An Act To Provide an Income Tax Credit To Encourage Small Business Hiring
Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §5219-VV is enacted to read:
§ 5219-VV. Small business hiring incentive credit
(1) A year-round, full-time employee first hired no more than 24 months prior to the end of the tax year for which the credit is claimed and who was retained by the employer for at least 12 consecutive months during the 24 months prior to the end of the tax year; or
(2) A seasonal full-time employee first hired for a season beginning no more than 24 months prior to the end of the tax year for which the credit is claimed and who was reemployed for a 2nd season during the 24 months prior to the end of the tax year.
Sec. 2. Application. This Act applies to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2020.
summary
This bill provides a new employee hiring incentive by means of an income tax credit for employers with an average of 25 or fewer full-time employees during a tax year. The credit is equal to the amount of federal social security tax and Medicare tax paid by the employer for the first 40 hours of employment for new employees who are employed for at least 12 consecutive months for year-round jobs or at least 2 consecutive seasons for seasonal jobs.