Iowa Worker’s Almanac news for July 30, 2026:
- UnityPoint nurses are still fighting for their union.
- Haitian workers who are here legally on Temporary Protected Status had that protection stripped away Monday, leaving 300,000 of them at risk of deportation—including many in Waterloo.
- 120 degrees seems like a lot: How hot has it gotten at your job?
- The Faster Labor Contracts Act passed the House on a bipartisan vote and is now in the Senate; you can email US Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst about it here.
- We’ed better nip this in the bud: There’s a growing labor trafficking problem in the black market cannabis industry.
Upcoming layoffs:
All information taken from Iowa Workforce Development’s WARN Act website. Read WARN Act and Iowa WARN Act criteria here.
- River Hills Community Health Center is closing two clinics in Centerville and Richland, and laying off 19 workers in Centerville and 5 workers in Richland by Friday. Read more here and here.
- US Cellular offices within Appliance Plus Cellular stores are closing and laying off 35 workers statewide by Friday:
5 workers in Algona,
5 workers in Charles City,
5 workers in Dyersville,
5 workers in Independence,
3 workers in New Hampton,
4 workers in Oelwein,
1 worker in Waukon,
3 workers in Webster City, and
4 workers in West Union.
Read more here. - The Iowa Department of Management in Des Moines is laying off 192 workers by Monday. Read more here.
- Independence Premium Foods in Independence is laying off 41 workers by Aug. 9. Read more here.
- Plastic Products Co. in West Branch is closing and laying off 77 workers by Aug. 14. Read more here.
- Wells Fargo in West Des Moines is laying off:
43 workers by Aug. 22,
20 workers by Sept. 5, and
20 workers by Sept. 19.
Read more here.
