Sinema’s bipartisan bill establishes a temporary workplace safety tax credit for Arizona businesses implementing COVID-19 infection prevention measures
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema partnered with Republican Senator Rob Portman (Ohio) to introduce bipartisan legislation establishing a temporary workplace safety tax credit helping Arizona employers offset the costs of implementing COVID-19 infection prevention measures to keep their employees and customers safe.
“Arizona employers are working hard to keep their doors open while protecting employees and customers during the coronavirus pandemic. We’re finding bipartisan solutions to ensure Arizona businesses can safely remain open, keep Arizonans employed, and continue growing Arizona’s economy,” said Sinema.
Currently, as employers work to re-open safely or stay open, they face large and unplanned costs for personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees, as well as the reconfiguration of facilities, and sanitation services to protect workers. Many of these investments will be made in order to comply with local directives or CDC guidance, and should be supported to keep workers and customers safe during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Last Congress, Sinema introduced similar bipartisan legislation—Safe Workplaces Tax Credit Act—which helped offset costs an employer may have expended in 2020 to safely and smartly re-open during the coronavirus pandemic.
Sinema’s new legislation provides a refundable tax credit against payroll taxes for 50% of eligible expenses paid or incurred by the employer during each quarter in 2021 to protect their workers and customers from coronavirus. A limited credit for reconfiguration costs employers and businesses spent in 2020 will also be allowed.
Eligible expenses include: reconfiguration of facilities related to social distancing; education and training for employees on COVID transmission prevention; software and technology to maintain social distancing; COVID-19 testing, personal protective equipment (including masks, gloves, other PPE, and disinfectants); cleaning products or services; and other equipment or technology deemed necessary in COVID-19 prevention and transmission.