Important Notice: The recent outage impacting IowaWORKS.gov has been resolved and the website is now operational. Individuals filing weekly claims will again be required to report reemployment activities on IowaWORKS.gov beginning Sunday, July 24.
Please ensure your "Job Contact and Reemployment Activity Log" is up to date before filing your weekly claim as you may not be able to certify your reemployment activities prior to July 24. If you filed an initial claim from Sunday, June 26th through Friday, July 15th, please log into the IowaWORKS.gov website and ensure that you have an active resume viewable to employers. Thank you for your patience.
"Cedar Rapids - Iowa Workforce Development Meets With Community Leaders, Discusses Enhancement in Unemployment"
Iowa Workforce Development Meets With Community Leaders, Discusses Enhancement in Unemployment
CEDAR RAPIDS – Iowa Workforce Development Deputy Director Joe Walsh met with community leaders today to discuss recent changes in Iowa’s unemployment insurance program related to the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act and the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
“With the passage of Iowa’s Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act, Iowa is well positioned to reshape the future of our state, to retrain workers to meet the demands of the new economy and to ensure that unemployed Iowans receive needed assistance as soon as possible,” indicated Deputy Director Walsh. “During a recent event, President Obama indicated that unemployment insurance should not simply be a’ safety net, but a stepping stone to a new future’, and Iowa is well on the way to making this goal a reality.”
During today’s meeting, the Deputy Director discussed Iowa’s leading edge in allowing unemployed Iowans to retain benefits while seeking training; how alternate base period will ensure that Iowans in need receive their eligible unemployment benefits faster; and what the unemployment provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has added to the local economies across the state. This includes over $24.1 million for Linn County since the beginning of 2009. Funds that are used to buy groceries maintain utilities and pay mortgages in the community.
Unemployment insurance benefits provide an economic safety net to unemployed Iowans and their community. Over $272 million dollars in benefits were paid out to Iowans during the first quarter of 2009.
Iowa Workforce Development provides comprehensive workforce services to Iowans and businesses across the state.