The APA needs the help of chapter leaders and chapter members! We are making it easy for chapter members to write to your Senators about a mobile workforce bill.
APA is lobbying Congress in favor of a bill that would benefit both employers who send employees across state lines on business and also employees who travel. The Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act (HR 1393/S 540) would create a 30-day safe harbor against nonresident taxation. Although the House of Representatives has passed this bill three times, we have never been closer to seeing this bill enacted into law. A word from you and your colleagues will mean a lot to your senators.
All employers are required to obey the tax withholding rules in the states where they send employees. Most businesses do not and risk penalties for noncompliance. In many cases, HR 1393/S 540 would provide the legal authority for your business to continue doing what it is currently doing.
APA is a member of the Mobile Workforce Coalition. Please partner with us by following the five steps below to send a message of support directly to your representatives in Congress.
- Go to http://www.mobileworkforcecoalition.org/contact-congress/#/
- Click on the “Take Action” button
- Enter street address and ZIP (this identifies your 2 senators)
- Enter your contact information. You will see a completed letter ready to be sent to your Senators. If you prefer, you can personalize the letter to let the senators know how important this bill is to you, the employees you pay, and your company.
- Click “Send” at the bottom of the page. (You can also print and mail the letter.)
Below is a sample of the letter:
Dear Senator
I respectfully request that you support fair rules for workers and their employers and urge Senate Leaders to take any and all steps to enact S. 540 (the Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act) this year. S. 540 was introduced by Senators John Thune of South Dakota and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.
Every workday in our country, thousands of Americans travel outside their home state on business trips for temporary periods. S. 540 would establish a 30-day threshold to help ensure the appropriate amount of tax is paid to state and local jurisdictions without placing undue burdens on employees and their employers. It would enhance compliance with state personal income tax laws while significantly reducing the onerous burdens placed both on employees who travel and on employers who have corresponding withholding and reporting requirements. Each state has its own set of requirements for filing nonresident income tax returns and commensurate rules for employer withholding. Most individuals are unaware of the current patchwork of filing rules and many employers must incur extraordinary expenses to comply. This bill protects the employees of the government, unions, non-profits, Congressional staff, and businesses of all types and sizes who travel for work and provide compliance for their employers.
On behalf of American employers and their employees who travel for business, I respectfully request that you support this bill and urge Senate Leaders to enact S. 540 this year.
Please reach out to your Senator today! If you have any questions, contact Bill Dunn, APA Director of Government Relations, at bdunn@americanpayroll.org. We appreciate your help!
