Hire a recovering addict and get $2,000.
A new $2 million tax incentive program will offer a “recovery tax credit” to New York employers that hire ex-addicts struggling to get back on their feet.
The subsidy, part of the recently passed state budget, comes amid concerns that businesses may shun recovering drug abusers as unemployable during the opioid crisis.
In 2017, there were 65,202 state residents enrolled in certified treatment programs for heroin and opioid abuse, according to the state Health Department.
“This is one of many ways we are seeking to break the vicious cycle of addiction and help New Yorkers in recovery get on their feet and get back to work,” said Richard Azzopardi, a senior adviser to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
A recovering addict’s relapse would not disqualify him from employment, “so long as such individual shows a continued commitment to recovery,” according to the incentive.
The state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Service will monitor compliance along with the Tax Department.
An employer will be eligible for a tax credit of up to $2,000 for a recovering addict who works at least 500 hours a year.
Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Plattsburgh) first proposed legislation to have the state offer businesses tax subsidies to hire addicts more than a year ago.