Section 871.1.1. Mission and overall organization.

       1.1(1) Mission. The department of workforce development will commit its resources to Iowa’s prosperity by working to ensure the income security, productivity, safety and health of Iowans.

       1.1(2) Vision. The department of workforce development will strive to provide safe workplaces, provide a productive and economically secure workforce, provide all Iowans with access to workforce development services and become a model workplace.

       1.1(3) Overall organization. The chief executive officer of the department is the director of the department of workforce development who shall be appointed by the governor with the approval of two-thirds of the members of the senate and is responsible directly to the governor. The director shall serve as the secretary to the Iowa workforce development board.

       1.1(4) Operation and administration. For ease of operation and administration of responsibilities assigned to it, the director has organized the department into six divisions which are further divided into bureaus, sections and units. The director has general supervision over the administration and operation of the department. The director shall prepare, administer, and control the budget of the department and its divisions and shall approve employment of all personnel of the department and its divisions. The director can set aside any portion of funds appropriated to the department for allocation to Innovation Zones as long as the set-aside is consistent with state and federal laws.

       1.1(5) Division of customer and administrative services. The division is under the direction of a division administrator who reports to the director and is responsible for administrative support. A specific description of the division is contained in 871—Chapter 2.

       1.1(6) Division of workers’ compensation. The division is the office of the industrial commissioner with the functions to administer, inform, regulate, and enforce the workers’ compensation, occupational disease and occupational hearing loss laws as provided in Iowa Code chapters 85, 85A, 85B, 86 and 87. A specific description of the division is contained in 876—Chapter 1.

       1.1(7) Division of labor services. The division is the office of the labor commissioner with the function to administer, inform, regulate, and enforce the labor laws as provided in Iowa Code chapters 88, 88A, 88B, 89, 89A, 89B, 90A, 91, 91A, 91C, 91D, 91E, 92, 94, and 95, and Iowa Code sections 30.7 and 327F.37. The division consists of four bureaus: occupational health and safety enforcement, occupational safety and health consultation and education, inspections and reporting, and employee protection. A specific description of the division is contained in 875—Chapter 1.

       1.1(8) Division of research and information services. The division is under the direction of a division administrator who reports to the director. The divisions’ functions include planning, researching, analyzing, directing and coordinating labor market information and automated services for the department. A specific description of the division is contained in 871—Chapter 10.

       1.1(9) Division of unemployment insurance services. The division is under the direction of a division administrator who reports to the director. The division’s function is to administer, inform, regulate and enforce the unemployment insurance laws as provided in Iowa Code chapter 96. A specific description of the division is contained in 871—Chapter 21.

       1.1(10) Division of workforce development center administration. The division is under the direction of a division administrator who reports to the director. The budget and rules relating to workforce development must be approved by the Iowa workforce development board. The division’s function is to administer, inform, regulate and enforce workforce development issues and services such as employment, training and placement as provided in Iowa Code chapters 7B, 84A and 96. A specific description of board duties and division responsibilities is contained in 877—Chapters 2 and 3.

       1.1(11) Office of workforce development policy. The staff report to the director. The office develops and analyzes policy options, reviews the operations and performance of the workforce development system, coordinates staff support to the Iowa workforce development board and to Iowa’s human resource investment council, and prepares strategic plans for workforce development in Iowa. The office coordinates with other state departments, other divisions in the department and partners and stakeholders in other sectors concerning workforce development policy matters.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 84A.