Bill offers tax credits for hiring NJ's jobless

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey lawmakers have approved a bill that would reward some businesses for hiring people who had been collecting unemployment benefits for at least 13 weeks. The measure, advanced by the Assembly Labor Committee on March 8, would offer tax credits to businesses for each new full-time position filled by someone who had been unemployed. To be eligible, a business must have already received grants under a state business creation and relocation program. The employee would have to remain on the payroll for a year. Qualifying businesses could be entitled to up to $3,000 in additional tax credits per job. Bill sponsor Nelson Albano of South Jersey says the measure creates an incentive for creating new full-time jobs. There is no companion bill so far in the Senate.