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ISSA Supports Bipartisan Healthy Workplaces Act Introduced in Senate

ISSA thanks U.S. Senators Rob Portman (OH-R) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-D) for introducing the Healthy Workplaces Act (S. 537) to provide a tax credit for critical expenses associated with protecting employees from COVID-19. ISSA strongly supports this legislation to help workplaces to operate as safely as possible.

“ISSA thanks Senators Portman and Sinema for this important legislation, which recognizes the need to help employers offset the significant additional costs for cleaning and disinfecting due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to maintain a healthy and safe workplace for employees and customers,” said John Nothdurft, ISSA Director of Government Affairs. “We look forward to working with members of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to pass a bipartisan Healthy and Safe Workplace Act.”

If enacted, the Healthy Workplaces Act would establish a refundable payroll tax credit equal to 50% of an employer’s “qualified employee protection expenses,” such as testing for COVID-19, protective personal equipment (PPE), and cleaning products or services; “qualified workplace reconfiguration expenses;” and “qualified education and training expenses.”

Business, nonprofits, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals would all qualify for the tax credit. In each calendar quarter, qualified expenses could not exceed a cap based on the average number of employees. The cap would be equal to US$1,000 for each of the first 500 employees, plus $750 for each employee between 500 and 1,000, plus $500 for each employee between 1,000 and 2,500, plus $250 for each employee between 2,500 and 5,000, plus $50 for each employee between 5,000 and 25,000.

“This tax credit is needed to help employers continue to invest in a safer and more sanitary environment for their workers and customers” stated Tom Friedl, chair of ISSA’s Government Affairs Advisory Committee. Friedl is also the president and CEO of HOSPECO a Cleveland-based manufacturer. “This commonsense legislation would help employers cover essential cleaning and hygiene related investments such as training, equipment, and products.”

Please take a moment to email or call your elected officials using ISSA’s Action Center and request their support for this tax credit.

ISSA is leading a coalition of more than 50 trade associations representing cross section of the economy to urge Congress to pass the Healthy and Safe Workplace Tax Credit. To learn more about the federal response to COVID-19, including this tax credit, register for ISSA’s virtual Clean Advocacy Summit, March 30-31, as part of National Cleaning Week. For questions regarding ISSA advocacy, including the Healthy and Safe Workplace Tax Credit, please contact ISSA Director of Government Affairs John Nothdurft And for a recap of ISSA’s recent governmental advocacy efforts, check out this recent article.