Healthy Workplaces Act Introduced

A bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers have recently introduced legislation that creates a refundable tax credit against payroll taxes for 50 percent of the costs incurred by a business for increased testing, personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfecting, extra cleaning, reconfiguring work spaces to adhere to social distancing guidelines, and training and education on the prevention of COVID-19 transmission.

The Senate's Healthy Workplaces Act, introduced by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) would:
 

• Provide a benefit of $1,000 per employee for a business’s first 500 employees, $750 per employee for the next 500 employees, $500 for the next 1500 employees, and $50 for each employee thereafter.
• Provide an income tax credit for expenditures made to reconfigure work spaces last year (March 13, 2020-December 31, 2020). Thus, allowing those that have already adapted to public health guidelines to receive a benefit on their 2020 tax return. The credit provides 50% of costs incurred up to $3,000 per employee for a business’s first 500 employees.

The House version of the Healthy Workplaces Act, introduced by Ways and Means Committee Members Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Tom Rice (R-SC) and Darin LaHood (R-IL), would:

• Provide a benefit of $1,000 per employee for a business’s first 500 employees, $750 per employee for the next 500 employees, $500 for the next 1500 employees, and $50 for each employee thereafter.
• Provide an income tax credit for expenditures made to reconfigure work spaces last year (March 13, 2020-December 31, 2020). Thus, allowing those that have already adapted to public health guidelines to receive a benefit on their 2020 tax return. The credit provides 50% of costs incurred up to $3,000 per employee for a business’s first 500 employees.

Tags

• Keeping Communities Safe
• Leading in the Community
• Public Policy
• Retail Works for All of Us
• Tax