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According to Iowa Workforce Development, the state’s unemployment rate is about 3%.
West Des Moines, Iowa — March 17, 2020 was a tough day for restaurant workers in Iowa. After Gov. Kim Reynolds declared the state’s first-ever COVID public health emergency, their diner was literally closed overnight, leaving staff suddenly out of work.
Nick Kuhn, owner of The Hall, said: “And even two years after that, the business wasn’t stable enough for them to change careers.”
That puts restaurant owners like Kuhn in a tough spot, but Kuhn is one of many entrepreneurs looking for solutions.
On Saturday, Kuhn and three other local business leaders hosted a town hall at The Hall in West Des Moines to share employment issues with members of the community.
Sara Bath, operations manager at IowaWORKS, said: “Now I’m actually out there doing my own recruiting. I’m posting my stuff.”
There have been some positive developments. The unemployment rate in Iowa has dropped to just over 3%, while the national unemployment rate is 3.5%. And by the end of 2022, Iowa’s employment will be over 34,000 more than he was at the end of 2021.
One of today’s speakers cited as a reason for the shift was increased employee loyalty through greater employee flexibility, such as prepaid and sick leave generosity.
“Be innovative and creative for your employees and consider how to get the most out of them. Be productive,” said Catherine Harrington. She is the president and CEO of the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce.
According to Iowa Workforce Development, Iowa now has 11,700 fewer unemployed people than it did at the end of 2021.
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