TRENTON – In an effort to incentivize the hiring and continued employment of certain individuals in recovery from substance use disorder, the Senate Economic Growth Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Vin Gopal and Senator Jean Stanfield that would establish the “Recovery Tax Credit Program” within the Department of Human Services.

“People who have struggled with addiction have sometimes found difficulty in landing or keeping a job, even in good hiring climates,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “When someone is in recovery, they need all the support they can receive, from their families, their communities, and their employers.”

The bill, modeled on a similar program established in New York state in 2019, would require the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the DHHS to administer to provide tax incentives to “certified employers” for hiring and employing eligible individuals in recovery from a substance use disorder in either a full- or part-time position.

Participating employers would be required to apply annually to the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services to claim credit based on the number of hours worked by eligible individuals employed during the preceding calendar year. The director would be required to issue a tax credit certificate to employers by March 31 each year.

“This bill will provide a boost to employers willing to not only hire those who may be in substance use recovery, but provide those workers with a positive and supportive work environment that is so critical to helping them maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

The bill, S-2228, passed the Senate Economic Growth Committee by a vote of 5-0.