State Economic Recovery / Jobs

Several state legislatures are considering proposals to lower their state’s unemployment rate and improve their local economic outlook. Here are a few examples of job-creation legislation:

• Indiana – The Indiana House of Representatives unanimously passed a $148 million package (SB 396) that would create $3,000 hiring credits, increase jobless benefits, and repeal a previously passed unemployment insurance tax increase. 
• Kansas – The Kansas House on March 1 approved a bill that would extend a credit that allows nonprofit and for-profit firms to keep 95 percent of the income taxes withheld from workers’ paychecks for at least five years if they move at least five jobs to Kansas.
• Maryland – In Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has proposed a three-point plan for economic recovery. Under his plan, the state would create a hiring tax credit of $3,000 for each unemployed worker hired, guarantee loans to small businesses from the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, and adopt emergency legislation to address the scheduled rate increase for small employer contributions to the state Unemployment Trust Fund.

Why It Matters to Nonprofits

Nonprofit employers are facing the same struggles as for-profit businesses and deserve the same incentives for promoting job growth.

What Nonprofits Can Do

Contact your legislators and urge them to include nonprofits in hiring incentives for small employers.