so we aren't being on the camera correct?

Attendees will not be on camera, Tawnia Kakacek.

FYI- This change is helping significantly with applicants and hiring. Noticeable change, and appreciated.

what about construction workers who are seasonally laid off?

How can an employer report a person who applies but either never returns our call or turns down job offer. In the construction industry we get a lot of people who just apply to satisfy the unemployment job seeking requirement

@Jasmine I was thinking the same thing as I have run into this as well

We also get a lot of that our the construction company that I work at.

We too have that happen a lot

I am interested as well. We get employees who set up interviews and then no call/no show for the interview.

With the work search change and not being construction/union/etc. is there a way we can apply for exemption as our business is somewhat a seasonal? Also with that if not what is your suggestion on our layoffs that starts in Sept and ends begining of the year? we do not want to lose these employees.

so sorry - I was a tiny bit late hopping on. This is such great information, will the recording be shared after? THANK YOU!!

@Melissa & @Caroline I am not sure if you have ran into this but I have even had applicants specifically tell me at the end of the interview, "so how bad did I do. I am only doing this for unemployment, I don't really want the job" I was shocked!! And irritated because all it did was waste my time and resources

Courtney Adam, the recording will be shared within a few days.

Reduced hours for employees. Is there a limit of hours that they can apply for unemployment - say can they apply for unemployment weekly for 1 or 2 hours or what is the lowest reduction in hours that they can apply for?

I wish employers would get a notification when we are used on an application to confirm they actually applied and or the outcome

No audio from my end.

I can't hear anything

I can't hear Amanda

Can hear her?

I can't hear her

I can't hear

We have employees that go on a temporary lay-off every summer while school is not in session. They are returning to work for a training a couple of days during the summer. I assume the claimants are supposed to report this when they file their weekly claim. My questions is...does the employer report this in some way? If so, how is that reported?

Amanda did your headphone come unplugged?

is there a PDF that can be sent out with the legislative changes?

https://www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov/de/unemployment-changes-2022 Melissa

Yes, when I begin to inquire with an applicant the day they apply, they state similarly, "I just need to apply as part of my unemployment activities." Argh!

I have had a few people how take the job and maybe they come and maybe they don't or they just don't show up after they do the paper work

How do you report potential workers that are going through the motions for satisfying work search requirements but don't show up for interview or return calls and we don't have their social security number?

You can report separations, job offer declines, and refused interview on the IWD website in the orange tab

Here is the Link:https://www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov/job-offer-decline-form-employers

Is there still a job search exemption for construction workers?

Love the concept of confirming applicants with the Unemployment Division.

Is there still an employer misclassification unit that we can contact when we find fraud and misclassification? Is there a website link or contact info that can be shared

Is there a way to enter the employee's information on that link without having to have their social security number?

The link requires both the applicants Date of birth and SSN - how can we report those that refuse work or an interview when we don't have this information?

In order to report a refusal, one must have the person's birthdate and last four of the social. This is not something that is not typically collected prior to onboarding.

Many times the IWD representative does not have the documents the employer submitted prior to the fact-finding interview even though they were emailed in. How do Employers avoid this issue? The documents are emailed to the address on the fact finding document. thank you

Following Julie Montgomery question ...I 2nd this

There have been multiple fact findings and hearings that are delayed well past the scheduled time. How long is an employer expected to be available for the call?

Second Becky Jackson's comment - I've had fact finding calls that have never come. I waited hours, and ended up sending an email

Can SIDES be more user friendly? You cant log in if there is no active claims. And it doesn't show appeals or upcoming fact findings. We often get those mailed notices after the fact finding has taken place.

Following Becky Jackson's question

So, the alternative for construction companies with seasonal layoffs is to…not layoff? Thanks, super helpful.

Following the same question as Becky Jackson. I 2nd the question

Following all of these questions.

2nd what Courtney Ferree says. Is there a plan to have fact finding interviews be notified electronically vs paper mail?

@Courtney, I tried signing up for SIDES and didn't get much feedback and couldn't sign up. I can try this again.

my construction workers that have been with the company over 20 years and know they only get laid off seasonally are NOT going to go out and do work searches. I am assuming those will continue to be exempt from those activities??

Same here ^

What are the changes to benefits related to job refusal formula?

Jennifer, I had to email customer service to get ours going. Then we had to wait for our next claim in order to sign in.

Do most employers ask for SS# on application?

Is anyone else experiencing really poor connectivity?

For other employers, with the market the way it is, are you guys asking for SSN numbers?

An employee doesn't have to take an interview.

Ok thank you Courtney

We do not ask for that until a job offer has been presented

Suggestions for verbiage to request SSN from applicants?? From a candidate side I imagine they would be very hesitant to share that on an initial contact/ application

isn't it illegal to ask for SSN before hiring?

on platforms like Indeed, there is no way to get their SSN, it's a very generic form and we have been told that the majority of applicants use these type of platforms

Can you even legally ask for SSN during an interview? Doesn't seem legal at that point in the process.

good question Holly

We only get their SSN when they come in for their interview - they fill out a background check consent that we only do once we give an offer, we just already have the information in the case we do give an offer. So it is unfortunate that the ones that don't show up to interviews we don't have an SSN for and cant submit them on the IWD site

Because we have A LOT of NCNS

@Holly, it's my understanding it's legal to ask but applicants are not required to provide it.

How long are we "on the hook" for a former employee's unemployment? For instance if they take another job and then get let go, how long can our company be responsible for the charges?

We ask for SSN in the online application process. No way to apply without it

I think it is legal but the candidate is not obligated to provide it. We too have a lot of NCNS, never answer their phone etc.

FYI for everyone- it is currently legal to ask for a SSN on an application

I would not think it would be permissible to ask for a SS# or Birthdate prior to offering a job. I would think there is a liability in an employer collecting this information at an interview. I was instructed to enter 000-00-000 and the report does go through.

Why would a production or manufacturing based company want to hire workers temporarily? Then they would have to fill those positions all over again when these people go back to work for their original employers.

I wonder if potential employees know that their information is being used for reporting purposes versus just interviewing. If someone is collecting unemployment, I can certainly see the legal requirement. Otherwise, it seems mighty slippery slope to be collecting identifiable information that can be misused for a non-claimant.

Kerri - I work for a manufacturer and we have temporary employees to fill the gap so we don't ever have to lay off full time employees

would USDA funding qualify as public contract?

contract must have been publicly bid

so with it being 4 wks or longer what constitutes as work long enough to re apply for UE? Example they are off for 4 wks on the 5th week we have them come in for 2 days would that restart the 4 weeks?

Same ^

Can employees apply for unemployment if they are receiving severance?

Can one get unemployment after severance pay has expired?

How are you verifying and following up on their applying and interviewing?

Can you send that out?

Is there a difference in eligibility for unemployment if someone quits vs is terminated?

address to sign up for the portal please?

I have experienced several situations in which my responses to notice of claims have not been received. 2 occurred in June. Will SIDES prevent this as well?

same as Stacey and Courtney

is IDW vilifying workers that are out of work? This webinar is about reporting claimants who are seeking work.

The website doesn't allow for separate contact information for various IDW situations. HR handles the Fact Finding/Unemployment issues. CFO handles the tax and finance areas. I don't always get notification and/or the phone calls bc it is the CFO phone number.

We've had Fact Findings that never happen. They're scheduled, but never get a call. How do we know if these are cancelled or not?

when will the portal for reporting re-employment activities be back up? as well as the jobs website? It's been a couple weeks now

What email address do we send if the Fact Finding is delayed?

uiclaimshelp@iwd.iowa.gov

^^ Absolutely Barb Breza. Our FInance Dept handles payments/taxes and the FF and Hearing notices are going to the Payroll manager rather than HR. It has caused us to lose cases before

If I’m a seasonal construction worker laided off can my benefits be reduced.and if so what is that time frame and how much is it reduced

thank you :)

Thank you!

Thank you! Appreciate the info!

Thank you all!! We are all rowing the same boat in the same direction! You are appreciated!

thank you all, very informative

Thank you.