Committee spotlight: Employment and Workforce

June 22, 2017

Leading up to our ABI policy committee meetings in late summer, we will highlight each of ABI’s five policy committees, so you know more about the mission and purview of each committee. These committees steer the direction of ABI’s policy agenda each legislative session. To sign up for policy committees, email Dorothy Knowles, dknowles@iowaabi.org.

Employment and Workforce Committee Mission Statement: To advocate for legislation and policies that support mutually beneficial employment relationships free from government intrusions in the free market. To advocate for workforce initiatives, a market-driven employee benefit system and a fiscally sound unemployment compensation system, providing benefits to those who become unemployed through no fault of their own.

Current Chair: Dennis Ingle, Manpower 

Issues handled by this committee:

  •  Workforce recruitment, retention and development
  • Human resource issues
  • Right to Work
  • Wages
  • Scope of the Iowa Civil Rights Act
  • Unemployment Compensation
  • Public Sector employment
  • Health Care and Health Insurance, including Insurance mandates

Recent Successes:

  • ABI worked to help pass a wage and employment benefits preemption bill that ensures there will no longer be a patchwork of local government ordinances dictating local wages and will also prevent local governments from passing ordinances on local businesses dealing with employment benefits or hiring practices.
  • ABI supported legislation to increase the amount necessary for an individual to requalify for a second benefit year of unemployment compensation saving the trust fund more than $2 million annually.
  • ABI has successfully opposed many health care insurance mandates.
  • ABI helps promote and cultivate a strong, skilled workforce in Iowa with our Elevate Advanced Manufacturing initiative and participation in Future Ready Iowa. 

Next Meeting: The committee will work to revamp its policies and direction for 2018, hear from Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend and get an update on the latest in the rapidly changing healthcare system from Wellmark’s Scott Sundstrom. The meeting is set for August 22 at ABI. Click here to sign up.