Taking Credit: Technology Automates Tax Credits

Automating the hiring process has a number of benefits for multi-unit franchisees, from speeding the hiring process to helping identify higher-quality candidates. But don't overlook technology's ability to help find tax credits along the way.

JobApp Network was one of the pioneers in screening for tax credit eligibility during the job application process. CEO Blake Helppie says JobApp is still the only hiring solution that, by virtue of its phone-based application process (provided along with its core web product), can screen individuals who don't have web access for tax credit eligibility. He says individuals eligible for tax credits are about twice as likely to apply by phone as those not eligible. "This is what one would expect, quite frankly, given that most tax credit eligibility 'buckets' are highly correlated to economic factors, like recipients of food stamps and other government assistance," he says.

Snagajob offers a tool that not only captures the federal HIRE Act and Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) programs, but also screens for more than 172 state and local hiring incentive programs that can put money back in your pocket. Here's how it works.

As part of the job application process, candidates complete a tax-screening questionnaire that varies based on the address of the candidate and hiring location. Eligibility results are then displayed for the hiring manager, along with the pre-populated tax credit forms. The hiring manager then has the eligible new hire sign the forms and submits them.

Another benefit is maximizing your potential tax credits. Since 100 percent of candidates completing the online application are presented with the tax credit questionnaire, the system can also easily capture lucrative retroactive credits from the beginning of the year.