Employment

Deere & Co. on Wednesday announced another 101 layoffs at its Waterloo Operations. The company attributed the job cuts to decreased demand and lower order volumes.

Against the background of a dismal federal jobs report, two Iowa business group leaders on Friday said the state’s employers remain optimistic about the economy here, although they also warned against the impact of ongoing uncertainty in federal trade policy.

Woman worked for the Iowa Department of Corrections at the Anamosa State Penitentiary from November 2023 through February 2025

In a statement, Deere & Company attributed the layoffs to a decrease in demand and lower order volumes, saying “This is a challenging time for many farmers, growers, and producers, and directly impacts our business in the near term."

Also in the notebook, Iowa’s unemployment rate remained at 3.7 percent in July

The Iowa Workforce Development service relocated to better serve the community in a newer, better equipped location.

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

July 1 is the beginning of the fiscal year and the date new laws take effect, unless otherwise stated. Iowa’s majority-Republican General Assembly this year passed more than 170 laws dealing with education, firearms, crime, health care, paid family leave and more. Here’s what goes into effect this week.