Healthy Workplaces Act Introduced

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.

Leading retailers continue to make significant investments in order to keep their employees, customers, and communities safe. These investments in physical stores, distribution centers, and retail operations have allowed American families to have access to the products necessary for their families to adapt to our new circumstances. Defraying some of these extensive costs as contemplated in the legislation recognizes the important role retailers play in the nation’s fight against COVID-19.

For more information about this legislation and other related advocacy work, please contact RILA VP of Tax Dave Koenig.
 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.

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.