Business owners call for employee benefits, a local United Way takes VITA directly to those who may miss out, and two states make progress in efforts to expand state level EITCs.

• The National Consumer Law Center and Consumer Federation of America found in their annual report that unregulated paid preparers are more likely to make tax filing errors, often do not provide firm price quotes ahead of time, and promote unnecessary financial products and fees.
• Business owners rallied in Albany, New York, calling for lawmakers to support up to 12 weeks of paid leave for employees to care for newborn babies or ill relatives.
• Delaware lawmakers are considering making their state EITC refundable. The Delaware EITC provides low-wage earners a 20 percent match of the federal EITC and is only one of three states that does not make it refundable.
• A New Jersey bill that would raise the state EITC to 40 percent of the federal level has passed the Assembly and will need to pass the Senate.
• The United Way of Pinal County set up a temporary VITA site to reach out to people who may not have access to free tax assistance services any other way