In the case of an eligible employer, there shall be allowed as a credit against applicable employment taxes for each calendar quarter an amount equal to 70 percent of the qualified wages with respect to each employee of such employer for such calendar quarter.
(1) In general
(A) Wages taken into account
The amount of qualified wages with respect to any employee which may be taken into account under subsection (a) by the eligible employer for any calendar quarter shall not exceed $10,000.
(B) Recovery startup businesses
In the case of an eligible employer which is a recovery startup business (as defined in subsection (c)(5)), the amount of the credit allowed under subsection (a) (after application of subparagraph (A)) for any calendar quarter shall not exceed $50,000.
(2) Credit limited to employment taxes
The credit allowed by subsection (a) with respect to any calendar quarter shall not exceed the applicable employment taxes (reduced by any credits allowed under sections 3131 and 3132) on the wages paid with respect to the employment of all the employees of the eligible employer for such calendar quarter.
(3) Refundability of excess credit
If the amount of the credit under subsection (a) exceeds the limitation of paragraph (2) for any calendar quarter, such excess shall be treated as an overpayment that shall be refunded under sections 6402(a) and 6413(b).
(1) Applicable employment taxes
The term “applicable employment taxes” means the following:
(A) The taxes imposed under .
(B) So much of the taxes imposed under as are attributable to the rate in effect under .
(2) Eligible employer
(A) In general
The term “eligible employer” means any employer—
(i) which was carrying on a trade or business during the calendar quarter for which the credit is determined under subsection (a), and
(ii) with respect to any calendar quarter, for which—
with respect to any calendar quarter, for which—
(I) the operation of the trade or business described in clause (i) is fully or partially suspended during the calendar quarter due to orders from an appropriate governmental authority limiting commerce, travel, or group meetings (for commercial, social, religious, or other purposes) due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19),
(II) the gross receipts (within the meaning of ) of such employer for such calendar quarter are less than 80 percent of the gross receipts of such employer for the same calendar quarter in calendar year 2019, or
(III) the employer is a recovery startup business (as defined in paragraph (5)).
(B) Election to use alternative quarter
At the election of the employer—
(i) subparagraph (A)(ii)(II) shall be applied—
subparagraph (A)(ii)(II) shall be applied—
(I) by substituting “for the immediately preceding calendar quarter” for “for such calendar quarter”, and
(II) by substituting “the corresponding calendar quarter in calendar year 2019” for “the same calendar quarter in calendar year 2019”, and
(ii) the last sentence of subparagraph (A) shall be applied by substituting “the corresponding calendar quarter in calendar year 2019” for “the same calendar quarter in calendar year 2019”.
(C) Tax-exempt organizations
In the case of an organization which is described in section 501(c) and exempt from tax under section 501(a)—
(i) clauses (i) and (ii)(I) of subparagraph (A) shall apply to all operations of such organization, and
(ii) any reference in this section to gross receipts shall be treated as a reference to gross receipts within the meaning of section 6033.
(3) Qualified wages
(A) In general
The term “qualified wages” means—
(i) in the case of an eligible employer for which the average number of full-time employees (within the meaning of section 4980H) employed by such eligible employer during 2019 was greater than 500, wages paid by such eligible employer with respect to which an employee is not providing services due to circumstances described in subclause (I) or (II) of paragraph (2)(A)(ii), or
(ii) in the case of an eligible employer for which the average number of full-time employees (within the meaning of section 4980H) employed by such eligible employer during 2019 was not greater than 500—
in the case of an eligible employer for which the average number of full-time employees (within the meaning of section 4980H) employed by such eligible employer during 2019 was not greater than 500—
(I) with respect to an eligible employer described in subclause (I) of paragraph (2)(A)(ii), wages paid by such eligible employer with respect to an employee during any period described in such clause, or
(II) with respect to an eligible employer described in subclause (II) of such paragraph, wages paid by such eligible employer with respect to an employee during such quarter.
(B) Special rule for employers not in existence in 2019
In the case of any employer that was not in existence in 2019, subparagraph (A) shall be applied by substituting “2020” for “2019” each place it appears.
(C) Severely financially distressed employers
(i) In general
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A)(i), in the case of a severely financially distressed employer, the term “qualified wages” means wages paid by such employer with respect to an employee during any calendar quarter.
(ii) Definition
The term “severely financially distressed employer” means an eligible employer as defined in paragraph (2), determined by substituting “less than 10 percent” for “less than 80 percent” in subparagraph (A)(ii)(II) thereof.
(D) Exception
The term “qualified wages” shall not include any wages taken into account under sections 41, 45A, 45P, 45S, 51, 1396, 3131, and 3132.
(4) Wages
(A) In general
The term “wages” means wages (as defined in ) and compensation (as defined in ). For purposes of the preceding sentence, in the case of any organization or entity described in subsection (f)(2), wages as defined in shall be determined without regard to paragraphs (5), (6), (7), (10), and (13) of (except with respect to services performed in a penal institution by an inmate thereof).
(B) Allowance for certain health plan expenses
(i) In general
Such term shall include amounts paid by the eligible employer to provide and maintain a group health plan (as defined in ), but only to the extent that such amounts are excluded from the gross income of employees by reason of .
(ii) Allocation rules
For purposes of this section, amounts treated as wages under clause (i) shall be treated as paid with respect to any employee (and with respect to any period) to the extent that such amounts are properly allocable to such employee (and to such period) in such manner as the Secretary may prescribe. Except as otherwise provided by the Secretary, such allocation shall be treated as properly made if made on the basis of being pro rata among periods of coverage.
(5) Recovery startup business
The term “recovery startup business” means any employer—
(A) which began carrying on any trade or business after
(B) for which the average annual gross receipts of such employer (as determined under rules similar to the rules under ) for the 3-taxable-year period ending with the taxable year which precedes the calendar quarter for which the credit is determined under subsection (a) does not exceed $1,000,000.
(6) Other terms
Any term used in this section which is also used in this chapter or chapter 22 shall have the same meaning as when used in such chapter.
All persons treated as a single employer under subsection (a) or (b) of section 52, or subsection (m) or (
For purposes of this section, rules similar to the rules of sections 51(i)(1) and 280C(a) shall apply.
(1) In general
This credit shall not apply to the Government of the United States, the government of any State or political subdivision thereof, or any agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing.
(2) Exception
Paragraph (1) shall not apply to—
(A) any organization described in and exempt from tax under , or
(B) any entity described in paragraph (1) if—
any entity described in paragraph (1) if—
(i) such entity is a college or university, or
(ii) the principal purpose or function of such entity is providing medical or hospital care.
This section shall not apply to so much of the qualified wages paid by an eligible employer as such employer elects (at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may prescribe) to not take into account for purposes of this section.
(1) In general
This section shall not apply to so much of the qualified wages paid by an eligible employer as are taken into account as payroll costs in connection with—
(A) a covered loan under or 7A of the Small Business Act,
(B) a grant under section 324 of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Venues Act, or
(C) a restaurant revitalization grant under section 5003 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
(2) Application where PPP loans not forgiven
The Secretary shall issue guidance providing that payroll costs paid during the covered period shall not fail to be treated as qualified wages under this section by reason of paragraph (1) to the extent that—
(A) a covered loan of the taxpayer under of the Small Business Act is not forgiven by reason of a decision under of such Act, or
(B) a covered loan of the taxpayer under section 7A of the Small Business Act is not forgiven by reason of a decision under of such Act.
Terms used in the preceding sentence which are also used in section 7A(g) or 7(a)(37)(J) of the Small Business Act shall, when applied in connection with either such section, have the same meaning as when used in such section, respectively.
Any credit allowed under this section shall be treated as a credit described in .
(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), no advance payment of the credit under subsection (a) shall be allowed.
(2) Advance payments to small employers
(A) In general
Under rules provided by the Secretary, an eligible employer for which the average number of full-time employees (within the meaning of section 4980H) employed by such eligible employer during 2019 was not greater than 500 may elect for any calendar quarter to receive an advance payment of the credit under subsection (a) for such quarter in an amount not to exceed 70 percent of the average quarterly wages paid by the employer in calendar year 2019.
(B) Special rule for seasonal employers
In the case of any employer who employs seasonal workers (as defined in ), the employer may elect to apply subparagraph (A) by substituting “the wages for the calendar quarter in 2019 which corresponds to the calendar quarter to which the election relates” for “the average quarterly wages paid by the employer in calendar year 2019”.
(C) Special rule for employers not in existence in 2019
In the case of any employer that was not in existence in 2019, subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall each be applied by substituting “2020” for “2019” each place it appears.
(3) Reconciliation of credit with advance payments
(A) In general
The amount of credit which would (but for this subsection) be allowed under this section shall be reduced (but not below zero) by the aggregate payment allowed to the taxpayer under paragraph (2). Any failure to so reduce the credit shall be treated as arising out of a mathematical or clerical error and assessed according to .
(B) Excess advance payments
If the advance payments to a taxpayer under paragraph (2) for a calendar quarter exceed the credit allowed by this section (determined without regard to subparagraph (A)), the tax imposed under or so much of the tax imposed under as is attributable to the rate in effect under (whichever is applicable) for the calendar quarter shall be increased by the amount of such excess.
The Secretary shall waive any penalty under section 6656 for any failure to make a deposit of any applicable employment taxes if the Secretary determines that such failure was due to the reasonable anticipation of the credit allowed under this section.
(1) the date on which the original return which includes the calendar quarter with respect to which such credit is determined is filed, or
(2) the date on which such return is treated as filed under .
(1) to allow the advance payment of the credit under subsection (a) as provided in subsection (j)(2), subject to the limitations provided in this section, based on such information as the Secretary shall require,
(2) with respect to the application of the credit under subsection (a) to third party payors (including professional employer organizations, certified professional employer organizations, or agents under section 3504), including regulations or guidance allowing such payors to submit documentation necessary to substantiate the eligible employer status of employers that use such payors, and
(3) to prevent the avoidance of the purposes of the limitations under this section, including through the leaseback of employees.
This section shall only apply to wages paid after