Regions 3 & 4 News
Iowa Workforce Development has
developed a
Business Directory listing for our business customers that allows business websites
to link directly to the IWD website and in turn, give thousands of
customers access and exposure to business information! If you have any questions, please feel
free to contact your local Iowa Workforce Development Office.
IWD offices in Algona, Spencer, and
Orange City are open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday. You may call Algona at (515) 295-7219 or Fax (515)
295-6916,
Spencer at (712) 262-1971 or Fax (712) 262-1963, or
Orange City
at (712) 707-9870 or Fax: (712) 707-9872.
The Estherville Iowa
Workforce Development office is open Mondays and Thursdays only
from 8 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. IWD'S Estherville office is located at
620 First Avenue South. The phone number is (712) 362-7327, and the fax
number is (712) 362-7742.
IWD and Iowa State University Extension
began sharing office space in Emmetsburg in 2003, the first collocation
between the two agencies in Iowa. Located in the former Carnegie Library at
2008 10th Street, IWD services will continue to be available to area
residents from 9 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. on Tuesdays and Fridays. The phone
number is (712)- 852-3412 and the fax number is
(712) 852-3175.
Two additional ways to file claims for unemployment insurance
are available. Customers using Iowa Workforce Development computers can use the new "Intranet" application in
our offices. Just tell a staff member that you have keyboarding skills and would like to enter your own claim for benefits. A new "Internet" application
is available on any personal computer with an Internet connection, 24
hours a day, seven days a week.
Access Points
Iowa law requires Iowa Workforce
Development products and services be accessible to residents in all 99
counties of Iowa. In Dickinson, Lyon and Osceola counties, access is
provided through Iowa State University
Extension. In O'Brien County this access is provided through
Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon. These sites provide customers access
to job listings, word processing and spreadsheet programs with Microsoft
Office and résumé making software, as well as the Internet and all IWD
web-based applications. Customers are able to register for IWD
services, search for jobs, and file for Unemployment Insurance benefits
from these locations. IWD pamphlets and brochures are also
available. There is no charge for any of these services.
The Dickinson County ISU Extension
office is located at 1600 15th Street, Spirit Lake, Iowa. Office Hours
are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday. The Osceola County Extension office
in Sibley is located at 839 Third Ave. Office hours are 8 A.M. to
5:30 P.M. Monday through Thursday, and 8 A.M. to 2 P.M. on Fridays.
The Lyon County Extension office in Rock Rapids is at 710 N 2nd Avenue
East, Suite 103. That office is open Monday through Friday from 8
A.M. to 4:30 P.M. The access in Sheldon is located at Northwest
Iowa Community College, 603 West Park Street, Building A. PC users should be at least 14 years of age, and
should not be accompanied by small children. Use is on a
first-come, first-serve basis, but availability may be limited on
occasion due to space or staff needs.
For more information, call your
nearest Iowa Workforce Development Office.
Answers to your Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions that have
been asked most frequently of Iowa Workforce Development staff are now
available online. Questions are listed in over 20 different
topics. Just click here.
Office
Proficiency Assessment & Certification Available to Employers
Iowa Workforce Development is
offering the Office Proficiency Assessment & Certification
(OPAC)
System to assist area businesses in screening job applicants. The
OPAC System is a suite of PC-based tests that measure abilities in
specific applications using a "live software" approach,
including MS Word®, MS Excel®, MS PowerPoint, MS Access®, Lotus 1-2-3,
and WordPerfect®. It also offers general clerical tests, such a
keyboarding, 10-key, data entry, filing and proofreading. In
addition, OPAC includes financial tests for bank reconciliation, deposits,
petty cash, and basic math skills.
Best of all the OPAC System is provided
at no charge to area businesses. If your company is interested in
using the OPAC System to assess job applicant's skills, please call your
local Iowa Workforce Development office.
Lakes Area Employers'
Council meetings & seminars:
-
The Lakes Area Employers'
Council will hold a seminar from August 17 to 20, 2010. This will
cover Construction OSHA (two days) and
General Industry OSHA (two days) at HyVee in Spencer. This is a
joint meeting with Kossuth County ECI.
-
The Lakes Area Employers'
Council will hold a meeting on September 22 at Noon at Iowa Lakes
Community College in Spencer. The topic will be “Using the NCRC
process to Hire Qualified Applicants” – If you wish to upgrade the skill
level of your workforce and/or hire applicants with a specific,
verifiable, skill levels, then this workshop is for you. Craig
Immerfall, Business Service Rep of Iowa Workforce Development and Debbie
Clark of Iowa Lakes will demonstrate how this can be done.
-
Lakes Area Employers' Council
will be meeting on October 20, 2010 at Noon at Iowa Lakes Community
College in Spencer. Lori Adams, Iowa Workforce Development will
speak on “What’s New at Iowa Workforce Development.” Lori is Division
Administrator of Iowa Workforce Development and was the former Regional
Manager for Regions 3, 4, and 12 (14 counties, 9 offices) of Northwest
Iowa. She will give you a bird’s eye view of some of the new changes
and initiatives at Iowa Workforce Development and their impact on the
various clientele we serve (including the business community).
-
Lakes Area Employers' Council
will be meeting on November 17, 2010 at Noon at Iowa Lakes
Community College in Spencer. Lois Stillman will speak on “Pandemics and
Bio-Terrorism – Making Your Workplace Safe”. A very timely topic given
all the Bird Flu, HN1N viruses, threats of bio-terrorism, etc. we have
seen in the news as of late. Fall tends to be a time when these flu
epidemics occur. Do you have a plan in place? Come see what your
handbook plan should include.
-
Lakes Area Employers' Councill
will meet on March 30, 2011 with time and location to be determined.
Kathy Peterson of PeopleWorks Inc will be the presenter.
For more information or to pre-register, call Bob Becker at (712) 262-1971 x 126 or e-mail him at
Robert.Becker@iwd.iowa.gov
Kossuth
County Employers' Council meetings & seminars:
-
The Kossuth County Employers'
Council will hold a seminar from August 17 to 20, 2010. This will
cover Construction OSHA (two days) and
General Industry OSHA (two days) at HyVee in Spencer. This is a
joint meeting with the Lakes Area Employers' Council.
-
Kossuth County Employers' Council will meet on March
30, 2011 with time and location to be determined. Kathy Peterson
of PeopleWorks Inc will be the presenter.
All businesses and
employers are invited to attend. Schedule is subject to change. Please
pre-register for all meetings with Paula Seely, 515-295-4602, or e-mail at
seelyp@mercyhealth.com
Upper Northwest Iowa Employers' Council
(ECI) Meetings:
-
The Upper
Northwest Iowa Employers’ Council will meet at 11:30 a.m. on August 18,
2010 in the “Classroom” at 400 Central Avenue Northwest in Orange City.
This is on the upper level of the building.
Tim Heerts, the Director of EAP Services and
Certified Employee Assistance Professional with KeySolutions EAP in
Sioux Falls, will give a presentation on preventing suicide. Lunch will
be provided. Please RSVP by Noon on Monday, August 16.
-
The Upper NW Iowa Employers'
Council will be holding a 10 hour OSHA General Industry Training Seminar
on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 21 & 22 at
the Iowa Workforce Development office, 400 Central Ave NW, Orange City.
-
The Upper NW Iowa Employers'
Council will be meeting on Friday, October 22 from 9:00 A.M. to Noon at
the Iowa Workforce Development office, 400 Central Ave NW, Orange City.
This will be an ADA/FMLA/ Workers Comp Seminar entitled "The Bermuda
Triangle of Employment Law". Guest speakers will be Tom Good, Iowa
Civil Rights Commission, Rich Tesarek, US Dept of Labor, and Ron Pohlman,
Iowa Workers Comp Division. Moderator will be Barb Tapscott,
Iowa Workforce Development Attorney.
For information about Upper Northwest Iowa Employers' Council, contact Ann Conner at (712) 707-9870.
