New Mexico Register / Volume XXXVII, Issue 14 / July 28, 2026

This is an amendment to 5.5.50 NMAC, Section 10, effective July 28, 2026.

5.5.50.10 REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES:

A. The following expenses may be eligible for reimbursement through JTIP.

(1) A percentage of trainee wages for up to six months of initial training.

(2) Cost of providing custom classroom training at a New Mexico post-secondary public educational institution with a cap of $6,000 per trainee. Reimbursement for classroom training is consistent with JTIP policy and ranges from fifty percent to seventy-five percent based on company location.

(3) A percentage of intern wages for up to 1040 training hours.

B. Standard reimbursement rates for wages range up to seventy-five percent. Positions that meet the JTIP requirements with starting wages at levels eligible for the high wage job tax credit may be also eligible for an additional five percent wage reimbursement. Positions filled by trainees who meet any of the three following criteria may be eligible for an additional five percent wage reimbursement above the standard rates if the approved entry wage is at least the minimum rate for the Job Zone as outlined in the JTIP wage chart on Paragraph (2) of Subsection D. of 5.5.50.10 NMAC for Zones 1, 2, 3 and 4:

(1) Trainee has graduated out of the New Mexico Foster Care System.

(2) Trainee has graduated within the past 12 months from a post-secondary training or academic program at a New Mexico institution of higher education.

(3) Trainee is a U.S. veteran.

Companies may combine any one of the three conditions above with the additional five percent wage reimbursement for high-wage positions, for a total additional wage reimbursement not to exceed ten percent above the standard rates. If a company is participating in other job reimbursement training programs such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the combined reimbursement to the company may not exceed one hundred percent.

C. JTIP approved employers that utilize business support services through the recognized New Mexico Workforce Connection offices across the state or through other independent human resource support service providers that help small businesses develop successful recruitment strategies to grow and retain their workforce may be eligible for an additional five percent reimbursement above the standard rates.

D. The job training incentive program allows for reimbursement only at the completion of training. If an employee does not complete the training period, no funds can be claimed for that employee. If another trainee can be hired in that position within the six month hiring period and complete training before the contract end date, a claim can be submitted for the successful trainee.

E. Wage reimbursement:

(1) Trainee wages are generally the largest expense associated with training. JTIP reimburses the company for a significant portion of trainee wages during the initial training period. The percentage of standard reimbursement ranges up to seventy-five percent, depending on the business location.

(2) The number of hours eligible for reimbursement varies by position, up to 1,040 hours (six months). The number of hours eligible for reimbursement for each position is based on the O*NET (occupational information network) job zone classification for the O*NET position which most closely matches the company’s job description and the wage paid the trainee at the point of hire. The O*NET system, sponsored by the US department of labor, is available at http://onetonline.org. Each job in the O*NET system is assigned to one of five job zones, with recommended training hours for each zone. [For fiscal year 2026, the JTIP board may maintain wage requirements effective in the first year of JTIP approval for the length of the job ramp within the project participation agreement (PPA) for companies that are also engaged in a LEDA agreement with the economic development department provided the company meets job creation requirements within the period and wages do not fall below the statewide minimum wage.] Minimum wage requirements for subsequent fiscal years may be reviewed annually by the board and may be adjusted using an inflation or wage‑growth index that best reflects economic conditions. Acceptable indices include, but are not limited to, the Consumer Price Index (CPI‑U or CPI‑W), the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE), the Employment Cost Index (ECI) and the Mountain Region CPI. Any adjustment will apply for the entire fiscal year beginning July 1. If the selected index reflects negative growth, the board may choose to maintain current requirements.

The number of recommended hours [for fiscal year 2026] are outlined in the table below.

General Guideline for Duration of Reimbursable Training Time/Wages [for FY2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026)]
Job Zone	Definitions	SVP Range/Conversions	Hours	Min. Wage @ Hiring - Urban	Min. Wage @ Hiring - Rural	Days	Weeks
1	Little or no preparation needed	Below 4.0	320	[15.95] 16.22	[13.56] 13.79	40	8
2a	Some preparation needed	4.0 to < 6.0	480	[17.49] 17.79	[14.08] 14.31	60	12
2	Some preparation needed	4.0 to < 6.0	640	[19.04] 19.36	[14.59] 14.83	80	16
3a	Medium preparation needed	6.0 to < 7.0	800	[20.58] 20.92	[16.13] 16.40	100	20
3	Medium preparation needed	6.0 to < 7.0	960	[22.12] 22.49	[17.16] 17.45	120	24
4	Considerable preparation needed	7.0 to < 8.0	1,040	[25.21] 25.63	[18.19] 18.49	130	26
	Align with HWJTC	Additional five percent		28.85	19.23

(3) The JTIP staff will ensure that the O*NET occupations match the company job description for the requested position and that training hours requested do not exceed the O*NET guideline. The board will also review the company's educational and experience requirements of the applicants to determine the degree of match with the company's job descriptions. The JTIP board may award training hours based on the O*NET guideline unless the company clearly substantiates that additional hours are required. In determining the appropriate number of training hours, the board considers the training plan, the training objectives, and the hourly wage at point of hire associated with the position.

(4) The board has also adopted a wage requirement for JTIP participation. The wage requirement varies by job zone and company location (rural/urban). These requirements are listed in the tables above. If a company establishes a wage range which includes wages below the minimum wage recommended for that position and job zone, the number of hours eligible for reimbursement may be reduced from the O*NET recommended hours as per criteria and procedures set forth by and at the discretion of the JTIP board, which may include consideration of the company benefits package. Generally, the hours are reduced to the hours allowed for the next lower job zone. The reimbursement percentages may be adjusted at the discretion of the board based on availability of funds or sufficient appropriations.

(5) The percentage of wages reimbursed depends primarily on the business location. The categories for location are urban, rural, frontier, economically distressed, and Native American land.

(a) Companies located in urban areas (cities with population above 60,000 in the most recent federal decennial census) and Class H counties (i.e., Los Alamos) are reimbursed at up to fifty percent for all eligible training hours. Urban communities are: Albuquerque [562,599] 555,119, Las Cruces [112,914] 118,133, Rio Rancho [111,803] 116,418, and Santa Fe [88,193] 90,468.

(b) Companies located in rural areas, outside those listed above are reimbursed at up to sixty-five percent for all eligible training hours.

(c) Companies located in frontier areas (communities with a population of 15,000 or fewer and outside an MSA) are reimbursed at up to seventy-five percent for all eligible training hours.

(d) Companies located in an economically distressed area in New Mexico are eligible for up to seventy-five percent reimbursement. To receive up to seventy-five percent reimbursement, a company must be located in a county with an unemployment rate significantly higher than the state unemployment rate. However, the JTIP board may entertain an exception to this policy when a company is located in a community experiencing a combination of other distressed economic conditions such as recent significant job losses due to business closures or down-sizing, a decline in population, loss of gross receipts or other factors.

(e) Companies located on Native American reservations are eligible for up to seventy-five percent reimbursement.

(f) Companies located in federally designated colonias in New Mexico are eligible for up to seventy-five percent reimbursement for all eligible training hours.

(6) JTIP eligible positions with starting wages eligible for the high wage job tax credit may be eligible for an additional five percent reimbursement. These requirements are a hiring salary of $60,000 or higher in an urban or class H county and a hiring salary of $40,000 or higher in a rural location or economically disadvantaged area. Trainee requirements are still factors for JTIP eligibility. The percentage of wages reimbursed for high-wage positions filled by trainees who do not meet the one-year residency requirement is unique and not subject to any additional wage reimbursement above the standard rate. Companies located in urban areas and Class H counties are reimbursed up to forty percent for all eligible training hours. Companies located in rural areas are reimbursed up to fifty percent for all eligible training hours. Companies located in frontier areas are reimbursed up to sixty percent for all eligible training hours.

(7) JTIP eligible positions filled by trainees who have graduated within the past 12 months from a post-secondary training or academic program at a New Mexico institution of higher education may be eligible for an additional five percent reimbursement.

(8) JTIP eligible positions filled by U.S. veterans may be eligible for an additional five percent reimbursement.

(9) Trainee has graduated out of the NM Foster Care System may be eligible for an additional five percent reimbursement.

(10) Additional guidelines for wage reimbursement:

(a) Eligible trainee hours shall not exceed 1,040 hours per trainee (six months) based on the company's scheduled workweek, not to exceed 40 hours per week.,

(b) Reimbursement is calculated on base pay only. Bonus pay, overtime, commission and stock options are not eligible for reimbursement.

(c) If the company compensates the trainee for annual, holiday or sick leave during the approved training period, those hours are included in the approved training hours at the base rate.

(d) Any training hours that exceed the contracted amount are the responsibility of the company.

(e) If a company is participating in other job reimbursement training programs such as WIOA, the combined reimbursement to the company may not exceed one hundred percent.

(f) Additional wage reimbursement may not exceed ten percent above the standard rates. Companies may combine the additional five percent wage reimbursement for high-wage jobs with one of the three following conditions for an additional five percent wage reimbursement provided the entry wage is at least the minimum rate for the job zone as outlined in the JTIP wage chart on Paragraph (2) of Subsection D of 5.5.50.10 NMAC for Zones 1, 2, 3 and 4:

(i) the trainee has graduated out of the New Mexico foster care system;

(ii) the trainee has graduated within the past 12 months from a post-secondary training or academic program at a New Mexico institution of higher education;

(iii) the trainee is a U.S. veteran. High-wage positions filled by trainees who do not meet the one-year residency requirement are not eligible for additional wage reimbursement above the standard rate.

F. Reimbursement for custom classroom training: Payment for custom classroom training services provided by public post-secondary educational institutions is restricted to instructional costs. The rate of reimbursement to the institution is at a maximum of $6,000 per trainee. Instructional costs for classroom training conducted by an educational institution may include course development, instructional salaries, relevant supplies and materials, expendable tools, accounting services, and other costs associated with conducting the training program. No training equipment may be purchased or rented using JTIP funds.

[5.5.50.10 NMAC - Rp, 5.5.50.10 NMAC, 6/26/2018; A, 1/1/2020; A, 7/14/2020; A, 7/7/2021; A, 7/12/2022; A, 6/27/2023, A 7/16/2024, A 7/15/2025, A 7/28/2026]