No.
Because wages claimable under the Work Opportunity Tax Credit only apply to first-year employees from target groups, all else being equal, businesses’ claimable credits would only decrease without hiring the same number of such employees annually; SQ 832-mandated wage increases would not significantly reduce the availability of such potential employees.
The WOTC incentivizes hiring from groups that have faced employment barriers, including SNAP recipients – who comprised 64% of WOTC certifications from 2022 – 2024 – veterans and felons.
Though SQ 832, which is on the June 16 ballot June 16, would increase the minimum wage to $12 per hour, with gradual increases to $15 by 2029, many SNAP beneficiaries would continue to meet the income criteria of below 130% the federal poverty level.
Seventy percent of SNAP recipients are full-time workers. Assuming 35 hour weeks, making $12 and $15 an hour falls below the current maximum gross monthly incomes for one-person and two-person households, respectively.
Oklahoma Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims.
Sources
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