Section 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the credit is applied to the taxpayer's account pursuant to subdivision (d) or the assessment against the employer is withdrawn or revised and the taxpayer is notified by the Franchise Tax Board thereof.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.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 931, Sec. 8. Effective October 10, 1999.)