Task force to examine state employment laws
By JASON CLAYWORTH • jclayworth@dmreg.com • July 17, 2008

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A special Iowa task force formed Wednesday by Gov. Chet Culver will work to close loopholes in state employment laws that some say abuse workers and make it easier to employ illegal immigrants.

Culver issued an executive order calling for a study of "independent contractor reforms" and employer misclassification.

Lawmakers discussed the issue this year as a key contributor to illegal immigration, but ultimately did not pass tighter laws.

Legislators have said some employers commonly hire workers as "independent contractors" as a way to avoid proving their legal right to work in the United States. Civil rights advocates have said some employers misclassify workers as contractors, pay them less than minimum wage and deny them health insurance, vacation and other benefits.


Culver and his staff said that legal workers can also be hired as independent contractors and be mistreated. The task force will be mostly focused upon worker fairness and safety, and not immigration.

"The message that we're sending loudly and clearly is that we're going to have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to these employers who are knowingly breaking the law," Culver said.

The task force's members include Culver and representatives from Iowa Workforce Development, the labor commissioner and officials from the state's revenue and economic development departments. The group will make recommendations within the next 60 days, Culver said.

Union representatives attended the event at which Culver signed the order to create the task force and applauded the effort. Unions have commonly complained about businesses that use illegal worker classifications as creating unfair competition against businesses that follow the law.

Earlier this year, Culver vetoed legislation that would have given unions that represent public employees wider negotiating powers. That action irritated some unions.

Culver said Wednesday's actions were unrelated.

House Minority Leader Christopher Rants, a Sioux City Republican, was critical of the task force in light of the failure of related legislation this year.

"If Democrats would have addressed the serious issue of illegal immigration in Iowa during the legislative session, this still wouldn't be a problem today," Rants said.


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