Initial Unemployment Claims Down, Substantial Increase in Payout
Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) announced today there were just under 28,000 unemployment claims filed by individuals for the week of April 12-18. That number is down from the previous record high of 67,334 from two weeks ago, but is still one of the highest amounts of weekly claims in state history. Although initial claims were down, the amount paid increased by almost $10 million, with just over $48 million in claims paid out of the unemployment trust fund for the week. Sectors that saw the most claims filed included manufacturing (5,143), health care and social assistance (3,985), and those who are not identified by industry including the self-employed, independent contractors, etc. (3,817). ABI continues to monitor the trust fund balance and work to resolution with IWD on their proposed trigger policy. Read the
news release
.
Federal Spotlight: Congress and White House Reach Agreement on More COVID-19 Funding
President Trump and leaders from both parties in Congress came to an agreement on Tuesday morning to provide more funding for coronavirus relief measures. “CARES Act 2.0,” as some are calling the legislation, includes $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, which was rapidly drained of the initial $350 billion appropriation. The bill appropriates $60 billion for the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. It also awards hospitals $75 billion and puts $25 billion toward testing for states and the federal government. The House is expected to pass the legislation today, and President Trump has said he will sign the bill immediately. As conversations begin around a larger “Phase IV” bill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has explicitly stated the Senate will not pass another COVID-19 bill without members being present in D.C. The Senate is currently scheduled to return to work on May 4.
Legislative Teleconference Call Tomorrow
The public policy team will host a legislative update call tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. Though the legislative session has been suspended since March 17 and will continue to be through April 30, JD and Brad will update members on the latest happenings at the federal level relative to COVID-19, as well as what Gov. Reynolds and her team are doing to combat the virus. We’ll also be taking any questions members may have on any subject. If you would like to call in, please RSVP with
Michelle Vollstedt
.
|
|
Sen. Grassley Addresses ABI Members
On Tuesday, Sen. Charles Grassley took time out of his busy schedule to take questions from ABI members via teleconference. Grassley is currently the Senate Finance Chairman and also President Pro Tempore. Members asked questions ranging from how states will begin to reopen their states to regulations within the paycheck protection program. As finance chairman, Sen. Grassley has played a key role throughout the legislative process related to COVID-19 legislation, which we appreciate. Thank you, Sen. Grassley, for visiting with ABI members this week.
|
|
Submit Topics for Air Quality Client Contact Meeting
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Air Quality Bureau will host a Client Contact meeting next month. The bureau encourages stakeholders to submit agenda items. The meeting, which will be held via teleconference, will be Thursday, May 21.The call-in number will be provided when the final agenda is announced, approximately two weeks prior to the meeting. Submitted agenda items should include the name of the item, who plans to introduce or lead the discussion, and an estimate of how much time should be set aside on the agenda for the item. Those items are due by Friday, May 1. Questions and items may be submitted to
Christine Paulson
.
ATRA Holds Webinar on COVID-19 Related Liability Concerns for Businesses
The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), a valuable partner and an organization of which ABI is a member, recently held a webinar that discussed the coming litigation surge businesses are likely to face because of the coronavirus. ATRA staff walked through a number of different scenarios and situations where businesses could face litigation. They discussed proactive legislative solutions that can be enacted, looked at the states that have implemented such measures and elaborated on how they can be a resource for allies in this new fight. If you have any questions about the webinar, or suggestions on liability protections for Iowa businesses, please contact
Brad Hartkopf
.
Early Voting Begins Today in Iowa
Voters will be able to cast their ballots for the June 2 primary today as early voting kicks off. Secretary of State Paul Pate announced a few weeks ago that his office would be mailing absentee ballot requests to every active registered voter in the state to encourage people to vote by mail–hence mitigating the spread of the coronavirus at the polls. Absentee ballots are expected to be mailed out next week. The primary will decide nominees for county, state and federal races to be held this fall.
Dispersion Modeling Guidance Feedback Due to ABI Tomorrow
If you have comments you would like to submit to ABI on the Air Quality Bureau’s proposal for Dispersion Modeling Guidance, please send them to
Brad Hartkopf
by close of business tomorrow, Friday, April 24. ABI wrote about the Air Quality Bureau’s proposal in
last week's newsletter
. ABI will submit any comments you may have from an organizational perspective on the issue.
NIOSH Seeks Input on Workplace Supported Recovery for Substance Use Disorders
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) seeks input on the development of resources and ongoing research on the topic of Workplace Supported Recovery with the goal of helping workers and employers facing the drug crisis in their communities. In a Workplace Supported Recovery program (WSRP), employers use evidence-based approaches to reduce risk factors for substance use among workers and help those who have a substance user disorder seek the care they need and assist in recovery. To better understand perspectives on and experiences with Workplace Supported Recovery, NIOSH is extending an opportunity to provide input through a Request for Information in the Federal Register to July 27, 2020. NIOSH has posed a series of questions on WSRPs and is interested in responses from a variety of stakeholders. Click
here
to provide feedback.
|
|
Assistance: ABI Members Helping All
Here are even more ABI member companies that are helping their communities, Iowa and the nation. Know of others? Hit reply and let us know.
AT&T
Hy-Capacity
Pella
Principal Financial Group
Signarama Ankeny
|
|
Webinars: Members Helping Members
Fellow ABI members are some of the best sources of information for your business during the pandemic.
Preparing for Recovery with Return to Work Considerations
Town Hall
Friday, April 24 | 1 p.m. | LMC Insurance & Risk Management/AssuredPartners |
Register
Selling in a Bear Market
Friday, April 24 | 3:30-4:30 p.m. | Sandler Training in Iowa/Nebraska |
Register
How to Save Your Business in the Midst of an Unfolding Crisis
Tuesday, April 28 | 12-1 p.m. | Fredrikson & Byron |
Register
Social Distancing Best Practices
Wednesday, April 29 | 12-1 p.m. | hrsimple.com |
Register
International Physicians: A Guide to Expanding Healthcare Access Webinar
Tuesday, May 12 | 12-1 p.m. | Fredrikson & Byron |
Register
|
|
Requests: Can You Help?
- PPE Supplies – The Iowa Health Care Association has created a webpage for its members to find vendors who may have PPE supplies. If your organization is interested in being listed as a resource, email Lori Ristau, vice president of communications at the IHCA.
- Survey Participation: COVID-19 Impact on Compensation and Benefits – Our Buy ABI partner, Salary.com, is conducting a 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic Compensation and Benefits Impact Survey, which will collect and report valuable data regarding the pandemic’s impact on the compensation and benefits policies of organizations of all sizes and across industries. In exchange for your participation, you will receive a free copy of the final report, which will provide insight into how businesses like yours are adjusting to the new pay reality. Please complete the survey or forward the link (https://bit.ly/2wZ4yBn) to your compensation, total rewards or HR professional within your organization before the Friday, April 24th deadline.
|
|
One Week Left to Nominate for Leadership Iowa, Our State's Premier Issues Awareness Program
|
|
Leadership Iowa provides eye-opening opportunities for 40 Iowa leaders, offering participants a seat at the table with our state’s top subject-matter experts. Over the course of eight sessions held in communities throughout the state, class members rediscover what makes Iowa such a special place to live and work. You're encouraged to nominate current and emerging leaders representing any industry and Iowa community by May 1 to be considered for the 2020-21 class, which begins in October. Individuals must first be nominated to apply for the program. Self-nominations are also encouraged.
Nominate now
.
|
|
Canceled: Innovation Simulation for H.S. Students, Business Horizons, July 19-23
|
|
With around 75 high school students and 100 volunteers from across the state who come together for this action-packed week, it is in the best interest for the health and safety of all and their respective communities to cancel. Unfortunately, what makes Business Horizons the ‘best week of the summer’ cannot be recreated online, so the ABI Foundation now looks ahead to the summer of 2021. The staff, board and additional partners responsible for the program will also be using the extended planning timeline to expand upon Business Horizons’ nearly 40 years of success.
Read more
.
|
|
Reminder: Cancel Your DoubleTree Reservations for #ABICON20
|
|
Reminder to 2020 Taking Care of Business Conference attendees: If you made lodging reservations at the DoubleTree in Cedar Rapids, be sure to contact the hotel at 319-731-4403 to cancel them. As reported in the April 9 newsletter, the
2020 conference was canceled
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
|
|
|
|
How Will the SECURE Act Affect Your Plan?
|
Zach Dalluge
Associate Advisor
Foster Group
On January 1st, 2020, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement (SECURE) Act went into effect. The bill passed Congress with wide bipartisan support, and, despite a long wait for the Senate to take it up in 2019, it was passed and signed into law by the president at the end of December.
The bill made several significant changes for retirement plans and investors. Here are some of the most notable changes:
- Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) now begin at age 72 for anyone that turns 70.5 after December 31, 2019. For anyone that turned 70.5 prior to January 1, 2020, the old rules still apply.
|
|
Ed McGill Named to Financial Times’ Top 400 Financial Advisors
Ed McGill of McGill Junge Wealth Management was recently named to the 2020 edition of the
Financial Times' 400 Top Financial Advisors
, an annual list of the top advisors in the U.S. The "FT 400" list highlights top financial advisors at national, independent, regional and bank broker-dealers across the U.S. Advisors are selected based on six criteria: assets under management (AUM), AUM growth rate, compliance record, experience, industry certifications and online accessibility.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
