2021 New York Laws
COM - Economic Development Law
Article 20 - Empire State Jobs Retention Program
424 - Application and Approval Process.
§ 424. Application and approval process. 1. A business enterprise must submit a completed application as prescribed by the commissioner. Such completed application must be submitted to the commissioner within (a) one hundred eighty days of the declaration of an emergency by the governor in the county in which the business enterprise is located or (b) one hundred eighty days of the enactment of this article, if such date is later than the date specified in paragraph (a) of this subdivision. 2. As part of such application, each business enterprise must:(a) agree to allow the department of taxation and finance to share its tax information with the department. However, any information shared as a result of this agreement shall not be available for disclosure or inspection under the state freedom of information law.
(b) agree to allow the department of labor to share its tax and employer information with the department. However, any information shared as a result of this agreement shall not be available for disclosure or inspection under the state freedom of information law.
(c) allow the department and its agents access to any and all books and records the department may require to monitor compliance.
(d) agree to be permanently disqualified for empire zone tax benefits at any location or locations that qualify for empire state jobs retention program benefits if admitted into the empire state jobs retention program.
(e) provide the following information to the department upon request:
(i) a plan outlining the schedule for meeting the jobs retention requirements as set forth in subdivision three of section four hundred twenty-three of this article. Such plan must include details on jobs titles and expected salaries;
(ii) the prior three years of federal and state income or franchise tax returns, unemployment insurance quarterly returns, real property tax bills and audited financial statements; and
(iii) the employer identification or social security numbers for all related persons to the applicant, including those of any members of a limited liability company or partners in a partnership.
(f) provide a clear and detailed presentation of all related persons to the applicant to assure the department that jobs are not being shifted within the state.
(g) certify, under penalty of perjury, that it is in substantial compliance with all environmental, worker protection, and local, state, and federal tax laws. 3. After reviewing a business enterprise's completed application and determining that the business enterprise will meet the conditions set forth in subdivision three of section four hundred twenty-three of this article, the department may admit the applicant into the program and provide the applicant with a certificate of eligibility and a preliminary schedule of benefits by year based on the applicant's projections as set forth in its application. This preliminary schedule of benefits delineates the maximum possible benefits an applicant may receive. 4. In order to become a participant in the program, an applicant must submit evidence that it satisfies the eligibility criteria specified in section four hundred twenty-three of this article and subdivision two of this section in such form as the commissioner may prescribe. After reviewing such evidence and finding it sufficient, the department shall certify the applicant as a participant and issue to that participant a certificate of tax credit for one taxable year. To receive a certificate of tax credit for subsequent taxable years, the participant must submit to the department a performance report demonstrating that the participant continues to satisfy the eligibility criteria specified in section four hundred twenty-three of this article and subdivision two of this section. 5. A participant may claim tax benefits commencing in the first taxable year that the business enterprise receives a certificate of tax credit or the first taxable year listed on its preliminary schedule of benefits, whichever is later. A participant may claim such benefits for the next nine consecutive taxable years, provided that the participant demonstrates to the department that it continues to satisfy the eligibility criteria specified in section four hundred twenty-three of this article and subdivision two of this section in each of those taxable years.
