Section 18673 Of Article 5. Withholding From California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 10.2. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 5.
18673
. (a) Notwithstanding Article 7 (commencing with Section
706.151) of Chapter 5 of Title 9 of Part II of the Code of Civil
Procedure, if the Franchise Tax Board determines upon receiving
information from the taxpayer that his or her employer withheld
earnings for taxes pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section
19251) of Chapter 5 and failed to remit the withheld earnings to the
Franchise Tax Board, the employer shall be liable for the amount not
remitted. The Franchise Tax Board's determination shall be based on
payroll documents or other substantiating evidence furnished by the
taxpayer.
(b) Upon its determination, the Franchise Tax Board shall mail
notice to the employer at its last known address that upon failure to
remit the withheld earnings to the Franchise Tax Board within 15
days of the date of its notice to the employer, the employer shall be
liable for that amount which was withheld and not remitted.
(c) If the employer fails to remit the amount withheld to the
Franchise Tax Board upon notice, that amount for which the employer
is liable shall be assessed, collected, and paid as though it were a
tax deficiency. The amount may be assessed at any time prior to seven
years from the first day that the unremitted amount, in the
aggregate, was first withheld. Interest shall accrue on that amount
from the first day that the unremitted amount, in the aggregate, was
first withheld.
(d) When the assessment against the employer is final and due and
payable, the taxpayer's account shall be immediately credited with an
amount equal to that assessed amount as though it were a payment
received by the Franchise Tax Board on the first date that the
unremitted amount, in the aggregate, was first withheld by the
employer.
(e) Collection against the taxpayer is stayed for both the
following amount and period:
(1) An amount equal to the amount determined by the Franchise Tax
Board under subdivision (a).
(2) The earlier of the time the credit is applied to the taxpayer'
s account pursuant to subdivision (d) or the assessment against the
employer is withdrawn or revised and the taxpayer is notified by the
Franchise Tax Board thereof.
(f) If under this section an amount that was withheld and not
remitted to the Franchise Tax Board is final and due and payable by
the employer and credited to the taxpayer's account, this remedy
shall be the exclusive remedy for the taxpayer to recover that amount
from the employer.
(g) This section shall not apply to debts, obligations, or other
amounts for which an earnings withholding order or assignment is
issued by the Franchise Tax Board pursuant to Article 5, 5.5, or 6 of
Chapter 5 or Section 10878.
(h) This section shall apply to determinations made by the
Franchise Tax Board on or after the effective date of the act adding
this section.