(a) (1) For each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2014, and before January 1, 2026, there shall be allowed to a qualified taxpayer that hires a qualified full-time employee and pays or incurs qualified wages attributable to work performed by the qualified full-time employee in a designated census tract or economic development area, and that receives a tentative credit reservation for that qualified full-time employee, a credit against the “net tax,” as defined in Section 17039, in an amount calculated under this section.

(2) The amount of the credit allowable under this section for a taxable year shall be equal to the product of the tentative credit amount for the taxable year and the applicable percentage for that taxable year.

(3) (A) If a qualified taxpayer relocates to a designated census tract or economic development area, the qualified taxpayer shall be allowed a credit with respect to qualified wages for each qualified full-time employee employed within the new location only if the qualified taxpayer provides each employee at the previous location or locations a written offer of employment at the new location in the designated census tract or economic development area with comparable compensation.

(B) For purposes of this paragraph, “relocates to a designated census tract or economic development area” means an increase in the number of qualified full-time employees, employed by a qualified taxpayer, within a designated census tract or tracts or economic development areas within a 12-month period in which there is a decrease in the number of full-time employees, employed by the qualified taxpayer in this state, but outside of designated census tracts or economic development areas.

(C) This paragraph does not apply to a small business.

(4) The credit allowed by this section may be claimed only on a timely filed original return of the qualified taxpayer and only with respect to a qualified full-time employee for whom the qualified taxpayer has received a tentative credit reservation.

(b) For purposes of this section:

(1) The “tentative credit amount” for a taxable year shall be equal to the product of the applicable credit percentage for each qualified full-time employee and the qualified wages paid by the qualified taxpayer during the taxable year to that qualified full-time employee.

(2) The “applicable percentage” for a taxable year shall be equal to a fraction, the numerator of which is the net increase in the total number of full-time employees employed in this state during the taxable year, determined on an annual full-time equivalent basis, as compared with the total number of full-time employees employed in this state during the base year, determined on the same basis, and the denominator of which shall be the total number of qualified full-time employees employed in this state during the taxable year. The applicable percentage shall not exceed 100 percent.

(3) The “applicable credit percentage” means the credit percentage for the calendar year during which a qualified full-time employee was first employed by the qualified taxpayer. The applicable credit percentage for all calendar years shall be 35 percent.

(4) “Base year” means the 2013 taxable year, except in the case of a qualified taxpayer who first hires a qualified full-time employee in a taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2015, the base year means the taxable year immediately preceding the taxable year in which a qualified full-time employee was first hired by the qualified taxpayer.

(5) “Acquired” includes any gift, inheritance, transfer incident to divorce, or any other transfer, whether or not for consideration.

(6) “Annual full-time equivalent” means either of the following:

(A) In the case of a full-time employee paid hourly qualified wages, “annual full-time equivalent” means the total number of hours worked for the qualified taxpayer by the employee, not to exceed 2,000 hours per employee, divided by 2,000.

(B) In the case of a salaried full-time employee, “annual full-time equivalent” means the total number of weeks worked for the qualified taxpayer by the employee divided by 52.

(7) “Designated census tract” means a census tract within the state that is determined by the Department of Finance to have a civilian unemployment rate that is within the top 25 percent of all census tracts within the state and has a poverty rate within the top 25 percent of all census tracts within the state, as prescribed in Section 13073.5 of the Government Code.

(8) “Economic development area” means either of the following:

(A) A former enterprise zone. For purposes of this section, “former enterprise zone” means an enterprise zone designated and in effect as of December 31, 2011, any enterprise zone designated during 2012, and any revision of an enterprise zone prior to June 30, 2013, under former Chapter 12.8 (commencing with Section 7070) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, as in effect on December 31, 2012, excluding any census tract within an enterprise zone that is identified by the Department of Finance pursuant to Section 13073.5 of the Government Code as a census tract within the lowest quartile of census tracts with the lowest civilian unemployment and poverty.

(B) A local agency military base recovery area designated as of the effective date of the act adding this subparagraph, in accordance with Section 7114 of the Government Code.

(9) “Minimum wage” means the wage established pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1171) of Part 4 of Division 2 of the Labor Code.

(10) (A) “Qualified full-time employee” means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Performs at least 50 percent of his or her services for the qualified taxpayer during the taxable year in a designated census tract or economic development area.

(ii) Receives starting wages that are at least 150 percent of the minimum wage.

(iii) Is hired by the qualified taxpayer on or after January 1, 2014.

(iv) Is hired by the qualified taxpayer after the date the Department of Finance determines that the census tract referred to in clause (i) is a designated census tract or that the census tracts within a former enterprise zone are not census tracts with the lowest civilian unemployment and poverty.

(v) Satisfies either of the following conditions:

(I) Is paid qualified wages by the qualified taxpayer for services not less than an average of 35 hours per week.

(II) Is a salaried employee and was paid compensation during the taxable year for full-time employment, within the meaning of Section 515 of the Labor Code, by the qualified taxpayer.

(vi) Upon commencement of employment with the qualified taxpayer, satisfies any of the following conditions:

(I) Was unemployed for the six months immediately preceding employment with the qualified taxpayer. In the case of an individual that completed a program of study at a college, university, or other postsecondary educational institution, received a baccalaureate, postgraduate, or professional degree, and was unemployed for the six months immediately preceding employment with the qualified taxpayer, that individual must have completed that program of study at least 12 months prior to the individual’s commencement of employment with the qualified taxpayer.

(II) Is a veteran who separated from service in the Armed Forces of the United States within the 12 months preceding commencement of employment with the qualified taxpayer.

(III) Was a recipient of the credit allowed under Section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to earned income, as applicable for federal purposes, for the previous taxable year.

(IV) Is an ex-offender previously convicted of a felony.

(V) Is a recipient of either CalWORKs, in accordance with Article 2 (commencing with Section 11250) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or general assistance, in accordance with Section 17000.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(B) An individual may be considered a qualified full-time employee only for the period of time commencing with the date the individual is first employed by the qualified taxpayer and ending 60 months thereafter.

(11) (A) “Qualified taxpayer” means a person or entity engaged in a trade or business within a designated census tract or economic development area that, during the taxable year, pays or incurs qualified wages.

(B) In the case of any pass-thru entity, the determination of whether a taxpayer is a qualified taxpayer under this section shall be made at the entity level and any credit under this section or Section 23626 shall be allowed to the pass-thru entity and passed through to the partners and shareholders in accordance with applicable provisions of this part or Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001). For purposes of this subdivision, the term “pass-thru entity” means any partnership or “S” corporation.

(C) “Qualified taxpayers” shall not include any of the following:

(i) Employers that provide temporary help services, as described in Code 561320 of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) published by the United States Office of Management and Budget, 2012 edition.

(ii) Employers that provide retail trade services, as described in Sector 44-45 of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) published by the United States Office of Management and Budget, 2012 edition.

(iii) Employers that are primarily engaged in providing food services, as described in Code 711110, 722511, 722513, 722514, or 722515 of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) published by the United States Office of Management and Budget, 2012 edition.

(iv) Employers that are primarily engaged in services as described in Code 713210, 721120, or 722410 of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) published by the United States Office of Management and Budget, 2012 edition.

(v) (I) An employer that is a sexually oriented business.

(II) For purposes of this clause:

(ia) “Sexually oriented business” means a nightclub, bar, restaurant, or similar commercial enterprise that provides for an audience of two or more individuals live nude entertainment or live nude performances where the nudity is a function of everyday business operations and where nudity is a planned and intentional part of the entertainment or performance.

(ib) “Nude” means clothed in a manner that leaves uncovered or visible, through less than fully opaque clothing, any portion of the genitals or, in the case of a female, any portion of the breasts below the top of the areola of the breasts.

(D) Subparagraph (C) shall not apply to a taxpayer that is a “small business.”

(12) “Qualified wages” means those wages that meet all of the following requirements:

(A) (i) Except as provided in clause (ii), that portion of wages paid or incurred by the qualified taxpayer during the taxable year to each qualified full-time employee that exceeds 150 percent of minimum wage, but does not exceed 350 percent of minimum wage.

(ii) (I) In the case of a qualified full-time employee employed in a designated pilot area, that portion of wages paid or incurred by the qualified taxpayer during the taxable year to each qualified full-time employee that exceeds ten dollars ($10) per hour or an equivalent amount for salaried employees, but does not exceed 350 percent of minimum wage. For qualified full-time employees described in the preceding sentence, clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (10) is modified by substituting “ten dollars ($10) per hour or an equivalent amount for salaried employees” for “150 percent of the minimum wage.”

(II) For purposes of this clause:

(ia) “Designated pilot area” means an area designated as a designated pilot area by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

(ib) Areas that may be designated as a designated pilot area are limited to areas within a designated census tract or an economic development area with average wages less than the statewide average wages, based on information from the Labor Market Division of the Employment Development Department, and areas within a designated census tract or an economic development area based on high poverty or high unemployment.

(ic) The total number of designated pilot areas that may be designated is limited to five, one or more of which must be an area within five or fewer designated census tracts within a single county based on high poverty or high unemployment or an area within an economic development area based on high poverty or high unemployment.

(id) The designation of a designated pilot area shall be applicable for a period of four calendar years, commencing with the first calendar year for which the designation of a designated pilot area is effective. The applicable period of a designated pilot area may be extended, in the sole discretion of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, for an additional period of up to three calendar years. The applicable period, and any extended period, shall not extend beyond December 31, 2020.

(III) The designation of an area as a designated pilot area and the extension of the applicable period of a designated pilot area shall be at the sole discretion of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development and shall not be subject to administrative appeal or judicial review.

(B) Wages paid or incurred during the 60-month period beginning with the first day the qualified full-time employee commences employment with the qualified taxpayer. In the case of any employee who is reemployed, including a regularly occurring seasonal increase, in the trade or business operations of the qualified taxpayer, this reemployment shall not be treated as constituting commencement of employment for purposes of this section.

(C) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of subdivision (n), qualified wages shall not include any wages paid or incurred by the qualified taxpayer on or after the date that the Department of Finance’s redesignation of designated census tracts is effective, as provided in paragraph (2) of subdivision (g), so that a census tract is no longer a designated census tract.

(13) “Seasonal employment” means employment by a qualified taxpayer that has regular and predictable substantial reductions in trade or business operations.

(14) (A) “Small business” means a trade or business that has aggregate gross receipts, less returns and allowances reportable to this state, of less than two million dollars ($2,000,000) during the previous taxable year.

(B) (i) For purposes of this paragraph, “gross receipts, less returns and allowances reportable to this state,” means the sum of the gross receipts from the production of business income, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 25120, and the gross receipts from the production of nonbusiness income, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 25120.

(ii) In the case of any trade or business activity conducted by a partnership or an “S” corporation, the limitations set forth in subparagraph (A) shall be applied to the partnership or “S” corporation and to each partner or shareholder.

(C) (i) “Small business” shall not include a sexually oriented business.

(ii) For purposes of this subparagraph:

(I) “Sexually oriented business” means a nightclub, bar, restaurant, or similar commercial enterprise that provides for an audience of two or more individuals live nude entertainment or live nude performances where the nudity is a function of everyday business operations and where nudity is a planned and intentional part of the entertainment or performance.

(II) “Nude” means clothed in a manner that leaves uncovered or visible, through less than fully opaque clothing, any portion of the genitals or, in the case of a female, any portion of the breasts below the top of the areola of the breasts.

(15) An individual is “unemployed” for any period for which the individual is all of the following:

(A) Not in receipt of wages subject to withholding under Section 13020 of the Unemployment Insurance Code for that period.

(B) Not a self-employed individual (within the meaning of Section 401(c)(1)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to self-employed individual) for that period.

(C) Not a registered full-time student at a high school, college, university, or other postsecondary educational institution for that period.

(c) The net increase in full-time employees of a qualified taxpayer shall be determined as provided by this subdivision:

(1) (A) The net increase in full-time employees shall be determined on an annual full-time equivalent basis by subtracting from the amount determined in subparagraph (C) the amount determined in subparagraph (B).

(B) The total number of full-time employees employed in the base year by the taxpayer and by any trade or business acquired by the taxpayer during the current taxable year.

(C) The total number of full-time employees employed in the current taxable year by the taxpayer and by any trade or business acquired during the current taxable year.

(2) For taxpayers who first commence doing business in this state during the taxable year, the number of full-time employees for the base year shall be zero.

(d) For purposes of this section:

(1) All employees of the trades or businesses that are treated as related under Section 267, 318, or 707 of the Internal Revenue Code shall be treated as employed by a single taxpayer.

(2) In determining whether the taxpayer has first commenced doing business in this state during the taxable year, the provisions of subdivision (f) of Section 17276, without application of paragraph (7) of that subdivision, shall apply.

(e) (1) To be eligible for the credit allowed by this section, a qualified taxpayer shall, upon hiring a qualified full-time employee, request a tentative credit reservation from the Franchise Tax Board within 30 days of complying with the Employment Development Department’s new hire reporting requirements as provided in Section 1088.5 of the Unemployment Insurance Code, in the form and manner prescribed by the Franchise Tax Board.

(2) To obtain a tentative credit reservation with respect to a qualified full-time employee, the qualified taxpayer shall provide necessary information, as determined by the Franchise Tax Board, including the name, social security number, the start date of employment, the rate of pay of the qualified full-time employee, the qualified taxpayer’s gross receipts, less returns and allowances, for the previous taxable year, and whether the qualified full-time employee is a resident of a targeted employment area, as defined in former Section 7072 of the Government Code, as in effect on December 31, 2013.

(3) The qualified taxpayer shall provide the Franchise Tax Board an annual certification of employment with respect to each qualified full-time employee hired in a previous taxable year, on or before, the 15th day of the third month of the taxable year. The certification shall include necessary information, as determined by the Franchise Tax Board, including the name, social security number, start date of employment, and rate of pay for each qualified full-time employee employed by the qualified taxpayer.

(4) A tentative credit reservation provided to a taxpayer with respect to an employee of that taxpayer shall not constitute a determination by the Franchise Tax Board with respect to any of the requirements of this section regarding a taxpayer’s eligibility for the credit authorized by this section.

(f) The Franchise Tax Board shall do all of the following:

(1) Approve a tentative credit reservation with respect to a qualified full-time employee hired during a calendar year.

(2) Determine the aggregate tentative reservation amount and the aggregate small business tentative reservation amount for a calendar year.

(3) A tentative credit reservation request from a qualified taxpayer with respect to a qualified full-time employee who is a resident of a targeted employment area, as defined in former Section 7072 of the Government Code, as in effect on December 31, 2013, shall be expeditiously processed by the Franchise Tax Board. The residence of a qualified full-time employee in a targeted employment area shall have no other effect on the eligibility of an individual as a qualified full-time employee or the eligibility of a qualified taxpayer for the credit authorized by this section.

(4) Notwithstanding Section 19542, provide as a searchable database on its Internet Web site, for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2014, and before January 1, 2026, the employer names, amounts of tax credit claimed, and number of new jobs created for each taxable year pursuant to this section and Section 23626.

(g) (1) The Department of Finance shall, by January 1, 2014, and by January 1 of every fifth year thereafter, provide the Franchise Tax Board with a list of the designated census tracts and a list of census tracts with the lowest civilian unemployment rate.

(2) The redesignation of designated census tracts and lowest civilian unemployment census tracts by the Department of Finance as provided in Section 13073.5 of the Government Code shall be effective, for purposes of this credit, one year after the date the Department of Finance redesignates the designated census tracts.

(h) For purposes of this section:

(1) All employees of the trades or businesses that are treated as related under Section 267, 318, or 707 of the Internal Revenue Code shall be treated as employed by a single taxpayer.

(2) All employees of trades or businesses that are not incorporated, and that are under common control, shall be treated as employed by a single taxpayer.

(3) 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 expense of the qualified wages giving rise to the credit, and shall be allocated to that trade or business in that manner.

(4) Principles that apply in the case of controlled groups of corporations, as specified in subdivision (h) of Section 23626, shall apply with respect to determining employment.

(5) 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 (i), for any taxable year ending after that acquisition, the employment relationship between a qualified full-time employee and an employer shall not be treated as terminated if the employee continues to be employed in that trade or business.

(i) (1) If the employment of any qualified full-time employee, with respect to whom qualified wages are taken into account under subdivision (a), is terminated by the qualified taxpayer at any time during the first 36 months after commencing employment with the qualified taxpayer, whether or not consecutive, the tax imposed by this part for the taxable year in which that employment is terminated 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 employee.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any of the following:

(A) A termination of employment of a qualified full-time employee who voluntarily leaves the employment of the qualified taxpayer.

(B) A termination of employment of a qualified full-time employee who, before the close of the period referred to in paragraph (1), becomes disabled and unable to perform the services of that employment, unless that disability is removed before the close of that period and the qualified taxpayer fails to offer reemployment to that employee.

(C) A termination of employment of a qualified full-time employee, 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 employee.

(D) A termination of employment of a qualified full-time employee due to a substantial reduction in the trade or business operations of the qualified taxpayer, including reductions due to seasonal employment.

(E) A termination of employment of a qualified full-time employee, if that employee is replaced by other qualified full-time employees so as to create a net increase in both the number of employees and the hours of employment.

(F) A termination of employment of a qualified full-time employee, when that employment is considered seasonal employment and the qualified employee is rehired on a seasonal basis.

(3) For purposes of paragraph (1), the employment relationship between the qualified taxpayer and a qualified full-time employee shall not be treated as terminated by reason of a mere change in the form of conducting the trade or business of the qualified taxpayer, if the qualified full-time employee continues to be employed in that trade or business and the qualified taxpayer retains a substantial interest in that trade or business.

(4) An 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.

(j) In the case of an estate or trust, both of the following apply:

(1) The qualified wages for a 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) A 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.

(k) In the case in which the credit allowed by this section exceeds the “net tax,” the excess may be carried over to reduce the “net tax” in the following year, and the succeeding four years if necessary, until the credit is exhausted.

(l) The Franchise Tax Board may prescribe rules, guidelines, or procedures necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section, including any guidelines regarding the allocation of the credit allowed under this section. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code shall not apply to any rule, guideline, or procedure prescribed by the Franchise Tax Board pursuant to this section.

(m) (1) Upon the effective date of this section, the Department of Finance shall estimate the total dollar amount of credits that will be claimed under this section with respect to each fiscal year from the 2013–14 fiscal year to the 2020–21 fiscal year, inclusive.

(2) The Franchise Tax Board shall annually provide to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, by no later than March 1, a report of the total dollar amount of the credits claimed under this section with respect to the relevant fiscal year. The report shall compare the total dollar amount of credits claimed under this section with respect to that fiscal year with the department’s estimate with respect to that same fiscal year. If the total dollar amount of credits claimed for the fiscal year is less than the estimate for that fiscal year, the report shall identify options for increasing annual claims of the credit so as to meet estimated amounts.

(n) (1) This section shall remain in effect only until December 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), this section shall continue to be operative for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, but only with respect to qualified full-time employees who commenced employment with a qualified taxpayer in a designated census tract or economic development area in a taxable year beginning before January 1, 2026.

(3) This section shall remain operative for any qualified taxpayer with respect to any qualified full-time employee after the designated census tract is no longer designated or an economic development area ceases to be an economic development area, as defined in this section, for the remaining period, if any, of the 60-month period after the original date of hiring of an otherwise qualified full-time employee and any wages paid or incurred with respect to those qualified full-time employees after the designated census tract is no longer designated or an economic development area ceases to be an economic development area, as defined in this section, shall be treated as qualified wages under this section, provided the employee satisfies any other requirements of paragraphs (10) and (12) of subdivision (b), as if the designated census tract was still designated and binding or the economic development area was still in existence.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 52, Sec. 2. (SB 855) Effective June 27, 2018. Repealed on December 1, 2029, as prescribed in subd. (n).)