This application makes use of information and communication technology to provide and improve government services, transactions and interactions with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government. It's a voucher generating application or portal that enables individuals or business organizations to file Tax credit with the help of an electronic online application. Here, 3 categories of people come into picture:

• Agents
• Process Manager
• Enterprise Manager

The users are called the Agents and each agent will have a user id and password in the application.

All eligible employees must receive a voucher in order for an Enterprise Zone business to receive the hiring tax credit. The City of Oakland requires all voucher applications to be submitted through an online vouchering system. The system receives application submittals, processes and returns the determination through the system. The Agent will receive a certificate if the application was approved or a denial notice with explanation.

This application makes use of information and communication technology to provide and improve government services, transactions and interactions with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government. It's a voucher generating application or portal that enables individuals or business organizations to file Tax credit with the help of an electronic online application. Here, 3 categories of people come into picture:

• Registration of Agent
• Registration of Business and Enterprise Zone Business Location
• Submission of complete voucher request

With this new process, the voucher application will automatically be completed based on the responses captured during the electronic process. Although the main goal is to make the voucher submission process completely paperless, it does pose a problem in capturing the supporting documentation required to support the applicant qualification category.

In order to reduce the possibility of errors with regards to the employee work locations, voucher submissions are limited by location. For example, if you have a business with two Oakland EZ Locations for that business then you will need to complete the voucher submission process twice - once for each location.

As part of the voucher submission process, it is necessary for you to register the EZ Business and applicable EZ Location in the system prior to beginning the voucher submission process. Once entered, you will be able to select the business and location information for subsequent voucher submissions without re-entering the information each time.

There are two different methods for entering the voucher application data into the system:

• Option 1:

Agent enters the employee information into the system by entering the employee information directly into the system one employee at a time. This approach provides for the highest degree of accuracy since it allows the user to focus more attention to each employee.

• Option 2:

Agent completes a template that contains the employee information for multiple employees and allows the Agent to upload the information directly into the system without going through the effort of entering one at a time. Although this approach provides for a quicker method of entering the information, the Agent should spend some additional time ensuring the information is accurate before uploading the information.

It is important to realize that the template is an Excel Workbook that contains special macros to assist the user in entering the information accurately. Only this template may be used - an Excel Worksheet that contains the same data headers will not work with the system. The required template can be obtained through the system during the voucher application submittal process, in the Resource Library section on the home page.

The City of Oakland provides for the following 3 processing options:

• 1. Standard 60: Voucher application will be completed in 60 calendar days

• 2. Expedite 30: Voucher application will be completed in 30 calendar days

• 3. Expedite 15: Voucher application will be completed in 15 calendar days

Please note that the time period begins from the date that the Agent has submitted all of the requirement information (application, supporting documentation and processing fee payment).

Below are the steps that will allow you to submit voucher request(s) directly to the City of Oakland in a paperless environment.

• 1. Click on the Voucher Submission item on the menu

• 2. Select the Business and Enterprise Zone that you will be submitting voucher applications

• 3. Enter the number of voucher applications you will be submitting

• 4. Select the applicable processing time (Standard 60, Expedite 30 or Expedite 15)

• 5. Enter or upload the application information into the system

• 6. Attach the supporting documentation for each employee

• 7. Select payment option: Online Payment or print invoice and mail with check

• 8. Submit voucher applications