Florida Florida Statutes

§ 212.096 — Sales, rental, storage, use tax; enterprise zone jobs credit against sales tax

FS § 212.096Ch. 212

Statute text

(1)For the purposes of the credit provided in this section:(a) “Eligible business” means any sole proprietorship, firm, partnership, corporation, bank, savings association, estate, trust, business trust, receiver, syndicate, or other group or combination, or successor business, located in an enterprise zone. The business must demonstrate to the department that, on the date of application, the total number of full-time jobs defined under paragraph (d) is greater than the total was 12 months prior to that date. An eligible business does not include any business which has claimed the credit permitted under s. 220.181 for any new business employee first beginning employment with the business after July 1, 1995.

(b)“Month” means either a calendar month or the time period from any day of any month to the corresponding day of the next succeeding month or, if there is no corresponding day in the next succeeding month, the last day of the succeeding month.

(c)“New employee” means a person residing in an enterprise zone or a participant in the welfare transition program who begins employment with an eligible business after July 1, 1995, and who has not been previously employed full time within the preceding 12 months by the eligible business, or a successor eligible business, claiming the credit allowed by this section.

(d)“Job” means a full-time position, as consistent with terms used by the Department of Commerce and the United States Department of Labor for purposes of reemployment assistance tax administration and employment estimation resulting directly from a business operation in this state. This term does not include a temporary construction job involved with the construction of facilities or any job that has previously been included in any application for tax credits under s. 220.181(1). The term also includes employment of an employee leased from an employee leasing company licensed under chapter 468 if such employee has been continuously leased to the employer for an average of at least 36 hours per week for more than 6 months.

(e)“New job has been created” means that, on the date of application, the total number of full-time jobs is greater than the total was 12 months prior to that date, as demonstrated to the department by a business located in the enterprise zone. A person shall be deemed to be employed if the person performs duties in connection with the operations of the business on a regular, full-time basis, provided the person is performing such duties for an average of at least 36 hours per week each month. The person must be performing such duties at a business site located in the enterprise zone. (2)(a) Upon an affirmative showing by an eligible business to the satisfaction of the department that the requirements of this section have been met, the business shall be allowed a credit against the tax remitted under this chapter.

(b)The credit shall be computed as 20 percent of the actual monthly wages paid in this state to each new employee hired when a new job has been created, unless the business is located within a rural enterprise zone pursuant to s. 290.004, in which case the credit shall be 30 percent of the actual monthly wages paid. If no less than 20 percent of the employees of the business are residents of an enterprise zone, excluding temporary and part-time employees, the credit shall be computed as 30 percent of the actual monthly wages paid in this state to each new employee hired when a new job has been created, unless the business is located within a rural enterprise zone, in which case the credit shall be 45 percent of the actual monthly wages paid. If the new employee hired when a new job is created is a participant in the welfare transition program, the following credit shall be a percent of the actual monthly wages paid: 40 percent for $4 above the hourly federal minimum wage rate; 41 percent for $5 above the hourly federal minimum wage rate; 42 percent for $6 above the hourly federal minimum wage rate; 43 percent for $7 above the hourly federal minimum wage rate; and 44 percent for $8 above the hourly federal minimum wage rate. For purposes of this paragraph, monthly wages shall be computed as one-twelfth of the expected annual wages paid to such employee. The amount paid as wages to a new employee is the compensation paid to such employee that is subject to reemployment assistance tax. The credit shall be allowed for up to 24 consecutive months, beginning with the first tax return due pursuant to s. 212.11 after approval by the department.

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Legislative history

s. 35, ch. 84-356; s. 8, ch. 86-166; s. 25, ch. 87-6; s. 28, ch. 88-201; s. 20, ch. 91-224; s. 47, ch. 94-136; s. 1498, ch. 95-147; s. 17, ch. 96-320; s. 20, ch. 98-57; s. 55, ch. 2000-165; s. 3, ch. 2001-201; s. 23, ch. 2002-218; s. 22, ch. 2005-287; s. 4, ch. 2006-113; s. 76, ch. 2011-14