710:50-15-109 Credit for qualified employers and employees of the aerospace sector

(a) General provisions. For tax years beginning after December 31, 2008, and before January 1, 2032, credits are allowed against the tax imposed by Section 2355 of Title 68 for the employment of qualified employees in the aerospace sector. The credits are as follows: (1) Credit for qualified employers for tuition reimbursement to qualified employees. (2) Credit for qualified employers for compensation paid to qualified employees. (3) Credit for qualified employees. (b) Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this Section, shall have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: (1) "Qualified employee". (A) Any person, regardless of the date of hire by the qualified employer, who is newly employed by or contracting with a qualified employer in Oklahoma on or after January 1, 2009. (B) A person who has been either: (i) Awarded an undergraduate or graduate degree from a qualified program by an institution, or (ii) Licensed as a Professional Engineer by the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors pursuant to Section 475.15 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes and employed as a qualified employee in the aerospace sector by a qualified employer on or after November 1, 2021. (C) Qualified employee does not include a person employed in the aerospace sector in this state immediately preceding employment or contracting with a qualified employer, unless, (i) The employee was employed in the aerospace sector, but not as a full-time engineer, prior to being awarded a degree; (ii) The employee has been awarded a degree and is employed by a professional staffing company and assigned to work in the aerospace sector in Oklahoma; (iii) The employee previously qualified and claimed the credit and becomes employed by a different qualified employer on or after January 1, 2024; or (iv) The employee claimed the credit for the first time in tax year 2024, or any subsequent tax year, and becomes employed by a different qualified employer in any subsequent tax year. (2) "Qualified program" is any program that awards undergraduate or graduate degrees and has been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Effective November 1, 2021, a qualified program includes both undergraduate and graduate programs of the same discipline of engineering at an institution if either program is ABET accredited. (3) "Aerospace sector", "compensation", "institution", "qualified employer" and "tuition" shall be defined as in Section 2357.301 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes. (c) Credit for tuition reimbursement. (1) Qualified employers are allowed a credit against the tax imposed pursuant to Section 2355 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes based on the amount of tuition reimbursed to a qualified employee. This credit is effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008. (2) The credit for tuition reimbursement may only be claimed if the qualified employee has been awarded an undergraduate or graduate degree within 1 year of starting employment with the qualified employer. The undergraduate or graduate degree must be from a qualified program. (3) The credit for tuition reimbursement is equal to 50% of the tuition reimbursed to a qualified employee and may be claimed for the first through fourth years of employment with the qualified employer. The credit is only allowed to be claimed in the tax year that the tuition was reimbursed to the qualified employee and may not exceed in any taxable year 50% of the average annual amount paid by a qualified employee for enrollment and instruction in a qualified program at a public institution in Oklahoma. (4) The credit for tuition reimbursement may not be used to reduce the tax liability of the qualified employer to less than zero, is not transferable and may not be carried over. (5) The credit for tuition reimbursement may not be claimed after the fourth year of employment of the qualified employee. (d) Credit for compensation paid. (1) Qualified employers are allowed a credit against the tax imposed pursuant to Section 2355 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes for compensation paid to a qualified employee. This credit is effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008. (2) The credit for compensation paid equals: (A) 10% of the compensation paid for the first through fifth years of employment in the aerospace sector if the qualified employee graduated from an institution located in this state. (B) 5% of the compensation paid for the first through fifth years of employment in the aerospace sector if the qualified employee graduated from an institution located outside this state. (3) The credit for compensation paid cannot exceed $12,500 for each qualified employee annually. (4) The credit for compensation paid may not be used to reduce the tax liability of the qualified employer to less than zero, is not transferable and may not be carried over. (5) The credit for compensation paid may not be claimed after the fifth year of employment. (e) Credit for qualified employees. (1) For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008, a qualified employee shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed pursuant to Section 2355 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes of up to $5,000 per tax year for a period of time not to exceed 5 years during the lifetime of the qualified employee. This credit may be claimed in nonconsecutive tax years. (2) The credit authorized by this section shall not be used to reduce the tax liability of the taxpayer to less than zero. (3) Any credit claimed, but not used, may be carried over, in order, to each of the 5 subsequent taxable years.