EMPLOYEE RETENTION CREDIT FOR EMPLOYERS AFFECTED BY QUALIFIED DISASTERS.

SEC. 203. EMPLOYEE RETENTION CREDIT FOR EMPLOYERS AFFECTED BY QUALIFIED DISASTERS. (a) In General.—For purposes of section 38 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, in the case of an eligible employer, the 2018 through 2019 qualified disaster employee retention credit shall be treated as a credit listed at the end of subsection (b) of such section. For purposes of this subsection, the 2018 through 2019 qualified disaster employee retention credit for any taxable year is an amount equal to 40 percent of the qualified wages with respect to each eligible employee of such employer for such taxable year. The amount of qualified wages with respect to any employee which may be taken into account under this subsection by the employer for any taxable year shall not exceed $6,000 (reduced by the amount of qualified wages with respect to such employee which may be so taken into account for any prior taxable year). (b) Definitions.—For purposes of this section— (1) Eligible employer.—The term “eligible employer” means any employer— (A) which conducted an active trade or business in a qualified disaster zone at any time during the incident period of the qualified disaster with respect to such qualified disaster zone, and (B) with respect to whom the trade or business described in subparagraph (A) is inoperable at any time during the period beginning on the first day of the incident period of such qualified disaster and ending on the date of the enactment of this Act, as a result of damage sustained by reason of such qualified disaster. (2) Eligible employee.—The term “eligible employee” means with respect to an eligible employer an employee whose principal place of employment with such eligible employer (determined immediately before the qualified disaster referred to in paragraph (1)) was in the qualified disaster zone referred to in such paragraph. (3) Qualified wages.—The term “qualified wages” means wages (as defined in section 51(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, but without regard to section 3306(b)(2)(B) of such Code) paid or incurred by an eligible employer with respect to an eligible employee at any time on or after the date on which the trade or business described in paragraph (1) first became inoperable at the principal place of employment of the employee (determined immediately before the qualified disaster referred to in such paragraph) and before the earlier of— (A) the date on which such trade or business has resumed significant operations at such principal place of employment, or (B) the date which 150 days after the last day of the incident period of the qualified disaster referred to in paragraph (1). Such term shall include wages paid without regard to whether the employee performs no services, performs services at a different place of employment than such principal place of employment, or performs services at such principal place of employment before significant operations have resumed. (c) Certain Rules to Apply.—For purposes of this section, rules similar to the rules of sections 51(i)(1), 52, and 280C(a), of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, shall apply. (d) Employee Not Taken Into Account More Than Once.—An employee shall not be treated as an eligible employee for purposes of this section for any period with respect to any employer if such employer is allowed a credit under section 51 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with respect to such employee for such period.