of course it has value. But it's unearned value.
It's a form of compensation.
Wrong.
As I pointed out already, a company can unilaterally decide not to contribute these shares, but a company most certainly can't choose to not pay someone for the work they did.
It's not unusual for benefits to add another third in dollar value to one's salary.
Certainly. It still doesn't mean that those benefits are your salary, unless your employer signs a contract with you guaranteeing such benefits as a condition of your employment.
The Enron shares that Enron gave to its employees as 401k matching funds were totally gratuitous and had the sole purpose of creating an incentive for employees to stay with the company in the future - they were certainly not compensation.