Section 871.24.58. Voluntary shared work.

The voluntary shared work program provides that employers facing a temporary shortfall may reduce the work hours of employees in an affected unit and those employees will receive a portion of their regular unemployment insurance benefits. The program is designed to reduce unemployment and stabilize the workforce by allowing certain employees to collect unemployment insurance benefits if the employees share the work remaining after a reduction in the total number of hours of work and a corresponding reduction in wages. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the voluntary shared work coordinator. The employer may apply to participate in the program by completing a shared work plan application which must be approved by the department. The employer shall submit the plan to the department 30 days prior to the proposed implementation date. The employer will administer the program in cooperation with the department. Participating employees will complete the employee information form and claim for benefits and return them to the employer who will submit them to the department. Administrative penalties in force during the duration of the plan will make an employee ineligible for the program. Child support obligations will be deducted and unemployment insurance overpayments will be offset as they are for regular unemployment insurance benefits.

         24.58(1) A shared work plan will last no longer than 52 weeks from the date on which the plan is first effective. The minimum length of a plan is four weeks.

         24.58(2) Employment is considered seasonal if the production or service provided by the employment is curtailed by at least 45 percent or ceases for a four-month or longer period on an annual basis due to climatic conditions.

         24.58(3) A plan which has been approved may be modified at the discretion of the department. An employer seeking modification of an approved plan must demonstrate good cause as to why the modification is necessary and must demonstrate that the factors necessitating the modification were not foreseeable at the time the plan was submitted.

         24.58(4) Approval of a plan may be denied or revoked at the discretion of the department if the plan and its actual operation do not meet all the requirements stated in Iowa Code section 96.40 including, but not limited to, the providing of false or misleading information to the department, unequal treatment of any employee in the affected unit, a reduction in fringe benefits resulting from participation in the program, or failure by the employer to monitor and administer the program.

         24.58(5) The employer may file in writing an appeal of a denial of approval of a plan or revocation of approval by the department within 30 days from the date the decision is issued. The employer’s appeal will be forwarded to the appeals section so that a hearing may be scheduled before an administrative law judge.

         24.58(6) If the employer provides as part of the plan a training program that will provide a substantive increase in the workplace and employability skills of the employee so as to reduce the potential for future periods of unemployment, the department shall consider the employee to be attending department-approved training and shall relieve the employer of charges for benefits paid to the individual attending training under the plan.

This rule is intended to implement 2009 Iowa Code Supplement section 96.40 as amended by 2010 Iowa Acts, Senate File 2279.

[ARC 8711B, IAB 5/5/10, effective 6/9/10]