Indiana Senator Young introduces bill to help offset remote work expenses

Indiana Senator Young introduces bill to help offset remote work expenses

U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) introduced the Advancing Teachers and Home Office Modernization for Employees (AT HOME) Act to help alleviate some of the costs Americans have incurred as they work from home due to the coronavirus. The bill would establish a tax credit for small businesses and an above-the-line deduction for individuals to help offset the cost of investments in remote work equipment, software and network services necessary for Americans to work safely from home for the remainder of 2020. Teachers can utilize this new above-the-line deduction for the additional costs incurred setting up a remote classroom, on top of the $250 deduction already provided in the tax code.

“The coronavirus pandemic has forced countless teachers and other Americans to work from home, and many have had to upgrade their technology out of their own pocket,” said Senator Young. “Our bipartisan AT HOME Act would help the many employees and employers who have had to make this unexpected investment.”

Indiana Senator Todd Young said the AT HOME Act will help many employees and employers who have had to upgrade technology our of their own pockets. (Submitted photo)

“As more and more Granite Staters and Americans work from home amid the pandemic, many are paying out-of-pocket for equipment that they need for telework,” said Senator Hassan. “In particular, I have heard from teachers in New Hampshire who are stretching their personal finances to set up for online teaching. This bipartisan legislation would help ease the burden for teachers and other workers so that they have what they need to work from home.”

The AT HOME Act would establish a remote work tax credit to help offset costs incurred by firms that have or will invest in remote work equipment, software and network services in 2020. This bill would create a new credit for 25 percent of qualifying expenses capped at $2,000 per employee and $50,000 per eligible entity for remote work expenses incurred by small businesses with up to 100 employees due to coronavirus. In addition, the AT HOME Act would allow individuals and teachers to take a $150 above-the-line deduction for costs incurred personally for remote work and remote teaching expenses.

The AT HOME Act is the second in a pair of bills introduced by Senators Young and Hassan this week. The first bill, the Upskilling and Retraining Assistance Act, was introduced yesterday. Both bills are aimed at supporting businesses and individuals who were required to modify operations or retrain workers due to coronavirus.

To view the bill text, click here.

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