News & Information

CCH® UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE — 09/01/17

Iowa amends its UI rules on various topics

Contribution payments. An employing unit or person acting on behalf of one or more employing units must transmit contribution payments to the department electronically, effective September 6, 2017. In addition, once an employing unit transmits contribution payments electronically, it must submit all subsequent contribution payments in that manner.

Previously covered employers. If a contributory employer's account has been properly terminated and the employer is again determined liable or a reimbursable employer again elects to be contributory, that employer will receive a new account number and be treated the same as a newly covered employer.

Claims filing. In order to establish a benefit year, an individual must file an initial claim for benefits electronically, in person at a local department office, or by other means prescribed by the department. Such a claim will be considered filed as of Sunday of the week in which it is filed.

Continued claims. A weekly continued claim must be transmitted no earlier than 8 a.m. on the Sunday following the Saturday of the weekly reporting period.

Initial interstate claims. When the department is acting as an agent for another state unemployment insurance agency with respect to the filing of an initial claim for benefits, the department must require an interstate claimant to complete and file an Initial Interstate Claim, Form 61-1000(IB-1), unless otherwise directed by the interstate handbook.

Subsequent benefit year. If a claimant has the qualifying wages for the establishment of a second benefit year that were earned prior to the filing of the previous claim, the claimant must, during or subsequent to that year, have worked in and have been paid wages for insured work totaling at least eight times the claimant's weekly benefit amount from his or her previous benefit year as of the benefit year end date. Disqualification for lack of eight times the claimant's weekly benefit amount from his or her previous benefit year will be removed upon the verification that the claimant worked in and has been paid wages for insured work totaling eight times the claimant's weekly benefit amount from the claimant's previous benefit year during or subsequent to the previous benefit year.

Attendance at training course. A claimant may receive unemployment benefits while attending an approved training course and need not be available for work or actively seeking work except if the hours of the training course are outside the regular hours worked in base period employment.