parachute payment) by an applicable tax-exempt organization for the taxable year with respect to employment of any covered employee in excess of $1,000,000, plus (2) any excess parachute payment paid by such an organization to any covered employee. For purposes of the preceding sentence, remuneration shall be treated as paid when there is no substantial risk of forfeiture of the rights to such remuneration. (b) Liability for tax The employer shall be liable for the tax imposed under subsection (a). (c) Definitions and special rules For purposes of this section— (1) Applicable tax-exempt organization The term applicable tax-exempt organization means any organization which for the taxable year— (A) is exempt from taxation under section 501(a), (B) is a farmers’ cooperative organization described in section 521(b)(1), (C) has income excluded from taxation under section 115(1), or (D) is a political organization described in section 527(e)(1). (2) Covered employee For purposes of this section, the term covered employee means any employee (including any former employee) of an applicable tax-exempt organization if the employee— (A) is one of the 5 highest compensated employees of the organization for the taxable year, or (B) was a covered employee of the organization (or any predecessor) for any preceding taxable year beginning after December 31, 2016. (3) Remuneration For purposes of this section, the term remuneration means wages (as defined in section 3401(a)), except that such term shall not include any designated Roth contribution (as defined in section 402A(c)) and shall include amounts required to be included in gross income under section 457(f). (4) Remuneration from related organizations (A) In general Remuneration of a covered employee by an applicable tax-exempt organization shall include any remuneration paid with respect to employment of such employee by any related person or governmental entity. (B) Related organizations A person or governmental entity shall be treated as related to an applicable