Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, supporting 55 million American jobs. But retailers everywhere are still facing a tough challenge: finding enough workers to keep stores, warehouses and supply chains running smoothly.
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is one proven tool to close that gap. For nearly 30 years, the WOTC has helped retailers hire individuals who face barriers to employment — veterans, people with disabilities, SNAP recipients and second-chance workers. The credit offsets training and onboarding costs, giving retailers an added incentive to open doors of opportunity.
Urge Congress to extend the WOTC credit before it expires at the end of the year. Visit NRF's action center to learn more about how you can make your voice heard on the issues most important to retail.
The impact is real. WOTC helps people start careers, not just jobs. Many retail employees enter the workforce through these opportunities and move into supervisory or management roles, building long-term financial independence. Communities benefit when more people are employed, self-sufficient and contributing to local economies.
At a time when retailers are already navigating uncertainty from new tariffs and global supply chain pressures, losing WOTC would create another major challenge. Letting it lapse would remove a vital hiring incentive just when retailers are working hard to fill roles across the country.
Congress should act now to extend — and ideally make permanent — the WOTC. It’s a common-sense, bipartisan tool that strengthens the workforce, reduces reliance on government assistance and supports the retail industry’s role as the cornerstone of the American economy.
