Iowa Workforce Development eliminates 30 positions

Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) will eliminate 30 of its 670 positions due to sequestration - the automatic, across-the-board government spending cuts that began in March.

The state agency faces a $3 million to $4 million budget shortfall, said Kerry Koonce, IWD spokeswoman. The agency, which provides unemployment services to Iowa residents, is about 85 percent funded by the federal government, she added.

The staff was notified Monday about the cuts, which affect 25 contract employees and 5 management positions. Koonce said the job eliminations are concentrated in the Des Moines office and IWD will not be closing any offices or eliminating any programs.

Danny Homan, president of Iowa Council 61 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said the cuts could have been avoided and will "curtail the quantity and quality of work force services provided to Iowa workers and communities.

“There was ample opportunity to work with the legislature to use state funds to eliminate the need for cuts," he said in a media release.