By: Attorney Ann Smisek On February 17, 2017 amendments to Chapter 20 went into effect. Any contracts that were not ratified and approved prior to that date must be re-negotiated under the newly revised Chapter 20, beginning with the presentation of initial proposals. Also, any contract negotiations that commence after...
~ Ranked #1 in Iowa (Competitive Issues) in 9 of Last 10 Years ~ As reported in the February 15, 2017 issue of the Bond Buyer’s Midwest Yearend Review, Ahlers & Cooney, P.C. ranked No. 1 in Iowa for Bond Counsel: Competitive Issues for 2016, with $1,599,700,000 in total issuance....
UPCOMING SEMINAR Chapter 20 Client Workshop Collective Bargaining Law for Public Employers Wednesday, February 15, 2017 10:00 am - 3:00 pm (Registration 9:30 am) Hilton Garden Inn 205 S. 64th Street West Des Moines, IA 50266 (across from Jordan Creek Mall) General topics we plan to address: * Changes Occurring...
If 2016 was the year of the Cubs and Pokémon Go, and 2015 was the year of the Apple Watch, then 2014 was the year of MCDC, at least in the eyes of issuers and underwriters of municipal bonds. The Municipalities Continuing Disclosure Cooperation Initiative (the “MCDC Initiative”) was a...
Employers and employees nationwide received a surprise on Tuesday afternoon as many prepare to take a few days off for the Thanksgiving holiday: Judge Amos Mazzant of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas ordered the Department of Labor ("DOL") not to enforce the new overtime...
1099-c FORM MUST BE PROVIDED TO EMPLOYEES BY MARCH 2, 2017 Benefits professionals have one more thing to be thankful for this year -- a 30-day extension to furnishing employees forms associated with Affordable Care Act reporting. Specifically, the deadline for providing 2016 Form 1095-C (Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and...
For years, with the legislature divided between Republicans in the House and Democrats in the Senate, there have been no substantive changes to the Iowa Public Employment Relations Act, Iowa Code Chapter 20. Therefore, labor relations in the public sector in Iowa have been fairly stable. Now that the two...
Polk County has become the 4th county in Iowa to pass a minimum wage ordinance. Currently, the minimum wage rate in Iowa matches the federal minimum wage at $7.25 per hour. The Polk County Ordinance will begin increasing the minimum wage for employees as of April 1, 2017, with the...
Understanding retaliation and implementing practices and procedures to address these claims is an important issue for employers. Allegations of retaliation are now the most frequently alleged civil rights claims, comprising nearly forty-five percent of all charges received by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). On August 29, 2016, the EEOC...
Emily Kolbe has joined Ahlers & Cooney, P.C. as an Associate Attorney. She is a member of the firm’s Litigation, Higher Education, and Employment practice areas, representing clients in education, government and private business. She assists employers in defending various claims of retaliation, discrimination and harassment, as well as defending...
