Labor & Employment (Unemployment)

died · Iowa · House Mar 18, 2025

HF 722: A bill for an act relating to workforce training, unemployment insurance, and other functions and programs of the department of workforce development, the workforce development board, and local workforce development boards.

HF 722 amends Iowa's workforce development laws to update program definitions, streamline local planning, and improve reporting. It explicitly includes existing AmeriCorps programs (like RefugeeRISE and Iowa Green Corps) under "Iowa national service corps," requires local workforce boards to submit plans following federal rules for department approval, and mandates annual joint reports with the Education Department on scholarship outcomes. The bill also repeals outdated sections (84A.7-84A.11) and clarifies the Department of Workforce Development's role in administering unemployment insurance and job training. These changes directly affect Iowa workers, training programs, and state/local agencies managing workforce development.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAmends workforce development laws to include AmeriCorps programs, streamline local planning, and mandate joint reporting on scholarship outcomes, strengthening workforce training and unemployment insurance programs.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment Workforce Development

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 27, 2025

SF 455: A bill for an act requiring certain weekly workers’ compensation benefits to be calculated by including an employee’s overtime and premium pay, and to include an annual cost-of-living adjustment.

This bill changes how Iowa calculates workers' compensation benefits for injured workers. It requires including overtime and premium pay (like shift differentials) in the weekly earnings calculation - currently excluded under law - and adds an annual cost-of-living adjustment tied to Social Security’s disability benefit increase. The change directly affects hourly, shift, and overtime workers, as their benefits will now reflect higher average earnings. The annual adjustment applies specifically to permanent total disability and death benefits, not all compensation. This policy update modifies existing calculation methods without altering benefit eligibility.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases workers' compensation benefits by including overtime/premium pay and adding COLA, directly strengthening employee financial security after injury.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Unemployment Workers' Compensation

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 14, 2025

HF 18: A bill for an act establishing a diminished salary offset for unemployment benefits.

This bill (HF 18) changes Iowa's unemployment benefits system for workers who accept part-time or lower-paying jobs before their benefits run out. If someone takes a job paying less weekly than their unemployment benefit amount, they can receive the difference between their job pay and their benefit amount. Benefits continue until the total earnings from the job plus the received benefits equal the maximum yearly benefit amount. This directly affects unemployed Iowans who accept lower-wage employment during their benefit year.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands unemployment benefits by allowing workers to receive the difference between part-time pay and benefits, maintaining income support during job transitions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Minimum Wage Unemployment

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 30, 2025

SF 157: A bill for an act relating to the maximum amount of unemployment benefits payable during a benefit year.

SF 157 changes Iowa's unemployment benefit calculation by increasing the maximum benefit amount from 16 to 26 times an individual's weekly benefit amount during a benefit year. This directly affects unemployed Iowans who qualify for benefits, as it allows them to receive more total benefits before reaching the cap. The bill also includes a special provision: workers laid off due to an employer closing their facility get the 26x maximum benefit, even if it exceeds their wage credits. Current law limits benefits to 16x the weekly amount, but this bill expands that limit. The change applies to all eligible individuals, with the exception for business closures triggering the higher cap.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases maximum unemployment benefits from 16x to 26x weekly amount, expanding financial support for unemployed workers during benefit year.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HSB 114: A bill for an act relating to unemployment insurance taxes on employers.

This Iowa bill (HSB 114) modifies unemployment insurance tax calculations for employers. It reduces the percentage used to calculate taxable wages from 66.66% to 33.33% of the statewide average weekly wage, simplifies reciprocal wage rules with other states, and adjusts contribution rate tiers based on employer benefit ratios. Employers will pay lower taxes under the revised rate tables, with savings required to be used for employee salaries, benefits, or seasonal unemployment alternatives. The changes directly affect all Iowa employers contributing to the state's unemployment fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReduces employer unemployment tax rates, providing direct tax relief and mandating savings use for employee benefits, aligning with tax relief indicators.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill reduces employer taxes but mandates savings be used for employee salaries/benefits, directly advancing worker compensation through required spending.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 10, 2025

HF 282: A bill for an act relating to eligibility for unemployment benefits for participants in strikes or other labor disputes.

This bill changes Iowa's unemployment benefits rules to protect workers who participate in strikes. It ensures that employees taking part in a strike or labor dispute at their workplace are not denied benefits if they otherwise qualify. Specifically, it removes the requirement for these workers to actively search for jobs or meet other standard eligibility conditions during the strike. Currently, such workers often face disqualification, but this bill explicitly exempts them from those restrictions under Iowa law.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExempts strike participants from job search requirements, protecting access to unemployment benefits during labor disputes per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Unemployment

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 12, 2025

HF 348: A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.

HF 348 prohibits Iowa employers from willfully misclassifying workers as independent contractors when they should be classified as employees under current federal IRS guidelines. This directly affects employers who misclassify workers, denying them benefits like unemployment insurance or workers' compensation. The bill imposes escalating civil penalties ($5,000-$10,000 per misclassified worker) for violations, with the Department of Workforce Development enforcing the law through written notices and potential court action. Employers must prove they did not misclassify workers to contest penalties, and repeated violations constitute a class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison and fines. The law applies to misclassifications occurring on or after its effective date.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits misclassification denying workers benefits, imposes penalties to protect rights and entitlements under federal guidelines.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Unemployment Workforce Development

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 18, 2025

HF 455: A bill for an act relating to the maximum amount of unemployment benefits payable during a benefit year.

HF 455 changes Iowa's unemployment benefit rules by increasing the maximum total benefit amount an individual can receive in one benefit year. Currently, benefits are capped at 16 times the weekly benefit amount; this bill raises that cap to 26 times the weekly amount. The bill directly affects Iowa workers who qualify for unemployment benefits, ensuring they can receive up to 26 weeks' worth of benefits based on their prior earnings. The key change simplifies the calculation by removing the previous lower limit tied to wage credits, though benefits remain tied to the individual's base period earnings. This adjustment applies to all eligible claimants, including those laid off due to employer closures.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases maximum unemployment benefit cap from 16 to 26 weeks, expanding worker benefits during unemployment (directly strengthens employment standards as per topic description).95% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 24, 2025

SF 372: A bill for an act concerning eligibility for unemployment benefits.

SF 372 amends Iowa's unemployment benefits law to expand eligibility for workers on temporary layoffs. It changes the definition of "short-term seasonal or temporary layoff" to include non-weather conditions beyond highway construction work, removing the requirement for a specific return-to-work date verified by employers. The bill also adds a new provision preventing benefit denial if workers refuse job offers due to unforeseen circumstances (like cybersecurity attacks) causing a temporary business shutdown, provided they expect to return to the same employer. This directly affects unemployed Iowans who were laid off due to seasonal work disruptions or sudden business closures but have a clear path back to their previous jobs.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands unemployment eligibility by broadening layoff definitions and preventing benefit denial for unforeseen circumstances, strengthening worker protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SSB 1189: A bill for an act relating to unemployment insurance taxes on employers.

This bill changes how Iowa employers pay unemployment insurance taxes. It simplifies the contribution rate system by reducing the number of rate tiers from eight to four, based on an employer's historical claims history ("benefit ratio rank"). The bill also modifies how the "current reserve fund ratio" is calculated, removing a $150 million addition to fund reserves and changing the calculation period. Employers who save money due to these changes must use those savings for employee salaries, benefits, or seasonal unemployment alternatives. The bill directly affects all Iowa employers contributing to the state's unemployment fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill simplifies unemployment tax structure (reducing tiers) and modifies fund calculations, promoting fiscal efficiency per Budget & Taxes topic indicators.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates employers use unemployment tax savings for employee salaries, directly advancing wage-related labor interests.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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