(a) For each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 1995, there shall be allowed as a credit against the “net tax” (as defined in Section 17039) to a qualified taxpayer for hiring a qualified disadvantaged individual or a qualified displaced employee during the taxable year for employment in the LAMBRA. The credit shall be equal to the sum of each of the following:
(1) Fifty percent of the qualified wages in the first year of employment.
(2) Forty percent of the qualified wages in the second year of employment.
(3) Thirty percent of the qualified wages in the third year of employment.
(4) Twenty percent of the qualified wages in the fourth year of employment.
(5) Ten percent of the qualified wages in the fifth year of employment.
(b) For purposes of this section:
(1) “Qualified wages” means:
(A) That portion of wages paid or incurred by the employer during the taxable year to qualified disadvantaged individuals or qualified displaced employees that does not exceed 150 percent of the minimum wage.
(B) The total amount of qualified wages which may be taken into account for purposes of claiming the credit allowed under this section shall not exceed two million dollars ($2,000,000) per taxable year.
(C) Wages received during the 60-month period beginning with the first day the individual commences employment with the taxpayer. Reemployment in connection with any increase, including a regularly occurring seasonal increase, in the trade or business operations of the qualified taxpayer does not constitute commencement of employment for purposes of this section.
(D) Qualified wages do not include any wages paid or incurred by the qualified taxpayer on or after the LAMBRA expiration date. However, wages paid or incurred with respect to qualified disadvantaged individuals or qualified displaced employees who are employed by the qualified taxpayer within the LAMBRA within the 60-month period prior to the LAMBRA expiration date shall continue to qualify for the credit under this section after the LAMBRA expiration date, in accordance with all provisions of this section applied as if the LAMBRA designation were still in existence and binding.
(2) “Minimum wage” means the wage established by the Industrial Welfare Commission as provided for in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1171) of Part 4 of Division 2 of the Labor Code.
(3) “LAMBRA” means a local agency military base recovery area designated in accordance with Section 7114 of the Government Code.
(4) “Qualified disadvantaged individual” means an individual who satisfies all of the following requirements:
(A) (i) At least 90 percent of whose services for the taxpayer during the taxable year are directly related to the conduct of the taxpayer’s trade or business located in a LAMBRA.
(ii) Who performs at least 50 percent of his or her services for the taxpayer during the taxable year in the LAMBRA.
(B) Who is hired by the employer after the designation of the area as a LAMBRA in which the individual’s services were primarily performed.
(C) Who is any of the following immediately preceding the individual’s commencement of employment with the taxpayer:
(i) An individual who has been determined eligible for services under the federal Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. Sec. 1501 et seq.).
(ii) Any voluntary or mandatory registrant under the Greater Avenues for Independence Act of 1985 as provided pursuant to Article 3.2 (commencing with Section 11320) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(iii) An economically disadvantaged individual age 16 years or older.
(iv) A dislocated worker who meets any of the following conditions:
(I) Has been terminated or laid off or who has received a notice of termination or layoff from employment, is eligible for or has exhausted entitlement to unemployment insurance benefits, and is unlikely to return to his or her previous industry or occupation.
(II) Has been terminated or has received a notice of termination of employment as a result of any permanent closure or any substantial layoff at a plant, facility, or enterprise, including an individual who has not received written notification but whose employer has made a public announcement of the closure or layoff.
(III) Is long-term unemployed and has limited opportunities for employment or reemployment in the same or a similar occupation in the area in which the individual resides, including an individual 55 years of age or older who may have substantial barriers to employment by reason of age.
(IV) Was self-employed (including farmers and ranchers) and is unemployed as a result of general economic conditions in the community in which he or she resides or because of natural disasters.
(V) Was a civilian employee of the Department of Defense employed at a military installation being closed or realigned under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990.
(VI) Was an active member of the Armed Forces or National Guard as of September 30, 1990, and was either involuntarily separated or separated pursuant to a special benefits program.
(VII) Experiences chronic seasonal unemployment and underemployment in the agriculture industry, aggravated by continual advancements in technology and mechanization.
(VIII) Has been terminated or laid off or has received a notice of termination or layoff as a consequence of compliance with the Clean Air Act.
(v) An individual who is enrolled in or has completed a state rehabilitation plan or is a service-connected disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era, or veteran who is recently separated from military service.
(vi) An ex-offender. An individual shall be treated as convicted if he or she was placed on probation by a state court without a finding of guilty.
(vii) A recipient of:
(I) Federal Supplemental Security Income benefits.
(II) Aid to Families with Dependent Children.
(III) CalFresh benefits.
(IV) State and local general assistance.
(viii) Is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe, band, or other group of Native American descent.
(5) “Qualified taxpayer” means a taxpayer or partnership that conducts a trade or business within a LAMBRA and, for the first two taxable years, has a net increase in jobs (defined as 2,000 paid hours per employee per year) of one or more employees in the LAMBRA.
(A) The net increase in the number of jobs shall be determined by subtracting the total number of full-time employees (defined as 2,000 paid hours per employee per year) the taxpayer employed in this state in the taxable year prior to commencing business operations in the LAMBRA from the total number of full-time employees the taxpayer employed in this state during the second taxable year after commencing business operations in the LAMBRA. For taxpayers who commence doing business in this state with their LAMBRA business operation, the number of employees for the taxable year prior to commencing business operations in the LAMBRA shall be zero. If the taxpayer has a net increase in jobs in the state, the credit shall be allowed only if one or more full-time employees is employed within the LAMBRA.
(B) The total number of employees employed in the LAMBRA shall equal the sum of both of the following:
(i) The total number of hours worked in the LAMBRA for the taxpayer by employees (not to exceed 2,000 hours per employee) who are paid an hourly wage divided by 2,000.
(ii) The total number of months worked in the LAMBRA for the taxpayer by employees who are salaried employees divided by 12.
(C) In the case of a taxpayer who first commences doing business in the LAMBRA during the taxable year, for purposes of clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, of subparagraph (B), the divisors “2,000” and “12” shall be multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of months of the taxable year that the taxpayer was doing business in the LAMBRA and the denominator of which is 12.
(6) “Qualified displaced employee” means an individual who satisfies all of the following requirements:
(A) Any civilian or military employee of a base or former base who has been displaced as a result of a federal base closure act.
(B) (i) At least 90 percent of whose services for the taxpayer during the taxable year are directly related to the conduct of the taxpayer’s trade or business located in a LAMBRA.
(ii) Who performs at least 50 percent of his or her services for the taxpayer during the taxable year in a LAMBRA.
(C) Who is hired by the employer after the designation of the area in which services were performed as a LAMBRA.
(7) “Seasonal employment” means employment by a qualified taxpayer that has regular and predictable substantial reductions in trade or business operations.
(8) “LAMBRA expiration date” means the date the LAMBRA designation expires, is no longer binding, becomes inoperative, or is repealed.
(c) For qualified disadvantaged individuals or qualified displaced employees hired on or after January 1, 2001, the taxpayer shall do both of the following:
(1) Obtain from the Employment Development Department, as permitted by federal law, the local county or city Job Training Partnership Act administrative entity, the local county GAIN office or social services agency, or the local government administering the LAMBRA, a certification that provides that a qualified disadvantaged individual or qualified displaced employee meets the eligibility requirements specified in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) or subparagraph (A) of paragraph (6) of subdivision (b). The Employment Development Department may provide preliminary screening and referral to a certifying agency. The Department of Housing and Community Development shall develop regulations governing the issuance of certificates pursuant to Section 7114.2 of the Government Code and shall develop forms for this purpose.
(2) Retain a copy of the certification and provide it upon request to the Franchise Tax Board.
(d) (1) For purposes of this section, both of the following apply:
(A) All employees of trades or businesses that are under common control shall be treated as employed by a single employer.
(B) The credit (if any) allowable by this section with respect to each trade or business shall be determined by reference to its proportionate share of the qualified wages giving rise to the credit.
The regulations prescribed under this paragraph shall be based on principles similar to the principles that apply in the case of controlled groups of corporations as specified in subdivision (e) of Section 23622.
(2) If an employer acquires the major portion of a trade or business of another employer (hereinafter in this paragraph referred to as the “predecessor”) or the major portion of a separate unit of a trade or business of a predecessor, then, for purposes of applying this section (other than subdivision (d)) for any calendar year ending after that acquisition, the employment relationship between an employee and an employer shall not be treated as terminated if the employee continues to be employed in that trade or business.
(e) (1) (A) If the employment, other than seasonal employment, of any employee, with respect to whom qualified wages are taken into account under subdivision (a), is terminated by the taxpayer at any time during the first 270 days of that employment (whether or not consecutive) or before the close of the 270th calendar day after the day in which that employee completes 90 days of employment with the taxpayer, the tax imposed by this part for the taxable year in which that employment is terminated shall be increased by an amount (determined under those regulations) equal to the credit allowed under subdivision (a) for that taxable year and all prior taxable years attributable to qualified wages paid or incurred with respect to that employee.
(B) If the seasonal employment of any qualified disadvantaged individual, with respect to whom qualified wages are taken into account under subdivision (a), is not continued by the qualified taxpayer for a period of 270 days of employment during the 60-month period beginning with the day the qualified disadvantaged individual commences seasonal employment with the qualified taxpayer, the tax imposed by this part, for the taxable year that includes the 60th month following the month in which the qualified disadvantaged individual commences seasonal employment with the qualified taxpayer, shall be increased by an amount equal to the credit allowed under subdivision (a) for that taxable year and all prior taxable years attributable to qualified wages paid or incurred with respect to that qualified disadvantaged individual.
(2) (A) Subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) shall not apply to any of the following:
(i) A termination of employment of an employee who voluntarily leaves the employment of the taxpayer.
(ii) A termination of employment of an individual who, before the close of the period referred to in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), becomes disabled to perform the services of that employment, unless that disability is removed before the close of that period and the taxpayer fails to offer reemployment to that individual.
(iii) A termination of employment of an individual, if it is determined that the termination was due to the misconduct (as defined in Sections 1256-30 to 1256-43, inclusive, of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations) of that individual.
(iv) A termination of employment of an individual due to a substantial reduction in the trade or business operations of the taxpayer.
(v) A termination of employment of an individual, if that individual is replaced by other qualified employees so as to create a net increase in both the number of employees and the hours of employment.
(B) Subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) shall not apply to any of the following:
(i) A failure to continue the seasonal employment of a qualified disadvantaged individual who voluntarily fails to return to the seasonal employment of the qualified taxpayer.
(ii) A failure to continue the seasonal employment of a qualified disadvantaged individual who, before the close of the period referred to in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), becomes disabled and unable to perform the services of that seasonal employment, unless that disability is removed before the close of that period and the qualified taxpayer fails to offer seasonal employment to that individual.
(iii) A failure to continue the seasonal employment of a qualified disadvantaged individual, if it is determined that the failure to continue the seasonal employment was due to the misconduct (as defined in Sections 1256-30 to 1256-43, inclusive, of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations) of that qualified disadvantaged individual.
(iv) A failure to continue seasonal employment of a qualified disadvantaged individual due to a substantial reduction in the regular seasonal trade or business operations of the qualified taxpayer.
(v) A failure to continue the seasonal employment of a qualified disadvantaged individual, if that individual is replaced by other qualified displaced employees so as to create a net increase in both the number of seasonal employees and the hours of seasonal employment.
(C) For purposes of paragraph (1), the employment relationship between the taxpayer and an employee shall not be treated as terminated by reason of a mere change in the form of conducting the trade or business of the taxpayer, if the employee continues to be employed in that trade or business and the taxpayer retains a substantial interest in that trade or business.
(3) Any increase in tax under paragraph (1) shall not be treated as tax imposed by this part for purposes of determining the amount of any credit allowable under this part.
(4) At the close of the second taxable year, if the taxpayer has not increased the number of its employees as determined by paragraph (5) of subdivision (b), then the amount of the credit previously claimed shall be added to the taxpayer’s net tax for the taxpayer’s second taxable year.
(f) In the case of an estate or trust, both of the following apply:
(1) The qualified wages for any taxable year shall be apportioned between the estate or trust and the beneficiaries on the basis of the income of the estate or trust allocable to each.
(2) Any beneficiary to whom any qualified wages have been apportioned under paragraph (1) shall be treated (for purposes of this part) as the employer with respect to those wages.
(g) The credit shall be reduced by the credit allowed under Section 17053.7. The credit shall also be reduced by the federal credit allowed under Section 51 of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended by the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-343).
In addition, any deduction otherwise allowed under this part for the wages or salaries paid or incurred by the taxpayer upon which the credit is based shall be reduced by the amount of the credit, prior to any reduction required by subdivision (h) or (i).
(h) In the case where the credit otherwise allowed under this section exceeds the “net tax” for the taxable year, that portion of the credit that exceeds the “net tax” may be carried over and added to the credit, if any, in the succeeding 10 taxable years, if necessary, until the credit is exhausted. The credit shall be applied first to the earliest taxable years possible.
(i) (1) The amount of credit otherwise allowed under this section and Section 17053.45, including prior year credit carryovers, that may reduce the “net tax” for the taxable year shall not exceed the amount of tax that would be imposed on the taxpayer’s business income attributed to a LAMBRA determined as if that attributed income represented all of the net income of the taxpayer subject to tax under this part.
(2) Attributable income shall be that portion of the taxpayer’s California source business income that is apportioned to the LAMBRA. For that purpose, the taxpayer’s business income that is attributable to sources in this state first shall be determined in accordance with Chapter 17 (commencing with Section 25101) of Part 11. That business income shall be further apportioned to the LAMBRA in accordance with Article 2 (commencing with Section 25120) of Chapter 17 of Part 11, modified for purposes of this section in accordance with paragraph (3).
(3) Income shall be apportioned to a LAMBRA by multiplying the total California business income of the taxpayer by a fraction, the numerator of which is the property factor plus the payroll factor, and the denominator of which is two. For purposes of this paragraph:
(A) The property factor is a fraction, the numerator of which is the average value of the taxpayer’s real and tangible personal property owned or rented and used in the LAMBRA during the taxable year, and the denominator of which is the average value of all the taxpayer’s real and tangible personal property owned or rented and used in this state during the taxable year.
(B) The payroll factor is a fraction, the numerator of which is the total amount paid by the taxpayer in the LAMBRA during the taxable year for compensation, and the denominator of which is the total compensation paid by the taxpayer in this state during the taxable year.
(4) The portion of any credit remaining, if any, after application of this subdivision, shall be carried over to succeeding taxable years, if necessary, until the credit is exhausted, as if it were an amount exceeding the “net tax” for the taxable year, as provided in subdivision (h). However, the portion of any credit remaining for carryover to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, if any, after application of this subdivision, shall be carried over only to the succeeding 10 taxable years if necessary, until the credit is exhausted, as if it were an amount exceeding the “net tax” for the taxable year, as provided in subdivision (h).
(j) If the taxpayer is allowed a credit pursuant to this section for qualified wages paid or incurred, only one credit shall be allowed to the taxpayer under this part with respect to any wage consisting in whole or in part of those qualified wages.
(k) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), this section shall cease to be operative on January 1, 2014, and shall be repealed on December 1, 2019. A credit shall not be allowed under this section with respect to an employee who first commences employment with a qualified taxpayer on or after January 1, 2014.
(2) This section shall continue to apply with respect to qualified disadvantaged individuals or qualified displaced employees who are employed by the qualified taxpayer within the LAMBRA within the 60-month period immediately preceding January 1, 2014, and qualified wages paid or incurred with respect to those qualified disadvantaged individuals or qualified displaced employees shall continue to qualify for the credit under this section for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, in accordance with this section, as amended by the act adding this subdivision.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 359, Sec. 2. (AB 154) Effective September 30, 2015. Inoperative, with exception, on January 1, 2014, as prescribed in subd. (k). Repealed as of December 1, 2019, by its own provisions.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018