Capitol Notebook: Iowa businesses shed jobs again in June; unemployment ticks up

Iowa businesses shed 2,700 jobs in June, lowering total nonfarm employment to 1,590,700, according to Iowa Workforce Development.

At the same time, Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.7 percent, up from 3.6 percent in May.

More Iowans also joined the workforce in June, increasing the state's labor force by 3,900. The increase in workers, particularly among women ages 45 and older, brought Iowa’s labor force participation rate up slightly to 67.4 percent from 67.3 percent in May.

The rate reflects the percentage of all individuals 16 and older in the state who are either employed or actively seeking employment.

The total number of Iowans working or actively seeking employment rose to 1,671,800 in June — an increase of 2,700 from May and 8,800 higher than a year ago. State labor force participation, though, still remains below pre-pandemic levels.

At the same time, the total number of unemployed Iowans increased to 63,700 in June from 62,400 in May.

June’s loss follows a drop of 5,100 jobs in May, with the largest declines last month being in leisure and hospitality. The losses were partially offset by gains in health care (+2,800) and construction (+1,000).

Over the past year, health care and social assistance experienced the most job growth — adding 7,500 jobs mainly in nursing and residential facilities — with construction gaining 3,700 jobs. Conversely, manufacturing faced the largest losses, down by 9,100 jobs from a year ago, particularly in machinery and food production.

Iowa Workforce Development reported Iowa had 8,800 fewer total jobs in June compared to one year prior, a drop of half a percent.

“With over 51,000 jobs posted on IowaWORKS.gov, anyone looking for a new or better job remains in a good position to find one,” Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend said in a statement released Thursday.

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Mike Owen, deputy director of progressive advocacy group Common Good Iowa, says the latest jobs data shows Iowa’s economy is losing ground.

“These are not the underpinnings of a vibrant economy,” Owen said in a statement. “Iowa has lost jobs in six of the past 12 months, with a net loss of 6,800 payroll jobs. In the broader picture, that is not a huge number — less than half of 1 percent — but it shows the Iowa economy has a long way to go.”

Iowa Insurance Division warns of fake Medicare accounts

The Iowa Insurance Division is warning Iowa Medicare enrollees that they may be among 103,000 recipients nationwide who have had a fake Medicare.gov account created using their personal information.

Those affected should get a letter from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services informing them they’ll get a new Medicare card with a new number in the coming weeks.

Fraudulent accounts were created between 2023 and 2025 and used Medicare numbers, coverage start date, last name, date of birth and ZIP code.

CMS said it has identified and is working to deactivate fraudulent accounts, and reports that no criminal activity from those fake accounts has been identified to date.

“The incident involved currently unknown bad actors who accessed your data from an unknown source to fraudulently create Medicare.gov accounts,” according to the letters sent out by CMS. “We’re sending you this letter so you understand this incident, how we’re addressing it, and additional steps you can take to protect your privacy. Your current Medicare benefits or coverage aren’t affected by this incident.”

Iowa Senior Health Insurance Information Program Director Kristin Griffith, in a news release, emphasized the importance of Medicare beneficiaries reviewing their statements of benefits to prevent fraud. Griffith said they should review their Medicare summary notices and explanation of benefits for unfamiliar charges or services, and contact the Iowa Senior Medicare Patrol if suspicious activity is found at 1-800-351-4664.

They can also get free annual credit reports through www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228, to help spot identity theft.

Those who believe they have been a victim of identity theft can file a report with local law enforcement or with the Federal Trade Commission by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338) or online at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.

Reynolds appoints Estherville attorney to fill judicial vacancy

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds this week announced her appointment of Estherville attorney Jennifer Bennett Finn as a district associate judge in Judicial District 3A.

Bennett Finn is the managing attorney at Pelzer Law Firm LLC, and graduated from Drake University Law School, according to Reynolds’ office.

Bennett Finn fills a vacancy following the resignation of the Honorable Ann M. Gales. The judicial district includes Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola and Palo Alto counties.