17053.77.
(a) (1) For each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2021, and before January 1, 2026, there shall be allowed as a credit against the “net tax,” as defined in Section 17039, an amount equal to the amount specified in paragraph (2) for qualified first-year wages paid or incurred by the qualified taxpayer during the taxable year to a qualified employee.(2) (A) If the qualified employee worked 400 hours or more during the first year of employment, the amount of the credit allowed pursuant to this section for the taxable year shall be equal to 40 percent of the amount paid or incurred by a qualified taxpayer during the taxable year for qualified first-year wages of qualified employees, not to
exceed two thousand four hundred dollars ($2,400) per qualified employee.
(B) If the qualified employee worked less than 400 hours during the first year of employment, the amount of the credit allowed pursuant to this section for the taxable year shall be equal to 25 percent of the amount paid or incurred by a qualified taxpayer during the taxable year for qualified wages of qualified employees, not to exceed two thousand four hundred dollars ($2,400) per qualified employee.
(b) For purposes of this section:
(1) “First year of employment” means the first year the qualified employee renders services for the qualified taxpayer and is paid qualified first-year wages by the qualified taxpayer for those services.
(2) “Foster youth or former foster youth”
means an individual who is no older than 26 years of age and who meets, or has ever met, either of the following criteria:
(A) A child who was the subject of a petition filed pursuant to Section 300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and was removed from the child’s home by the juvenile court pursuant to Section 319 or 361 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(B) A child who was the subject of a petition filed pursuant to Section 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and was removed from the child’s home by the juvenile court pursuant to Section 727 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(3) “Homeless youth” means an individual who is no older than 26 years of age and who has been verified as a homeless child or youth, as defined in subsection (2) of Section 725 of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11434a(2)), by at least one of the following:
(A) A homeless services provider, as that term is defined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Section 103577 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B) The director of a federal TRIO program or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs program, or a designee of that director.
(C) A financial aid administrator.
(4) “Qualified employee” means an employee that meets both of the following criteria:
(A) Was hired on or after January 1, 2021.
(B) Is any of the following:
(i) A homeless
youth.
(ii) A foster youth or former foster youth.
(5) “Qualified first-year wages” means, with respect to any qualified employee, qualified wages attributable to service rendered during the one-year period commencing with the date the qualified employee begins work for the qualified taxpayer.
(6) “Qualified taxpayer” means a taxpayer who pays or incurs qualified first-year wages.
(7) “Qualified wages” means wages paid or incurred by the qualified taxpayer during the taxable year to qualified employees.
(8) “Wages” means wages subject to withholding under Division 6 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Unemployment Insurance Code.
(c) In the case where the credit allowed by this section exceeds the “net tax,” the excess may be carried over to reduce the “net tax” in the following taxable year, and succeeding five years if necessary, until the credit is exhausted.
(d) This credit shall be in lieu of any other credit or deduction that the qualified taxpayer may otherwise be allowed pursuant to this part with respect to amounts taken into account under this section in calculating the credit allowed by this section.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until December 1, 2026, and as of that date is repealed.