IRS.GOV: Tax Credit Can Help Employers Hiring New Workers; Key Certification Requirement Applies
Last Updated on November 28, 2018 by G. T. HR
IR-2018-113, May 4, 2018
WASHINGTON — With many businesses facing a tight job market, the Internal Revenue Service reminds employers to check out a valuable tax credit available to them for hiring long-term unemployment recipients and other categories of workers with employment barriers.
During National Small Business Week — April 29 to May 5 — the Internal Revenue Service is highlighting tax benefits and resources designed to help new and existing small businesses.
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a long-standing income tax benefit that encourages employers to hire designated categories of workers who face significant barriers to employment. For any employer considering this option, the WOTC may be able to help.
For those who haven’t claimed the WOTC in a while, the IRS noted that legislation enacted in recent years has both expanded and modified the credit. For example, legislation effective Jan. 1, 2016, added a new category for long-term unemployment recipients who had been unemployed for a period of at least 27 weeks and received state or federal unemployment benefits during part or all of that time.
Here’s how it works.