Moskowitz, Crockett, Edwards, Chu Introduce Bipartisan HIRE CREDIT Act to Help Victims of Federally-Declared Disasters Return to the Workforce

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) and a bipartisan group of House colleagues recently reintroduced their HIRE CREDIT Act to support victims of federally-declared disasters as they look to reenter the workforce. The bipartisan bill from Moskowitz and Reps. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30), Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11), and Judy Chu (D-CA-28) would incentivize businesses that hire these workers with a tax credit.

“As former Emergency Management Director for the state of Florida, I’ve seen how disaster events can upend every part of a family’s life and how critical it is they have the tools to get back on their feet as quickly as possible,” said Congressman Moskowitz. “That means that when a disaster event impacts a job, we should help workers get back in the workforce. Our commonsense HIRE CREDIT Act will incentivize businesses to hire those affected by federally-designated disaster events and in the process, will help support these families and build back local economies.” 

Under the HIRE CREDIT Act, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Program would have a new qualified target group: “displaced disaster victims,” individuals (a) whose primary home has become uninhabitable as a result of the federal disaster and (b) are no longer able to work because their employer’s facility are no longer operable due to damage caused by the disaster. Businesses that hire individuals with this status would be eligible to receive a tax credit of up to 40 percent of up to $6,000 of wages paid to this new employee.

“Living in the great state of Texas, I am all too familiar with the damage that disasters like tornadoes and wildfires cause to our communities. Not only are people often left without homes, but they are also left without their livelihoods as businesses and shops shutter their doors or vanish in the destruction,” said Congresswoman Crockett. “It’s important that Congress utilize every tool available to help survivors of these disasters get back on their feet and return back to their communities. Through the HIRE CREDIT Act, businesses will be incentivized to hire displaced workers within their communities and provide them with a chance to rebuild their lives while simultaneously boosting local economies. Recovery in the aftermath of federal disasters requires every team to do what they can to help constituents build back better, and I am extremely grateful my colleagues Representatives Edwards, Chu, and Moskowitz are helping lead this team with me.”

“Hurricane Helene destroyed homes, businesses, and jobs across Western North Carolina. Now, as we look to pick up the pieces, it’s become clear that finding a job to replace the one folks have lost from hurricane damage is historically more difficult to do,” said Congressman Edwards. “The HIRE CREDIT Act will give employers in our mountains a tax credit to hire dislocated hurricane survivors, giving businesses the federal support they need to hire new staff during this difficult time while keeping our people in our mountains.”

“The January Eaton Fire devastated the communities of Altadena and northern Pasadena in my district—destroying 9,500 structures, making 20,000 homeless, and taking 17 lives,” said Congresswoman Chu. “Many survivors lost their jobs because their place of work was damaged or destroyed, or because their home was burnt, and they have been forced to temporarily relocate to a new community. Reps. Crockett, Edwards, Moskowitz and my HIRE CREDIT Act would help survivors of this fire and other presidentially declared disasters who lost their jobs to get back on their feet more quickly by incentivizing employers to hire them.”

Before entering Congress, Moskowitz served as Florida’s Director of Emergency Management from 2019-2021. In this role, Moskowitz oversaw disaster response and recovery for the DeSantis Administration for major events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Category 5 Hurricane Michael.

Since coming to Congress, Moskowitz has been a leading voice for fully funding FEMA, keeping emergency response nonpartisan, and enacting commonsense reforms to bolster federal emergency management. He has served as co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Caucus.

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