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An Act To Employ the Unemployed
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  the unemployment rate in the State has been at a historically high rate for a significant period of time; and
Whereas,  it is necessary to provide incentives to businesses to hire people who have been unemployed for at least 6 months; and
Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  36 MRSA §6753, sub-§14  is enacted to read:
 
14.  Unemployed person.     "Unemployed person" means a person who has not been employed at all for at least 6 months.
Sec. 2.  36 MRSA §6754-A  is enacted to read:
§ 6754-A. Reimbursement for hiring unemployed persons
An employer that hires an unemployed person as a qualified employee is entitled to reimbursement of state income tax withheld for that employee during the first 6 months that the qualified employee is employed. Reimbursement to employers must be administered in the same manner and according to the same timetable as under applicable provisions of section 6758. An employee for whom reimbursement is received under this section may not also count as a qualified employee under section 6754 during the period for which reimbursement is made under this section. Funding for the Governor's Training Initiative Program under Title 26, section 2031 must be reduced by the amount of reimbursement paid under this section.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
 
SUMMARY
This bill permits an employer who hires as an employee a person who has not been employed for 6 months to receive reimbursement for the amount of state income tax withheld for that employee for the first 6 months of employment.