Iowa Workforce Development employment bills introduced

February 23, 2017

Legislation brought forward by Iowa Workforce Development was introduced Wednesday in the Iowa House. A subcommittee was held on HSB 144 on Thursday. This bill increases the amount needed to re-qualify for a second benefit year of unemployment benefits from a flat $250 to 10 times the individual’s weekly benefit amount. ABI supports this legislation and it is considered part of the competitive business climate legislative priority.

Another bill, HSB 143, is Iowa Workforce Development’s attempt to fix the Irving Supreme Court case. In that case, the Iowa Supreme Court determined a claimant who was disqualified for misconduct from supplemental/concurrent employment may still draw wage credits from other base period employers. The case overturned more than 40 years of application for Iowa’s unemployment insurance fact finders. You can read more information about the case here.

The last bill is HSB 145, which conforms state law with federal law relating to OSHA penalties. Current Iowa Code sets a dollar amount in code for a minimum and maximum. This proposal allows the commissioner to set the minimum and maximum penalty amounts via rule. Each violation is considered a willful violation. The bill would go into effect immediately.