Sexual Harassment Preventing Training Tax Cut | 2020

February 24th, 2020

S.7353 (Kaplan)

MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT

Unshackle Upstate, a non-partisan, pro-taxpayer, pro-economic growth, education and advocacy coalition made up of business and trade organizations from all parts of Upstate New York strongly supports this legislation.

This legislation allows for a tax credit to a small business of fifty percent of salary and wages paid to an employee for time spent at sexual harassment prevention training.

New York State has recently mandated employers to provide sexual harassment training to every employee on an annual basis. Employers must compensate their employees for their time at sexual harassment training. While Unshackle Upstate recognizes the importance of providing safe, harassment free work environments, this new mandate has added significant costs on New York employers. These new mandates are added to the already high cost of operating a business in New York that has negatively impacted employers, particularly the state’s small businesses.

In our 2019 Upstate Business Climate Survey, businesses sited the costs of employer mandates as one of their top concerns. By providing small businesses a tax credit to offset some of the salary and wage costs required, this proposal would help alleviate some of the burden imposed by this mandated training. If the state is going to impose mandates on businesses, it seems reasonable that they would provide some assistance to cover these costs.

Unshackle Upstate has consistently advocated for policies that will make New York a better place to do business. If enacted, this legislation would provide some relief for the state’s small employers in complying with this new mandate.

For these reasons Unshackle Upstate supports the enactment of this legislation.

Contact:
Michael Kracker,
Executive Director
716.541.1755
Michael.Kracker@unshackleupstate.com