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  2. Employment & Training
  3. Employer
  4. WOTC

If you have questions relating to WOTC, you may contact us via email at: detwotc@dwd.wisconsin.gov

Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal income tax credit designed to help people gain on-the-job experience and achieve better employment outcomes. The WOTC program offers federal tax credits to employers as an incentive to hire people in several specific target groups.

2026 WOTC Authority and Program Funding Status

Authorization for the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2025 (Section 113 of Division EE of P.L. 116-260 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021). The legislative authority for all WOTC targeted groups will expire on Dec. 31, 2025, unless it is reauthorized by Congress. At this time, the U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL) has not provided indication of whether Congress will pass legislation reauthorizing the WOTC or not.

Work start dates BEFORE Dec. 31, 2025:

  • All timely submitted WOTC certification requests for individuals with start dates on or before Dec. 31, 2025, will be fully processed and the WOTC unit will issue certifications or denials of these requests.

Work start dates AFTER Dec. 31. 2025:

  • DWD will continue to accept all applications from employers submitted after Dec. 31, 2025.
  • For individuals who begin work on or after Jan. 1, 2026, WOTC certification applications will reflect a pending status subject to program reauthorization.

DWD will provide updates when we get additional guidance from the U.S. DOL and when the WOTC tax credits are reauthorized. Please send your questions to detwotc@dwd.wisconsin.gov.

To obtain a Tax Credit Certification, employers or their representatives may enter or upload documentation to the eWOTC portal. eWOTC portal users are required to create their own DWD login credentials (username and password) and to register for portal access.

For additional information, please visit the tabs, below, or DWD's WOTC FAQs page.

Who qualifies? How much does an employer save? How to Apply How to Claim the Credit

Who qualifies

WOTC applies only to new employees. The new employee must belong to one of the following target groups:

  • TANF Recipients: a member of a family who has received or is receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) or Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) or a successor program. Employee must have received benefits for at least 9 of the last 18 months ending on the hiring date.
  • Qualified Veteran (any of the following):
    • A veteran AND a member of a family that has received food stamps for at least three months in the last 15 months ending on the hiring date.
    • A veteran who is entitled to compensation for a service-connected disability and has a hiring date not more than one year after discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.
    • A veteran who is entitled to compensation for a service-connected disability and has been unemployed for a period or periods totaling at least six months during the one-year period ending on the date of hire.
    • A veteran unemployed at least four weeks (whether or not consecutive) or six months or more (whether or not consecutive) in the year prior to being hired.
  • Ex-Felons: convicted of a felony or released from prison for a felony within one year of the date of hire.
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Referrals: has a disability serious enough to be a barrier to employment AND is referred to an employer upon completion of or while receiving rehabilitation services under a State rehabilitation plan or a program approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Services must have been received no longer than two years before the Hire Date.
  • Food Share/SNAP Recipients: 18-39 years old AND a member of a family that has received food stamps for the last six months or received food stamps for at least three of the last five months, but is no longer eligible to receive them.
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Recipients: an individual who received SSI benefits for any month within the last 60 days ending on the hire date.
  • Long-term Family Assistance Recipients (LTFA): an individual may be certified as an LTFA recipient if he/she is a member of a family that:
    • Received TANF payments for at least 18 consecutive months ending on the hiring date or;
    • Received such family assistance for a total of at least 18 months (whether or not consecutive) after August 5, 1997 if the individual is hired within two years after the date that the 18 month total is reached or;
    • Stopped being eligible for assistance after August 5, 1997 due to federal or state law limits and the individual is hired not more than two years after such eligibility for assistance ends.
  • Long-term Unemployed Recipient (LTUR): An individual hired after December 31, 2015 who is in a period of unemployment that is not less than 27 consecutive weeks, and includes a period (which may be less than 27 consecutive weeks) in which the individual received unemployment compensation under state or federal law.

How much does an employer save?

Three factors affect how much tax credit an employer can claim:

  • The WOTC Target Group (see the "Who Qualifies" tab for further description);
  • The total hours the individual worked; and
  • The amount of total wages paid.
Non-Veteran
WOTC Target Groups		 Worked at least 120 hours but less than 400 hours Worked at least 400 hours
1. Short-Term TANF Recipient Up to $1,500
(25% of $6,000 of first-year wages)		 Up to $2,400
(40% of $6,000 of first-year wages)
2. Long-Term TANF Recipient N/A Up to $9,000 (over 2 years)
(40% of $10,000 of first-year wages and 50% of $10,000 of second-year wages)
3. SNAP (food stamp) Recipient Up to $1,500
(25% of $6,000 of first-year wages)		 Up to $2,400
(40% of $6,000 of first-year wages)
4. Vocational Rehabilitation Referral Up to $1,500
(25% of $6,000 of first-year wages)		 Up to $2,400
(40% of $6,000 of first-year wages)
5. Ex-Felon Up to $1,500
(25% of $6,000 of first-year wages)		 Up to $2,400
(40% of $6,000 of first-year wages)
6. SSI Recipient Up to $1,500
(25% of $6,000 of first-year wages)		 Up to $2,400
(40% of $6,000 of first-year wages)
Veteran
Target Groups		 Worked at least 120 hours but less than 400 hours Worked at least 400 hours
1. Receives SNAP (food stamps) benefits Up to $1,500
(25% of $6,000 of first-year wages)		 Up to $2,400
(40% of $6,000 of first-year wages)
2. The veteran is entitled to compensation for service-connected disability:
Hired 1 year after leaving service Up to $3,000
(25% of $12,000 of first-year wages)		 Up to $4,800
(40% of $12,000 of first-year wages)
Unemployed at least 6 months Up to $6,000
(25% of $24,000 of first-year wages)		 Up to $9,600
(40% of $24,000 of first-year wages)
3. The veteran is unemployed:
At least 4 weeks Up to $1,500
(25% of $6,000 of first-year wages)		 Up to $2,400
(40% of $6,000 of first-year wages)
At least 6 months Up to $3,500
(25% of $14,000 of first-year wages)		 Up to $5,600
(40% of $14,000 of first-year wages)

Note: Please refer to the respective IRS forms for instructions on calculating and claiming the tax credit.

How to Apply

1. Complete BOTH SIDES of the IRS Form 8850, "Work Opportunity Credit Pre-Screening Notice and Certification Request". The job applicant should complete the front side, and the employer or representative must complete the back side of the form on or before the job offer date.

The 8850 form must be complete in every detail.

Note: This document must be entered or uploaded in the eWOTC system or mailed to the WOTC Office at the DWD address below within 28 days of the job start date or the application will be denied (no exceptions). Follow these Instructions on how to upload in bulk to eWOTC

2. Complete the ETA Form 9061 (Individual Characteristics form) if the job applicant does not have a completed ETA Form 9062 from a service provider. Client service providers may provide job applicants with ETA Form 9062, "Conditional Certification", identifying them as a member of a WOTC target group.

Job applicants would then give this form to the potential employer to complete their portion of the form.

Employer/Representatives using Form ETA 9061 must staple reasonable eligibility documentation of a target group to this form, or provide reasonable audit trail information in response No. 19 on the form. (ETA Form 9061)

When Conditional Certification form ETA 9062 is used, the state or delegated agency representative providing service to the target group applicant must sign it. Employee would then provide this signed form to the employer. With the agency signature, no other documentation is required.(ETA Form 9062)

Where to get documentation (Conditional Certification)

Many applicants have documentation of their eligibility; others may obtain confidential documentation about themselves from the relevant government or private non-profit service agency,

OR

You can ask the local agency (Job Placement, Counselor, Social Worker, Parole Officer, etc.) who has provided services to the applicant, to sign the Conditional Certification. When a conditional certification is obtained, no other documentation is required.

Agencies having signature authority

Any representative of the Department of Workforce Development; Job Centers, DVR or County Departments of Social Services or grantee agencies of the department. The Department of Corrections staff as well as many local agencies has authority to sign WOTC Conditional Certifications for their eligible clients.

3. Return all completed forms: IRS 8850 and Individual Characteristics ETA Form 9061 or if you received a completed Conditional Certification ETA Form 9062 to your local Job Center or mail to:

Department of Workforce Development (DWD)
Federal Tax Credits, Rm. G100
201 E. Washington Ave., PO Box 7972
Madison WI 53707-7972

How to Claim the Credit

You file for the credit when you fill out your annual Business Federal Income Tax Forms. In addition to these forms, you will need an IRS 5884 Form and the Tax Credit Certification issued to you by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Tax Credit Unit.

Any questions regarding the filing of the tax credit with the IRS may be addressed to the IRS website or their help line at (800) 829-1040.

Questions and Assistance
For assistance contact your local Wisconsin Job Center.

Contact Us
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WOTC Frequently Asked Questions