Washington Has their Eyes on the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)

Posted on by WOTC Blog

Both the House and the Senate have shown strong interest in the Work Opportunity Tax Credit in 2019, and as you can see from the table below, that interest has been bubbling all year long. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is currenly scheduled to expire on December 31st, 2019.

As of August 23rd there are a total of 17 bills that pertain to the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. This includes the Hire Student Veterans Act, INVEST Act, Military Spouse Hiring Act, Hire A Hero Act of 2019 and H.R.2213 a bill from Representative Mike Thiompson [D-CA] to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the work opportunity credit permanent. This bill has 25 cosponsors at the moment. At CMS, as WOTC service providers, we would love to see the Work Opportunity Tax Credit not just be renewed before the end of 2019, but become permanent. Brian Kelly: Making the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Permanent Makes Sense.

Support for Veterans

Representatives and Senators appear very eager to support Veterans, Student Veterans, Military Spouse or Partners using the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. In addition to Veterans, the disabled, an extended Summer Youth category, and a new Foster Youth category might be possibilities that we see in the future.

No Time to Waste

2019’s sessions got off to a quick start with early introductions of acts relating to WOTC in both the House and Senate, and has continued all year.

Bill Number Name Sponsor Co-Sponsors Committees:  Introduced Latest Action
H.R.322 INVEST Act Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13] 1 House – Ways and Means 01/08/2019 01/08/2019
H.R.413 Hire A Hero Act of 2019 Rep. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large] 19 House – Ways and Means 01/09/2019 01/09/2019
S.255 Disability Employment Incentive Act Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA] 7 Senate – Finance 01/29/2019 01/29/2019
H.R.1196 Jobs for Veterans Act of 2019 Rep. King, Peter T. [R-NY-2] 5 House – Ways and Means 02/13/2019 02/13/2019
S.537 Hire Student Veterans Act Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV] 7 Senate – Finance 02/25/2019 02/25/2019
S.978 Work Opportunity Tax Credit and Jobs Act Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH] 7 Senate – Finance 04/02/2019 04/02/2019
H.R.2213 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the work opportunity credit permanent Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5]  25 House – Ways and Means 04/10/2019 04/10/2019
H.R.2499 Hire Student Veterans Act Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3] 1 House – Ways and Means 05/02/2019 05/02/2019
H.R.2667 Military Spouses Employment Act Rep. Carter, John R. [R-TX-31] 1 House – Ways and Means 05/10/2019 05/10/2019
 H.R.2740 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Defense, State, Foreign Operations, and Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2020 Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3] 0 House – Appropriations 05/15/2019 06/19/2019 (Passed House)
H.R.2845 Helping to Encourage Real Opportunities (HERO) for At-Risk Youth Act Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2] 0 House – Ways and Means 05/20/2019 05/20/2019
S.1550 Helping to Encourage Real Opportunities (HERO) for At-Risk Youth Act of 2019 Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] 1 Senate – Finance 5/20/2019 05/20/2019
H.R.2912 Military Spouse Hiring Act Rep. Delgado, Antonio [D-NY-19] 29 House – Ways and Means 05/22/2019 05/22/2019
H.R.2964 Improved Employment Outcomes for Foster Youth Act of 2019 Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] 1 House – Ways and Means 05/23/2019 05/23/2019
S.1651 Improved Employment Outcomes for Foster Youth Act of 2019 Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA] 2 Senate – Finance 05/23/2019 05/23/2019
H.R.3123 Supermarket Tax Credit for Underserved Areas Act Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] 12 House – Ways and Means 06/05/2019 06/05/2019
S.1802 Jobs and Childcare for Military Families Act of 2019 Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] 5 Senate – Finance 06/12/2019 06/12/2019

One to watch: Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. [D-PA], has introduced two bills to the Senate Improved Employment Outcomes for Foster Youth Act of 2019, and Disability Employment Incentive Act.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit available to employers who hire individuals from eligible target groups who are qualified for positions but face significant barriers to employment.

At CMS we are watching all of this activity with a keen eye, as the expiration of the WOTC looms at the end of 2019.

Related:

 

Source: Congress.gov