ASAE Endorses ‘Healthy Workplace’ Tax Credit

ASAE this week joined the Clean Start Coalition in urging the incoming Biden administration to support the inclusion of a “healthy workplace” tax credit in the next COVID-19 stimulus package to protect the safety of workers, customers and the public.

The coalition, comprised of more than 40 diverse industry groups, delivered a letter to the Biden transition team and congressional leaders calling for a temporary tax credit to be made available to business entities and nonprofit organizations. There is already bipartisan and bicameral support to create such a tax credit, evidenced in the “Healthy Workplaces Tax Credit Act” (S. 4214 and H.R. 7615).

“Businesses and nonprofits have and will continue to spend an enormous amount to ensure that workplaces are as safe and healthy for workers and customers as possible,” the coalition letter states. “[Existing legislative proposals] recognize the enormous, unexpected costs of creating and maintaining healthy spaces for workers and customers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

According to a National Safety Council survey, employers have spent $5,208 per employee on various workplace safety practices such as increased cleaning, personal protective equipment, hand sanitizer, workplace reconfiguration, testing/screening and other measures. A tax credit would ensure that businesses and nonprofit groups already struggling financially during the pandemic can cover a portion of these critical, yet unexpected expenses related to COVID-19.