[IASHRM] Issue Alert: Iowa UI Reform Legislation Presented to governor Culver for his Signature

[Larry Herzog]

From: Katie Roth [mailto:katie at porticohr.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 5:10 PM
To: 'John E Noll'; KOPACKP at nationwide.com
Cc: Larry Herzog
Subject: FW: ASA Issue Alert: Iowa UI Reform Legislation Presented to governor Culver for his Signature

Is there any way we can send out a blast e-mail to IASHRM?  This is really terrible legislation.

Larry, can we send this out statewide so all HR people can respond???

Here is Gov. Culver's contact info:

Governor Chet Culver
Office of The Governor and Lt. Governor
State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319
515.281.5211
or click here to send your message:
http://www.governor.iowa.gov/administration/contact/<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=e4i6rmcab.0.0.xifn8hcab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.governor.iowa.gov%2Fadministration%2Fcontact%2F&id=preview>


Thanks.


Katie Roth, SPHR
PorticoHR
2910 Westown Parkway, Ste. 106
West Des Moines, IA  50266

katie at porticohr.com<mailto:katie at porticohr.com>
www.porticohr.com<http://www.porticohr.com>

515-221-3233
515-221-3236 (fax)

(formerly @WORK Personnel)

________________________________
From: Toby Malara [mailto:tmalara at americanstaffing.net]
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 4:21 PM
To: American Staffing Association
Subject: ASA Issue Alert: Iowa UI Reform Legislation Presented to governor Culver for his Signature


ASA Issue Alert
Apr. 30, 2008
Contact: Toby Malara
Government Affairs Counsel
703-253-2027
tmalara at americanstaffing.net


Iowa UI Reform Legislation Presented to Governor Culver for his Signature

Contact Governor's Office Today and Urge Him to Veto SF 2160

Recently, the Iowa legislature passed legislation that could have severe repercussions on the staffing industry. SF 2160 allows the Iowa Department of Workforce Development to:

1) charge employer unemployment insurance (UI) accounts and not collect UI overpayments from claimants; and
2) potentially disbar employer UI representatives from doing business in Iowa, if either "fails to participate in the initial determination to award benefits."

Making the Governor aware of your concern is critical. Staffing firms with offices in Iowa are urged to immediately contact Governor Culver at 515-281-5211 or http://governor.iowa.gov/administration/contact/ and ask him to consider a veto to SF 2160 because:

*           Employer taxes fund the UI program, so businesses should be afforded fair opportunity to participate in matters that may significantly affect their tax costs.

*           Allowing the Department of Workforce Development to disbar employer UI representatives restricts the ability and rights of businesses to monitor UI exposure by removing an important "check and balance" over benefits improperly allowed and charged to an employer's UI account.

*           Bill language regarding participation is ill-defined and punitive to all employers because of alleged actions of a few "bad actors."

*           The UI agency should be collecting overpayments on behalf of the state trust fund, and should determine overpayments based on available information, not on the perceived degree of employer or employer representative participation.

*           There has been no offered proof that making employers liable for overpayments, instead of claimants, will reduce overpayments by 50%.  Removing a "check and balance" for detecting improperly paid benefits doesn't eliminate or reduce overpayments, it disguises them.

*           Shifting the UI overpayment recovery burden to employers minimizes a claimant's responsibility to be accurate in unemployment matters, and lessens the agency's accountability for making proper decisions.

Thank you for taking this grassroots action.


The American Staffing Association promotes legal, ethical, and professional practices for the $91 billion U.S. staffing industry. ASA members account for 85% of U.S. staffing industry sales and operate more than 15,000 offices throughout the nation. Three million Americans go to work for U.S. staffing companies every business day.

Founded to promote flexible employment opportunities and ensure the quality of staffing services, ASA has been the voice of the U.S. staffing industry since 1966. Members provide a wide range of employment services and solutions, including temporary and contract staffing, recruiting and permanent placement, outplacement and outsourcing, training, and human resource consulting. ASA and its affiliated chapters promote the interests of the industry through legal and legislative advocacy, public relations, education, and the establishment of high standards of ethical conduct.

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