Case Study
In just over two years, MJ Morgan Group’s fully integrated Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program—built into their digital onboarding process through partnerships with Avionté and ADP—has generated nearly $500,000 in federal tax credits, with revenue continuing to climb year after year. It’s been a game-changing win for a company built on growth, operational discipline, and a willingness to invest in what moves the needle.
As MJ Morgan Group approaches its 20th anniversary, the firm has navigated industry shifts, a global pandemic, and economic uncertainty—expanding its footprint across nine states, including Maryland, Pennsylvania, D.C., and more recently, Texas, Ohio, and New Jersey. Embracing the WOTC program through close collaboration between operations and accounting exemplifies their results-driven mindset and commitment to finding new ways to strengthen and scale the business.
When MJ Morgan Group’s executive leadership team first learned about the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) — a federal program that provides tax incentives to employers who hire individuals from certain target groups — they recognized it as an opportunity worth exploring.
They were introduced to the program during a webinar hosted by Avionté, their staffing platform provider, together with ADP, Avionté’s integrated WOTC partner. Once ADP explained how the program worked — and with seamless integration already in place — it seemed like an obvious choice to pursue.
Even so, there was some initial hesitation. Years earlier, the team had attempted to run an internal WOTC program, but the process was manual, paperwork-heavy, and produced little return. They also worried about whether enough candidates would qualify to make it worthwhile, whether onboarding would become more complicated, and whether the program would create more distractions than benefits.
What changed their minds was twofold. First, Avionté’s automated onboarding made the process faster, easier, and less stressful for recruiters and new hires. Second, with ADP SmartCompliance Tax Credits automating documentation and processes via a direct Avionté integration, a simple WOTC form could be embedded into onboarding. This boosted upfront applicant completions with no added effort for either applicants or the MJ Morgan Group team.
Both changes turned WOTC into a built-in, low-effort part of hiring—no headaches, no extra work—and the payoff was substantial: nearly $500,000 in federal tax credits alone. That success was possible because, as ADP data shows, nearly half of a typical agency’s workforce qualifies, a finding that proved true for MJ Morgan Group despite their early doubts.
In just over two years, with more than 2,000 eligible hires, MJ Morgan Group has generated more than $500,000 in federal employment credits — on top of additional state and local incentives — and the revenue continues to climb. The best part? It all runs automatically, with zero added effort for recruiters.
As one senior leader describes:
“This program has been incredibly rewarding. Since integrating the form seamlessly into our onboarding, nearly every employee completes it. In just over two years, we’ve generated more than $500,000 in federal employment credits — with additional state and local incentives on top of that — and the revenue generated is still climbing. The best part? It runs automatically, with near-zero extra effort from our recruiters.”
Thanks to this success, MJ Morgan Group has expanded its partnership with ADP and Avionté to capture additional incentives, including the Maryland WOTC and Federal Empowerment Zone credits. Using payroll data from Avionté, ADP cross-references employee zip codes with the HUD database to flag those in qualifying low-income areas. Eligible records are then automatically submitted, enabling the company to stack tax credits and boost financial returns.
The added revenue has been a game-changer, giving the agency room to reinvest in staff, open new opportunities, and keep scaling.
Though MJ Morgan Group is now a true believer in the WOTC program, there are three key factors that made it work. Without them in place, they would never have gotten such strong results.
When MJ Morgan Group first attempted WOTC, managing it manually was a headache — spreadsheets caused errors, heavy admin, and poor returns. They couldn’t automate the onboarding form, had to chase incomplete submissions, and manually verify eligibility. It wasn’t worth the effort.
That changed when ADP embedded an online WOTC form into its digital onboarding. Employees faced no extra steps, automated reminders boosted completion, and recruiters had virtually no extra work. Thanks to the integration, payroll data flows seamlessly from Avionté to ADP. Weekly files are sent automatically, ADP processes and submits eligible records, calculates credits, and MJ Morgan Group claims them on their federal return. No manual follow-up. No extra admin. Just clean, consistent returns.
The integration process was simple, with little to no issues getting everything up and running. ADP manages the entire program end-to-end, keeping it streamlined and hassle-free for the team. From onboarding to tax credit processing, the entire workflow runs smoothly without adding extra burden to internal staff.
On top of that, MJ Morgan Group was assigned a dedicated account manager who helps with training, actively monitors program performance, and helps identify new opportunities to increase credit capture. Through advanced reporting and regular review meetings, they track results, spot trends, and pinpoint areas for improvement — all to help grow the number of eligible candidates and maximize financial returns.
By assigning a member of their team to oversee the program and serve as the direct ADP contact, MJ Morgan Group ensured focused, consistent management. Having one person drive performance reviews and continuous improvement has been crucial. This initiative is one where effort clearly pays off — and with proper attention, it keeps delivering.
For example, the agency uses the data from ADP to run its own custom report tracking hours worked, flagging eligible hires and those nearing the 120-hour mark. Recruiters can use this list to identify and prioritize workers for assignments — provided their reliability and performance match those of non-eligible employees — helping more hires qualify while maintaining quality placements.
MJ Morgan Group’s WOTC success wasn’t luck — it was the result of smart partnerships, seamless technology integration, and a relentless focus on operational improvement. By leaving behind a manual, error-prone system and leveraging the combined strength of Avionté and ADP’s integrated WOTC solution, they transformed a frustrating, neglected program into a reliable, revenue-driving asset.
As another senior leader at MJ Morgan Group explains:
“Thanks to the partnership with Avionté and ADP, automating the form and integrating it into our onboarding process was fast and easy. From the beginning, ADP was right there to help with training and support, which made the whole process smooth and manageable. Plus, their reporting tools are excellent — being able to run detailed reports through ADP and regularly review the program helps us identify areas for improvement. ADP works with us to optimize the process and continually maximize the benefits we get from it.“
And the numbers back it up: generating nearly $500,000 in federal credits — with even more from state and local incentives — in just over two years, with almost 100% employee participation, and a fully automated system that practically runs itself. The program’s success proves that with the right technology, strong partnership, and a continuous improvement mindset, even the simplest processes can turn into serious business advantages.
For staffing agencies still sitting on the sidelines or wrestling with clunky manual WOTC processes, MJ Morgan Group’s experience makes one thing clear: when you build it right, manage it well, and partner smart, the payoff isn’t theoretical — it’s real, measurable, and game-changing.
ADP SmartCompliance integrates with your HCM system to give you a comprehensive solution that’s configurable to your company’s current and future human capital compliance needs. You’ll have the tools to manage and understand the full breadth of your company’s HCM compliance activities. You can leverage experts who are veterans of various regulatory agencies. And you’ll have professionals with domain expertise in various compliance areas working directly on your behalf.
