08/27/2020

ASAE Signs Onto “Healthy Workplace” Letter to Congress

The letter was drafted by ISSA

Earlier this month, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) joined ISSA – The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association and almost 40 organizations on a letter that urges Congress to establish a “healthy workplace tax credit in the next federal stimulus package to protect the safety of workers, customers and the public.” ASAE called for this and similar initiatives in its July 21 letter to Congress.

As proposed, the tax credit would be available to both businesses and nonprofits.

According to the letter, qualified expenses should include:

• Cleaning and workplace safety-related costs, including cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing-related products; equipment; delivery/dispensing devices and systems; signage; and technology platforms or services related to preventing the spread of COVID–19;
• Training, consulting, standards, certifications, auditing/quality control, monitoring and guidelines or other similar information related to COVID–19;
• Personal protective equipment;
• Technology used for limiting or tracing and tracking physical contact between customers and employees in the United States and improving workplace safety and hygiene; and
• Other expenditures associated with maintaining a healthy physical workplace such as reconfigurations, including those necessary to comply with federal, state and local guidelines, as well as industry best practices.

“While many small businesses are already struggling to stay afloat amid the pandemic, they’re also facing significant financial stress due to the costs necessary to combat COVID-19," said ISSA, Executive Director John Barrett. "A cleaning and sanitation tax credit will be crucial to help companies overcome the unexpected costs needed to appropriately clean and disinfect their spaces, remain open for business, and restore consumer confidence.”