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Delaware Department of Labor



Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)




The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit that offers an incentive for private sector businesses to hire individuals from identified targeted groups that have consistently faced significant barriers to employment in Delaware. The main objective of this program is to enable the targeted employees to gradually move from economic dependency into self-sufficiency, gainful employment, and on-the-job experience. WOTC joins other workforce programs that help incentivize workplace diversity, create high-performance workplaces, and facilitate access to good jobs for American workers.

The Recovery Act’s two temporary target groups Unemployed Veteran & Disconnected Youth were effective December 31, 2008 through December 31, 2010. We are no longer accepting applications for these two expired Recovery Act groups and all applications received with a hire date of 01/01/2011 or later will be denied for these two target groups that expired 12/31/2010.

The new employee must belong to one of the following WOTC Target groups:

Target Group Max Tax Credit Amount

1. Long-term TANF Recipient

$9,000 (over 2yrs)

2. Short-term TANF Recipient

$2,400

3. Veteran (Vow to Hire Heroes Act)

$2,400 – $9,600

4. 18 – 39 Year Old Food Stamp Recipient

$2,400

5. 18 – 39 Year Old Designated Community Resident

$2,400

6. 16 – 17 Year Old Summer Youth

$1,200

7. Vocational Rehabilitation referral

$2,400

8. Ex-felon

$2,400

9. SSI recipient

$2,400

Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011

On November 21, 2011, President Obama signed into law the Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.Section 261 of the Act, the “Returning Heroes and Wounded Warriors Work Opportunity Tax Credits,” amends and expands the definition of WOTC’s Veteran target groups. The changes and new provisions in this Act apply to individuals who begin to work for an employer the day after its enactment, November 22, 2011, and before January 1, 2013. Please reference the below website for more information regarding the Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.





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