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(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) “Eligible telework expenses” means expenses incurred during the calendar year pursuant to a telework agreement, up to a limit of $1,200.00 for each participating employee, to enable a participating employee to begin to telework, which expenses are not otherwise the subject of a deduction from income claimed by the employer in any tax year. Such expenses shall include, but not be limited to, expenses paid or incurred to purchase computers, computer related hardware and software, modems, data processing equipment, telecommunications equipment, high-speed Internet connectivity equipment, computer security software and devices, and all related delivery, installation, and maintenance fees. Such expenses shall not include replacement costs for computers, computer related hardware and software, modems, data processing equipment, telecommunications equipment, or computer security software and devices at the principal place of business when that equipment is relocated to the telework site. Such expenses shall not include expenses for which a credit is claimed under any other provision of this article. Such expenses may be incurred only once per employee. Such expenses may be incurred directly by the employer on behalf of the participating employee or directly by the participating employee and subsequently reimbursed by the employer.
(2) “Employer” means any employer upon whom an income tax is imposed by this article.
(3) “Participating employee” means an employee who has entered into a telework agreement with his or her employer on or after July 1, 2007. This term shall not include an individual who is self-employed or an individual who ordinarily spends a majority of his or her workday at a location other than the employer’s principal place of business.
(4) “Telework” means to perform normal and regular work functions on a workday that ordinarily would be performed at the employer’s principal place of business at a different location, thereby eliminating or substantially reducing the physical commute to and from that employer’s principal place of business. This term shall not include home based businesses, extensions of the workday, or work performed on a weekend or holiday.
(5) “Telework agreement” means an agreement signed by the employer and the participating employee, on or after July 1, 2007, that defines the terms of a telework arrangement, including the number of days per year the participating employee will telework, as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section in order to qualify for the credit, and any restrictions on the place from which the participating employee will telework.
(6) “Telework assessment” means an optional assessment leading to the development of policies and procedures necessary to implement a formal telework program which would qualify the employer for the credit provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, including but not limited to a workforce profile, a telework program business case and plan, a detailed accounting of the purpose, goals, and operating procedures of the telework program, methodologies for measuring telework program activities and success, and a deployment schedule for increasing telework activity.
(b) For taxable years beginning or ending on or after January 1, 2008, and prior to January 1, 2012, an employer shall be allowed a state income tax credit against the tax imposed by Code Section 48-7-20 or Code Section 48-7-21 for a percentage of eligible telework expenses incurred in the corresponding calendar year. The amount of such credit shall be calculated as follows:
(1) The credit shall be equal to 100 percent of the eligible telework expenses incurred pursuant to a telework agreement requiring the participating employee to telework at least 12 days per month if the employer’s principal place of business is located in an area designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a nonattainment area under the federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 7401 et seq.;
(2) The credit shall be equal to 75 percent of the eligible telework expenses incurred pursuant to a telework agreement requiring the participating employee to telework at least 12 days per month; or
(3) The credit shall be equal to 25 percent of the eligible telework expenses incurred pursuant to a telework agreement requiring the participating employee to telework at least five days per month.
(c) (1) In addition to the credit provided by subsection (b) of this Code section, an employer conducting a telework assessment on or after July 1, 2007, shall be allowed a credit in the calendar year of implementation of the employer’s formal telework program against the tax imposed by Code Section 48-7-20 or Code Section 48-7-21 for 100 percent of the cost, up to a maximum credit of $20,000.00 per employer, of preparing the assessment. Such costs shall not be eligible for such credit if they are otherwise the subject of a deduction from income claimed by the employer in any tax year. Costs incurred on or after July 1, 2007, and before January 1, 2008, shall be treated as being incurred on January 1, 2008, for purposes of this Code section. The credit provided by this subsection is intended to include program planning expenses, including direct program development and training costs, raw labor costs, and professional consulting fees; the credit shall not include expenses for which a credit is claimed under any other provision of this article. This credit shall be allowed only once per employer.
(2) All telework assessments eligible for a state income tax credit under this subsection shall meet standards for eligibility promulgated by the commissioner.
(d) In no event shall the total amount of any tax credit under this Code section for a taxable year exceed the employer’s income tax liability. No unused tax credit shall be allowed to be carried forward to apply to the employer’s succeeding years’ tax liability. No such tax credit shall be allowed the employer against prior years’ tax liability.
(e) (1) An employer seeking to claim a tax credit provided for under subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section must submit an application to the commissioner for tentative approval of the tax credit provided for in subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section between September 1 and October 31 of the year preceding the calendar year for which the tax credit is to be earned. The commissioner shall promulgate the rules and forms on which the application is to be submitted. Amounts specified on such application shall not be changed by the employer after the application is approved by the commissioner. Such applications must certify that the employer would not have incurred the eligible telework expenses mentioned therein but for the availability of the tax credit. The commissioner shall review such application and shall tentatively approve such application upon determining that it meets the requirements of this Code section.
(2) The commissioner shall provide tentative approval of the applications by the date provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection. In no event shall the aggregate amount of tax credits approved by the commissioner for all qualified employers under this Code section in a calendar year exceed:
(A) For credits earned in calendar year 2008, $2 million;
(B) For credits earned in calendar year 2009, $2 million;
(C) For credits earned in calendar year 2010, $2.5 million; and
(D) For credits earned in calendar year 2011, $2.5 million.
(3) The department shall notify each employer of the tax credits tentatively approved and allocated to such employer by December 31 of the year in which the application was submitted. In the event that the credit amounts on the tax credit applications filed with the commissioner exceed the maximum aggregate limit of tax credits under this subsection, then the tax credits shall be allocated among the employers who filed a timely application on a pro rata basis based upon the amounts otherwise allowed by this Code section. Once the tax credit application has been approved and the amount approved has been communicated to the applicant, the employer may make purchases approved for the tax credit at any time during the calendar year following the approval of the application. The employer may then apply the amount of the approved tax credit to its tax liability for the tax year or years for which the approved application applies. In the event the employer has a tax year other than a calendar year and the calendar year expenses are incurred in more than one taxable year, the credit shall be applied to each taxable year based upon when the expenses were incurred.
(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of Code Sections 48-2-15, 48-7-60, and 48-7-61, the commissioner shall make available a public report disclosing the employer names and amounts of credit claimed under this Code section as follows:
(1) On or before December 31, 2010, for credits allowed in calendar year 2008;
(2) On or before December 31, 2011, for credits allowed in calendar year 2009;
(3) On or before December 31, 2012, for credits allowed in calendar year 2010; and
(4) On or before December 31, 2013, for credits allowed in calendar year 2011.
(g) The commissioner shall promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement and administer this Code section. History. Code 1981, § 48-7-29.11, enacted by Ga. L. 2006, p. 242, § 1/HB 194; Ga. L. 2007, p. 47, § 48/SB 103; Ga. L. 2009, p. 8, § 48/SB 46; Ga. L. 2009, p. 999, §§ 1, 2, 3/HB 186. Code Commission notes. Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2006, Code Section 48-7-29.10, as enacted by Ga. L. 2006, p. 242, § 1/HB 194, was redesignated as Code Section 48-7-29.11; and “July 1, 2007” was substituted for “the effective date of this Code section” in paragraphs (a)(3) and (a)(5) and twice in paragraph (c)(1). RESEARCH REFERENCES Am. Jur. 2d. 71 Am. Jur. 2d, State and Local Taxation, § 390 et seq.