Latest news with #IowaWorkforceDevelopment
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Kim Reynolds signs unemployment insurance tax bill into law
Gov. Kim Reynolds, joined by lawmakers, business owners and Iowa Workforce Development staff, signed into law a bill reducing the taxable wage base for Iowa's unemployment insurance system at U.S. Erectors in Pleasant Hill June 5, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed into law a bill cutting the taxable wage base for Iowa's unemployment insurance system, one of her goals from the 2025 legislative session. The governor held a bill signing event Thursday for Senate File 607, at U.S. Erectors in Pleasant Hill, one of the businesses she said the new law is intended to help. The measure, which goes into effect July 1, will cut in half the taxable wage base used in collecting unemployment insurance taxes, from 66.7% to 33.4%. It also modifies employer contribution rates and excludes wages from the unemployment insurance system's definition of 'taxable wages' paid by employers when the employees work in another state in cases where reciprocity applies. 'It's a signature piece of legislation, one of my top priorities this session, and a key part of our ongoing efforts make Iowa's economy stronger, more competitive and built for the future,' Reynolds said. Reynolds said the changes are 'long overdue,' saying Iowa's unemployment insurance taxes have 'needlessly over-collected from our businesses' for years. With $1.95 billion in the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund, the governor said Iowa had the ninth largest unemployment trust fund in the country despite being 32nd in state population. By lowering the amount employers pay into the fund, Reynolds said businesses are projected to save nearly a billion dollars over the next five years. U.S. Erectors, which hosted the event, is projected to keep $85,000 in the next year due to the change, she said. Brad Churchill, CEO and co-founder of U.S. Erectors, thanked Reynolds for moving the measure forward, saying it 'provides meaningful relief to employers across Iowa, while maintaining a full scope of benefits for employees for their time of need.' 'Early projections and estimates are that the bill would generate the savings of up to $800 million for businesses statewide,' Churchill said. 'For companies like ours, those savings can be reinvested directly into our workforce through hiring, wage increases, purchasing of new equipment and expanding our facilities for growth.' While supporters of the bill said the new law is correcting overpayments into the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund, Democrats argued the change will mean less money is available to help Iowans when they lose their job, tying it during floor debate on the measure to other changes made to Iowa's unemployment system in recent years. Rep. Daniel Gosa, D-Davenport, said in a statement Thursday the change is providing more money to employers who cut jobs in Iowa. 'While Iowa families struggle and Iowa's economy ranks dead last, Gov. Reynolds and Republican lawmakers are handing out a $1 billion tax break to big corporations, paid for by raiding funds meant for laid-off workers,' Gosa said. 'In 2022, Iowa Republicans slashed unemployment from 26 weeks to 16. Now they're handing out tax breaks to corporations that lay off workers and ship jobs overseas. Iowa workers shouldn't be footing the bill for corporate tax breaks.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Corrections officer fired for alleged inmate relationship wins jobless benefits
Iowa Workforce Development manages unemployment claims filed on behalf of Iowans. (Photo by Getty Images, logo courtesy the State of Iowa) A female corrections officer fired for an alleged romantic relationship with an inmate has been awarded unemployment benefits. State records indicate Azucena D. Valenzuela was employed as a corrections officer at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility for three years before she was fired by the Iowa Department of Corrections in March 2025 for a having a relationship with an inmate. According to the records, two of Valenzuela's superiors approached her last October about a rumor that she was being enlisted to smuggle items into a correctional facility for a specific inmate. Valenzuela denied any knowledge of such activity, but her superiors allegedly told her that her interactions with the inmate in question were concerning. On Dec. 22, 2024, the department placed Valenzuela on administrative leave while it investigated an alleged improper relationship between her and the inmate. The investigation looked into reports of Valenzuela talking with the inmate on the phone, talking with the inmate for extended periods during work hours, and what the department characterized as the two looking at each other in an 'inappropriate' manner. The department alleged that video footage showed Valenzuela talking with the inmate for extended periods on multiple occasions between Oct. 8, 2024. and Dec. 22, 2024, including six occasions in which they were captured on video while Valenzuela was working. The department also claimed that during an encounter on Nov. 21, 2024, Valenzuela took the inmate's iPad-style device and input the number of a 'burner phone' she had purchased. However, at Valenzuela's subsequent hearing on her application for unemployment benefits, the Department of Corrections provided 'no evidence of any information put into the device at or around the time' Valenzuela handled it, Administrative Law Judge Blair Bennett observed. The Department of Corrections also alleged the inmate had called Valenzuela's phone on multiple occasions, expressing his affection for her and wanting to be with her. The person on the other end of the phone made similar comments. The department claimed multiple people said they believe it was Valenzuela on the receiving end of those calls, but it provided no such testimony from those individuals. The department, Bennett later concluded, had conducted an extensive investigation and had determined that allegations of staff sexual misconduct were founded. Bennett noted that the corrections department had chosen not to offer any testimony from the witnesses it claimed to rely on in deciding to fire Valenzuela, nor did it provide her with any copies of phone recordings. The department, Bennett found, 'chose not to produce any witnesses to the alleged incidents, and did not produce anything that would credibly establish (Valenzuela) as being involved in phone calls with the inmate.' As such, she ruled, Valenzuela was qualified to receive unemployment benefits. It's not the first time the Department of Corrections has chosen to provide no direct evidence at hearings alleging workplace misconduct. In 2023, for example, the Fort Dodge facility fired corrections officer Robert W. Goodner for allegedly providing some unspecified form of 'contraband' to inmates. At Goodner's hearing for unemployment benefits, none of the financial and phone records the department had subpoenaed — which would likely reveal the full scope of any alleged sales and the precise nature of any contraband — were offered into evidence. In addition, none of the DOC employees directly involved in the investigation testified at the hearing. As a result, Goodner was awarded unemployment benefits. Asked then why the DOC didn't present any records at Goodner's hearing, Fort Dodge Correctional Facility Deputy Warden Don Harris said it was unclear what information the DOC should be sharing with others. 'I don't know, since that's part of an investigation for criminal prosecution, that the information should be put out there for anyone else,' Harris told the Iowa Capital Dispatch. Other Iowans recently fired for alleged misconduct include: — Thomas E. Patterson, who in April was fired from the Iowa Department of Corrections' Mt. Pleasant Correctional Facility. Patterson had worked for the DOC as a full-time corrections officer since May 1999. State records indicate that while DOC policy restricted employees' personal use of the internet, the agency's employees regularly used Google Chat to communicate with each other at work. Throughout Patterson's employment, he allegedly used Google Chat to discuss with colleagues subjects that were not work related. On Dec. 2, 2024, the DOC began an investigation into Patterson's internet usage and downloaded and reviewed more than 4,000 pages of Google Chat conversations between Patterson, his supervisor and his coworkers that dated back to 2023. As part of that process, the department also compiled all of the comments the claimant had made that the employer deemed objectionable, such as comments that were critical of management or which expressed frustration with staff or the workplace. On April 2, 2025, the Mt. Pleasant Correctional Facility fired Patterson due to alleged violations of the employer's information technology policy. He was awarded unemployment benefits, with the judge noting that Patterson's Google Chat conversations had included his own supervisor, which provided the facility's management with 'immediate knowledge' of any misconduct. Despite that knowledge, the judge noted, Patterson wasn't fired until April 2025. — Ricky Lichtenberger, who was fired in February from Per Mar Security where he had worked since October 2023. According to the company, Lichtenberger was working in the security office of a hospital when a female EMT walked in and found Lichtenberger watching a sexually explicit video on his phone. The EMT later reported the video was playing loudly and she heard references to a woman's anatomy and to certain sexual positions. When a manager asked Lichtenberger about the incident, he allegedly replied that it may have happened as described and that he 'might have forgotten (he) was at work.' Administrative Law Judge Elizabeth Johnson ruled Lichtenberger was ineligible for unemployment benefits and ordered that he repay $2,227 already collected. The video content, she ruled, 'had nothing to do with his work as a security officer and (Lichtenberger's) decision to not just watch the video but play its sound at full volume created, at minimum, an uncomfortable work environment for his coworkers and all others entering the security office.' — Allison Austin, who in April was fired by the University of Iowa where she worked as a clerk. According to state records, Austin was accused of making 'sexual noises' during a quarterly, department-wide Zoom meeting that she attended by computer. Austin told the Iowa Capital Dispatch she doesn't recall whether she had her computer's camera activated during the meeting, but said that at some point during the session she had inadvertently activated her microphone. She said she believes she may have made some innocuous comments she didn't intend her colleagues to hear, but which two human resources officials later claimed were noises of a sexual nature. 'You think these people in HR are there to protect you, but they're accusing you having sex on a team meeting,' Austin told the Capital Dispatch. 'I was mortified.' Austin was fired not for her conduct during the meeting, but for discussing with her co-workers the university's investigation of that conduct. She was denied unemployment benefits. Austin said she intends to appeal that ruling.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
High school teacher who gave student a condom loses her job and unemployment benefits
Iowa Workforce Development manages unemployment claims filed on behalf of Iowans. (Photo by Getty Images, logo courtesy the State of Iowa) A southern Iowa school teacher who lost her job after giving a female student a condom for the girl's protection has been denied unemployment benefits. According to state records, Cheyenne Wilson was hired as a high school science teacher by the Clarke Community School District in August 2024. According to testimony given at a state hearing in March, four girls were in Wilson's classroom on Nov. 14, 2024, for an after-school study session. The students were seated approximately 4 feet away from Wilson while discussing a text conversation one of the students was having with a boy. One of the students asked Wilson is she knew the definition of an acronym used to describe a particular sex act, and Wilson responded that she did, after which the student stated her own definition of the term. The conversation then shifted to another sex act, with one student indicating she was nervous about performing the act and using her teeth. Wilson allegedly responded, 'Don't use your teeth, then.' When it became clear to Wilson that the student was planning to have sex with a boy, she gave the student a condom from her desk for the girl's protection. Four days later, a complaint was filed with the school district and the principal, Joe Blazevich, began an investigation, with Wilson placed on administrative leave. The district later sent a letter to Wilson, saying her behavior had called into question her fitness for duty and her ability to serve as an effective role model for students and employees of the district. The letter went on to state that Wilson was not to speak to students and staff or be on school district premises or attend any district activities during the investigation. On Nov. 20, 2024, Blazevich and Superintendent Kurt DeVore held a meeting with Wilson, during which she allegedly confirmed what had transpired during the Nov. 14 incident. DeVore told Wilson she had the option to resign and that if she refused there would be an additional 'district level' investigation of her conduct. Wilson opted to resign. Wilson was initially awarded unemployment benefits after a fact-finding interview, but the school district appealed that decision, leading to a March 28 hearing before Administrative Law Judge Emily Drenkow Carr. At the hearing, Blazevich testified that Wilson should have redirected the students' conversation to a more appropriate subject matter and noted that Wilson was not a sex educator and was not tasked with addressing such issues with students. In finding that Wilson was not entitled to unemployment benefits, Carr stated the evidence indicated Wilson's resignation was not forced and that she was given the option of remaining employed while undergoing a district-level investigation that might involve the school board. 'While Ms. Wilson's decision to resign may have been for good personal reasons, it was not with good cause attributable to the employer,' Carr ruled.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawkeye Community College receives state funds for apprenticeship programming
Hawkeye Community College received more than $250,000 through state registered apprenticeship grants. (Photo courtesy of Hawkeye Community College) Hawkeye Community College will use more than $250,000 in state dollars to expand its apprenticeship programs alongside schools and businesses throughout the state. According to a news release, the Waterloo community college received $262,326 from Iowa Workforce Development, managed by the Iowa Office of Apprenticeship. As a registered apprenticeship partner, the college stated in the release it will put the grant funding toward its offered apprenticeship programs in electric work, carpentry, HVAC, flooring installation and plumbing. 'This grant supports Hawkeye Community College's apprenticeship training — helping employers meet workforce demands, strengthening the local economy, and giving individuals a clear path to rewarding, high-wage careers,' said Todd Holcomb, president of Hawkeye Community College, in the release. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Hawkeye Community College was one of five community colleges to receive grant funding, including Des Moines Area Community College, Kirkwood Community College, Iowa Lakes Community College and Western Iowa Tech Community College. Funding in 2025 for the Iowa Registered Apprenticeship Act provided $2.94 million to 59 programs, according to the release, contributing to 5,133 apprentices. A separate $427,800 was awarded to newly developed registered apprenticeship programs in 19 high-demand career fields. Iowa continues to see returns on investment from its commitment to supporting registered apprentice programs more than 10 years ago, said Beth Townsend, executive director of Iowa Workforce Development, in the release. Both program and apprenticeship numbers have increased, she said in the release, and in 2024, Iowa became a State Apprenticeship Agency, which allowed for better oversight and expanding reach across the state. 'I applaud the program sponsors receiving grant funds today who are committed to preparing the workers of tomorrow using the Registered Apprenticeship model,' said Gov. Kim Reynolds in the release. 'Registered Apprenticeship programs play a critical role in our overall workforce strategy. As we demonstrated in the Teacher-Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship program, using a tried and true model in a nontraditional field is a win-win for Iowans and employers, and I am pleased to see a number of our schools receive funding under this program.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Axios
01-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Iowa's job challenges mount as trade risks loom, economists say
Economists warn that Iowa's labor market is continuing to stagnate. Why it matters: That general trend adds to a looming threat to agriculture from disruptions in international trade. State of play: The state shed another 1,500 non-farm jobs in March, losing nearly 12,000 jobs over the past year, according to the latest seasonally adjusted data from Iowa Workforce Development. The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.4%, up slightly from 3.3% in February but below the national rate of 4.2% in March. Zoom in: Trade and transportation, education and health care are the only major sectors posting increases in the state so far in 2025. Modest gains in those areas have been offset by losses in professional services and manufacturing, per a review by Nationwide senior economist Ben Ayers provided to Axios. What they're saying: The specter of tariff disruptions hangs over the Iowa economy in the coming months, with the agriculture sector likely to be challenged by reduced international demand for U.S. exports of grains and meats, Ayers said. Retaliatory measures from other countries would likely involve reducing imports of agricultural commodities, potentially leading Iowa to face "very large" problems, Iowa State University economist Peter Orazem tells Axios. The other side: The "Liberation Day" tariffs — a term President Trump used to describe his efforts to create more favorable trading terms for the U.S. — will force trading partners to the table and put farmers first, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said in an April 2 statement.
