Money & Jobs
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Basic income pilot UpLift actually helped Iowans. Here’s how
The UpLift program not only helped with bills, it helped start businesses, participants in the basic income pilot said—rebuking an Iowa law that banned such programs in the state. People who received $500 per month with no strings attached told their stories Wednesday evening in a Windsor Heights event put on by UpLift, which has…
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Elder fraud on rise: Older Iowans lost more than $16.4 million in 2023
A new report shows the number of Americans getting scammed is on the rise, and elder fraud is the most common. Iowa ranked 33rd in the nation for elder fraud, or the number of residents over 60 years of age reporting fraud, and 34th in the nation for the amount of money taken, according to…
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Biden makes 4 million more workers eligible for overtime pay
The US Department of Labor says updated regulations will increase income thresholds to ensure lower-income salaried employees are fairly compensated when they work more than 40 hours per week.
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Biden administration bans noncompete clauses for workers
The new rule bans new noncompete agreements for the vast majority of American workers and requires employers to let current and past employees know they won’t enforce them going forward. Companies will also be required to throw out existing noncompete agreements.
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Increasingly desperate Iowans stretching food banks to capacity
Leaders of a dozen food pantries across Iowa are sounding the alarm about a “soaring number” of Iowans seeking help at food banks, putting these already stretched organizations into a “crisis situation.” The leaders and other advocates recently issued a joint press release about “a rising number of Iowans experiencing food insecurity” in the past…
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UPDATE: Seaboard ends contract after 9 kids found working illegally in Sioux City meatpacking plant
At least nine children were working on overnight shifts cleaning dangerous meatpacking equipment at a Sioux City plant, according to court filings Wednesday from the US Department of Labor (DOL). The children were allegedly employed by Fayette Industrial, a Tennessee-based company that contracts with other companies to clean their facilities. Fayette had the children working…
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Overdraft fees could drop to as low as $3 under new Biden proposal
The change could potentially eliminate billions of dollars in fee revenue for the nation’s biggest banks, which were gearing up for a battle even before Wednesday’s announcement. Exactly how much revenue depends on which version of the new regulation is adopted.
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If you want to retain Iowa teachers, vote in school board elections
Want to stop the mass exodus of quality teachers from leaving Iowa? Want to make sure they’re not only paid fairly, but feel like their district has their back? Turns out, your vote on Nov. 7 could mean the difference between a school board that cares about teachers and a board that just wants to…
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Biden moves to ban all junk fees and hidden charges for Iowans
If you’ve ever tried to stay at one of Iowa’s many historic hotels, such as the Des Lux, only to have exorbitant “convenience fees” or “service fees” tacked on at checkout, we’ve got some good news for you. The Biden administration on Wednesday proposed a new rule that would prohibit companies across the private sector…
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Iowa native celebrates new deal after 5-month writers’ strike
After 148 days on strike, Hollywood writers—including Iowa native Romen Borsellino—reached a tentative agreement with the major studios last week that Borsellino told Starting Line was “an incredible deal” for Writers Guild of America members.
