Recovery Startup Businesses can receive up to $100,000 through the Employee Retention Credit. Broken down by quarter, the credit is worth up to $7,000 per W-2 employee per quarter for quarters three and four of 2021. The refund is capped at a maximum of $50,000 per quarter, or up to $100,000 in total. Because the Recovery Startup Credit is a retroactive refund on 2021 payroll taxes, you’ll receive the money in the form of a paper check.