Iowan's Jobless and Injury Benefits Increase

For Immediate Release: June 5, 2014
Contact: Kerry Koonce
Telephone: (515) 281-9646

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Iowan's Jobless and Injury Benefits Increase

DES MOINES – Maximum weekly benefits paid to jobless Iowans and to workers injured on the job will increase July 6, 2014 announced Iowa Workforce Development.

The rise in benefits was triggered by an increase in wages covered by unemployment insurance. The average annual wage for insured Iowa workers increased to $40,883.90 in 2012, up from $40,106.68 the previous year.

The new benefit payment schedules will apply to people who file new unemployment insurance claims after July 6, 2014 and to workers who are injured on or after July 6, 2014.

Under Iowa law, the number of people covered by unemployment insurance and their gross wages are primary elements of a formula Iowa Workforce Development uses each year to compute maximum and minimum benefit amounts paid to jobless workers. The new rates are:

 

Number of  Dependents	Maximum Percentage of Statewide Average Weekly Wage	Maximum Weekly Benefit Amount Effective 7-6-2014	Minimum Weekly  Benefit Amount  Effective 7-6-2014	Current Maximum Weekly Benefit  Effective 7-1-2013
0	53	$ 416.00	$ 62.00	$ 408.00
1	55	$ 432.00	$ 65.00	$ 424.00
2	57	$ 448.00	$ 68.00	$ 439.00
3	60	$ 471.00	$ 71.00	$ 462.00
4 or more	65	$ 511.00	$ 75.00	$ 401.00

 

Iowa Workforce Development officials noted that about half of those eligible for unemployment insurance benefits have enough earnings to qualify for the maximum benefit. The taxable 2015 taxable wage base will be $27,300.

Beginning July 1st, the workers’ compensation maximum weekly benefit for temporary total disability, healing period, permanent total disability and death will rise to $1,572. For permanent partial disability, the weekly maximum will be $1,447.

 

 

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