Members of Iowa Legislature Consider
Limiting Employer Responses to Pandemic
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On July 21, 2021, twenty-two members of the Iowa Legislature sent an open letter to Trinity Health, a unit of MercyOne in Iowa. The letter was a reaction to a Trinity Health announcement that it was going to implement a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for employees. The letter has been posted online and citizen signers are being sought. The letter can be viewed HERE.
During the 2021 session, legislation (SF555) limiting the rights of employers to require vaccinations of employees was introduced but did not advance. ABI educated legislators that as an “At Will” employment state policies should not be adopted that interfere with employer decisions about how to maintain the workplaces they own. ABI has been very clear throughout this debate that we respect the right of those who choose not to be vaccinated, but ask that all recognize that such choices have consequences, including employment.
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Public Policy Committee Meetings
Begin in Less Than Two Weeks
Sen. Dickey Confirmed as Employment and Workforce Speaker
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We’re less than two weeks away from the start of ABI's 2022 public policy process. ABI's public policy committee meetings will begin Monday, August 9. We’re pleased to announce State Sen. Adrian Dickey (R-Packwood) will be the Employment and Workforce Committee meeting speaker. Sen. Dickey, a business owner, is a strong ally of the business community and has played a key role in supporting ABI’s efforts to reform Iowa’s unemployment insurance system. We have a number of other great speakers lined up as well, including
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Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon will speak to the Environment Committee
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Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Joe Cortese will speak at the Workplace and Product Safety Committee
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Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa Finance Authority Director Debi Durham will speak at the Economic Growth meeting
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Iowa Department of Revenue Director Kraig Paulsen will speak to the Tax Committee
REGISTER BELOW:
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Employee Voter Registration Week
Set to Begin in Two Months
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Employee Voter Registration Week will take place from September 27 through October 1 this year. The annual effort, spearheaded by ABI federal partner Business Industry Political Action Committee (BIPAC), is designed to increase the number of registered voters and encourage individuals to become involved in the political process. ABI is a partner and supporter of the initiative. Employers can use resources at Employees Vote to encourage their employees to take advantage of the right to vote.
- Sample messaging
- Graphics
- Logos, and
- Voter registration information
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In related news, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced this week that more than 500,000 Iowans have registered to vote since he took office in January 2015. Secretary Pate credits the creation of the online voter registration system, the Safe at Home address confidentiality program for survivors of violence, and the Carrie Chapman Catt Award initiative in Iowa high schools for helping boost voter registration in the state according to a media release from his office.
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State Sen. Liz Mathis Declares Run for Congress |
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Iowa State Sen. Liz Mathis, a Democrat from eastern Iowa, this week announced she is seeking the Democratic nomination in the 1st Congressional District race. Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican, holds this seat and is currently serving her first term after defeating former Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer. Hinson is likely to run for re-election in 2022. Finkenauer recently announced her plans to seek the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate race in 2022.
Sen. Mathis is a former television news anchor in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo and has served in the Iowa Legislature since she was first elected in a special election in 2011. She retired this year from Four Oaks, an organization that helps children and families across the state. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa.
Mathis is the first major Democrat to announce her intentions for the First Congressional District. You can likely expect more candidates to put their hat in the ring as we move towards fall.
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DNR Air Quality Meeting Postponed to August 19th |
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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Air Quality Bureau announced Wednesday the meeting that was supposed to take place yesterday on requiring electronic submittals for air emission inventory, reporting, air permit applications and other air quality documents has been moved to
Thursday, August 19th at 10:00 am.
If you haven’t yet registered for the Zoom meeting and would like to attend, you can register here.
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Senate Clears Important Hurdle in Infrastructure Talks |
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On Wednesday night, the U.S. Senate made significant, tangible progress in the chamber’s effort to pass a hard infrastructure bill this year. The upper body voted 67-32 to begin formal debate on a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package. Seventeen Republicans crossed party lines to vote with Democrats. Though details are not final at this point, the bill is expected to include $550 billion in new spending on items such as broadband, roads, bridges, the electric grid, clean drinking water and more. With formal debate now set to begin, the body can work to resolve any outstanding issues they might have as they craft the bill text. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is weighing the option of keeping the chamber in session over the weekend to ensure that a bill passes. Read more from Roll Call.
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Biden Administration Celebrates 31st Anniversary of ADA by Designating Long-Haul Covid as a Workplace Disability
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On Monday July 26, the White House issued an announcement that the federal government would recognize long-term symptoms of COVID-19 as a workplace disability requiring accommodations by employers for workers with such conditions. Like other disabilities, if such a condition impacts certain life functions, ADA compliance will be required.
ABI staff will continue to monitor this development. If you have questions or seek clarification, please contact JD Davis.
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CDC Issues New Guidance on Mask Wearing for Vaccinated Individuals |
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On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its guidelines to recommend fully vaccinated individuals wear a mask indoors in public to maximize protection from the Delta variant and to prevent possibly spreading it to others. Earlier this summer, the CDC had relaxed its guidelines to reflect that people who were fully vaccinated no longer had to wear masks in most indoor settings.
The CDC also recommends fully vaccinated people who have a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to be tested three to five days after the exposure, and to wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.
You can find a summary of the recent updates here.
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Manufacturing Institute’s This is Our Shot project also provides manufacturers with resources to share with workers, families and communities about the COVID-19 vaccination.
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Connecting Statewide Leaders - August 11 |
Join us for a Connecting Statewide Leaders event focusing on “The New Normal." Discuss how business weathered the pandemic and what operations look like 18 months later.
Connect with fellow industry leaders and members of the new Leadership Iowa University class!
Learn more and register HERE.
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WATCH: ABI Foundation Director of Programs Jessi McQuerrey joins ABI Executive Vice President Nicole Crain to provide a wrap-up of the success of Business Horizons 2021
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The 2021 Program for Leadership Iowa University (LIU)
Will Take Place August 8 - 12.
Leadership Iowa University (LIU) is designed to bridge the gap between college and career, and assist emerging professionals and leaders along their path to personal and professional success. Students will connect with Iowa professionals and will get to experience the diverse array of experiences they can gain here in the state. The five-day session allows students to rediscover what makes Iowa an ideal place to live and work.
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Click on the headlines to learn about the latest ABI member news
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CEO Masterclass - August 10th |
Sandler Training invites you to join fellow business leaders for a CEO Masterclass focused on essential secrets of management, motivation, and accountability. Learn how to decrease staff turnover, create a culture of “buy-in” and commitment, spend more time on company growth, and much more.
Learn more and register HERE.
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Salary.com Q2 CompWatch Guide Available Now |
Salary.com constantly monitors and reports on trends in compensation and workforce transformation. The June edition of the CompWatch guide focuses on retention risks and wage compression caused by increases in the minimum wage. Find out how companies are responding to these trends by downloading your free copy of CompWatch today.
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TOP SUPPORTERS - GOVERNOR |
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AGP/Ag Processing Inc.
Barton Solvents Inc.
Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust
Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance
CF Industries Nitrogen LLC
Corteva Agriscience
CRB
CUNA Mutual Group
Curries Division of AADG, Inc.
Dexter Apache Holdings, Inc.
EFCO Corp
FedEx Corporation
Firestone Agricultural Tire Co. (Bridgestone)
Gerdau
Gilliland Group at Morgan Stanley
GreenState Credit Union
Henningsen Construction, Inc
Hutchison, Inc.
International Paper Company
Iowa Area Development Group
Iowa Northern Railway Company
Iowa Premium, LLC
ISG
JLL
King’s Material, Inc.
Koch Companies PS, LLC
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Kreg Tool Company
Kum & Go
Lennox Manufacturing, Inc.
Lisle Corporation / EZ Way, Inc.
Menard, Inc.
Mount Mercy University
Muscatine Power and Water
Nestle Purina Pet Care Company
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold Energy Center
Precision Pulley and Idler
Procter & Gamble Hair Care L.L.C
Renewable Energy Group, Inc.
Ruan
ServiceMaster by Rice
Shine Bros. Corp.
Standard Golf Co.
Stellar Industries, Inc.
Story Construction
Thombert, Inc.
Tri-City Electric Co.
Trilix Marketing Group
Union Pacific Railroad
Veridian Credit Union
Wells Enterprises, Inc.
Windstream Communications
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