For Immediate Release:

February 17, 2011

Contact:  Elise Marsh

                804-698-1034 

Delegate Comstock’s Telework Tax Credit Bill

Passes In The General Assembly

Richmond, VA – Delegate Comstock’s House Bill 2197, which will create a Telework Tax Credit, has passed in both the House of Delegates and the State Senate.

The bill provides a tax credit to employers for expenses incurred in allowing employees to telework, pursuant to a signed telework agreement for taxable years, beginning on or after January 1, 2012, through 2013.  An employer would be eligible for a credit of up to $1,200 per teleworking employee, with a maximum of $50k per employer.  The bill was a recommendation of the Governor’s Reform Commission and supported by the Northern Virginia Technology Council, who has long been a leader in promoting telework policies and supported by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce.

Delegate Comstock issued the following statement on the passage of the bill: 

“I am pleased with the overwhelming support for this bill and I look forward to promoting teleworking with our local and state business community. Teleworking is a 21st century workplace option that can reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, as well as cut gasoline consumption and dependency on foreign oil.  It also helps provide a more family friendly workplace that gives Moms and Dads more time at home and less time sitting in traffic. Telework gives employees the flexibility they need to meet daily demands and can be a great recruitment tool for businesses. Employers get the benefit of increased productivity, improved morale, fewer sick leave days used, better worker retention, and reduced costs for office space. 

“With the winter storms we have just experienced, we are also reminded that Telework allows employees the flexibility to stay off the roads in bad weather, work from home, and meet their child care needs when schools are closed.  I first started working on this issue and telecommuting almost 20 years ago when I first worked for our Congressman Frank Wolf.  This bill is a win-win solution for employers and employees and I look forward to working on this initiative.”  

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