Brown, Portman Introduce Bill to Make Work Opportunity Credit Permanent
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman are among those who introduced the Work Opportunity Tax Credit & Jobs Act to the senate Tuesday. If approved, it would make the work opportunity tax credit a permanent addition to the tax code.
Our economy is creating jobs and increasing wages, and that’s good news, but we have much more work ahead to help those individuals who are in the shadows and struggling to find meaningful employment,” said Portman, R-Ohio, in a joint statement with his Democratic counterpart. “Encouraging employers to hire those who have the most trouble finding work is good policy, and that’s why we should make the Work Opportunity Tax Credit permanent.”
Currently, the credit expires Dec. 31. The work opportunity tax credit provides employers credit between $1,200 and $9,600 per employee for hiring and retaining workers that are part of populations that face difficulty in finding jobs.
Among the target groups are veterans, ex-felons, those with disabilities, summer youth employees, the long-term unemployed and those in programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Supplemental Security Income.
“Hard work doesn’t pay off like it used to, with too many workers trying but struggling to get ahead,” said Brown, D-Ohio. “People can and want to contribute to their communities, and they deserve a fair shot. The WOTC provides that opportunity, and awards companies for investing in their greatest asset – the American worker.”
Joining Brown and Portman in introducing the bill to the senate were Ben Cardin, D-Md.; Roy Blunt, R-Mo.; Bill Cassiday, R-La.; and Bob Menendez, D-N.J.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
