Disregard the source, was trying to find a non-paywalled version of this article yesterday.
From Florida Realtors:
While companies continue to wrestle with the employee question – Should they be allowed to work remotely and, if so, how much? – a state government has gotten involved and more could follow.
The core issue: If a state grants a company tax breaks for agreeing to relocate or expand its business with its borders, the agreement usually includes a minimum number of new jobs. But while a company may indeed meet that mandate, does it count if those actual workers are doing their job remotely from another state?
In New Jersey, officials told about 800 businesses that they must require staff to work in the office or lose millions of dollars in state tax breaks which, cumulatively, total about $8.7 billion. At least two companies that employ more than 1,000 workers have balked, noting the pandemic isn’t over yet.
But the issue won’t go away, and other states are studying New Jersey’s plan.
According to New Jersey officials, businesses who receive tax breaks under their “Grow N.J.” program must require staff to work in the office at least three days per week.
State officials say business growth isn’t based on only business tax growth. Growth programs also rely on jobs – often higher paying jobs – and increased business for local restaurants, service industries and retail establishments.
Two companies opted to turn down the tax breaks, but they’re not leaving the state for now.
“These two companies are leaving the Grow NJ program, not the state,”, added in a statement Tuesday.
The program’s rules “are clear and we hold companies accountable to those rules,” says Virginia Pellerin, a spokesperson for New Jersey’s economic development group. “It is important to the state’s economy to have more workers back in offices supporting small businesses in their downtowns and central business districts.”