The Internal Revenue Service released yesterday Form W-11, the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act Employee Affidavit.  Employers can use the form to claim the special payroll tax exemption that applies to many newly hired workers during 2010.  Click here to download a copy of Form W-11.

The HIRE Act, which President Obama signed into law on March 18, 2010, allows employers to claim an additional income tax credit equal to 6.2 percent of paid wages for every new qualified employee retained for 52 weeks, up to $1,000 per employee.  Under the Act, a "qualified employee" is one who:

• Begins employment after February 3, 2010 and before January 1, 2011;
• certifies by signed affidavit (such as Form W-11) that he or she has not been employed for more than 40 hours during the 60-day period ending on the date the employee begins employment;
• is not hired to replace another employee unless the other employee separated from employment voluntarily or for cause (including downsizing); and
• is not related to the employer. 

For more , click here to read the Stoel Rives World of Employment’s previous coverage of the Hire Act.