Iowa Unemployment Insurance

If an employee becomes unemployed, they may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. If they are still employed but working fewer hours than a regular full-time work week and are earning less than a regular full-time wage, they may be entitled to partial benefits.

Unemployment insurance benefits are made possible by taxes paid by this employer. No deductions are made from a worker’s paycheck for unemployment insurance.

In order to qualify for unemployment insurance, a worker must:

• Be totally or partially unemployment;
• Have worked and earned a minimum amount of wages in work covered by unemployment insurance in the last 15 to 18 months (Iowa Workforce Development will determine this);
• Have lost their job through no fault of their own;
• Be able and available for work;
• Be registered for work at a local Workforce Development Center; and
• Be actively seeking work.

A worker may be denied benefits because they:

• Quit a job without good cause attributable to an employer.
• Were discharged or suspended for misconduct in connection with a job.
• Refused suitable work with an employer or recall to suitable work by a former employer
• Are not able to work, not available to work or not actively seeking work as required.
• Are unemployed due to a strike or labor dispute.
• Have set unrealistic limitations on the wages, hours or days, types of work or locations of a job they will accept.
• Fail to report to the Workforce Development Center or satisfactorily participate in reemployment services when told to do so.
• Are a school employee with either a contract or reasonable assurance of returning to work when school resumes the next academic year or term.
• Fail to return the Work Search History form when requested.

As soon as a worker becomes unemployed, they may file a new unemployment insurance claim either online or in person.

Delay in filing an unemployment insurance claim can result in the loss of all or part of the benefits a worker may be entitled to receive.

Employers must post a notice of the Iowa unemployment insurance benefit poster in their workplace.