Relating to claims for unemployment benefits, related waivers and reporting, and including effective date provisions

This bill requires the department of workforce development to dedicate one or more employees to addressing claims for benefits for which certain specified procedures relating to such claims have not been carried out by the department for or more calendar days. The bill requires the department to establish written guidance on procedures for an individual who received an overpayment of pandemic emergency unemployment compensation to seek a waiver of repayment of such overpayment from the department as provided in federal law. The bill specifies the content of such guidance. The bill requires the department to publish the guidance prominently on the department’s internet site and send the guidance by certified mail, return receipt requested, to each individual who received an overpayment of pandemic emergency unemployment compensation in Iowa for whom the department has not waived repayment. The bill prohibits the department from taking further action to seek such repayment from any individual until the department has sent the guidance to the individual and published the guidance on the department’s internet site as provided in this section. The bill requires the department to dedicate personnel to expediting the processing of requests for waiver of such repayment. The bill requires the department of workforce development to submit a monthly report to the governor and the general assembly including certain specified information on claims for unemployment benefits in the previous month. The report is to be submitted by the first of any month in which a proclamation of disaster emergency relating to COVID-19 remains in effect. The bill takes effect upon enactment.