Iowa Code § 96.1A — IA Code / Title III / Chapter 96 / Section 96.1A
Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(1) “Appeal board” means the employment appeal board created under section 10A.601.

(2) “Average annual taxable payroll” means the average of the total amount of taxable wages paid by an employer for insured work during the five periods of four consecutive calendar quarters immediately preceding the computation date.

(3) “Base period” means the period beginning with the first day of the five completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the first day of an individual’s benefit year and ending with the last day of the next to the last completed calendar quarter immediately preceding the date on which the individual filed a valid claim.

(4) “Benefit year” means a period of one year beginning with the day with respect to which an individual filed a valid claim for benefits. Any claim for benefits made in accordance with section 96.6, subsection 1, shall be deemed to be a valid claim for the purposes of this subsection if the individual has been paid wages for insured work required under the provisions of this chapter.

(5) “Benefits” means the money payments payable to an individual, as provided in this chapter, with respect to the individual’s unemployment.

(6) “Calendar quarter” means the period of three consecutive calendar months ending on March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31, excluding, however, any calendar quarter or portion thereof which occurs prior to January 1, 1937, or the equivalent thereof as the department may by regulation prescribe.

(7) The computation date for contribution rates shall be July 1 of that calendar year preceding the calendar year with respect to which such rates are to be effective.

(8) “Contributions” means the money payments to the state unemployment compensation fund required by this chapter.

(9) “Department” means the department of workforce development created in section 84A.1.

(10) “Director” means the director of the department of workforce development created in section 84A.1.

(11) “Domestic service” includes service for an employing unit in the operation and maintenance of a private household, local college club, or local chapter of a college fraternity or sorority as distinguished from service as an employee in the pursuit of an employer’s trade, occupation, profession, enterprise, or vocation.

(12) “Educational institution” means one in which participants, trainees, or students are offered an organized course of study or training designed to transfer to them knowledge, skills, information, doctrines, attitudes, or abilities from, by, or under the guidance of an instructor or teacher. It is approved, licensed, or issued a permit to operate as a school by the department of education or other government agency that is authorized within the state to approve, license, or issue a permit for the operation of a school. The course of study or training which it offers may be academic, technical, trade, or preparation for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

(13) “Eligibility period” of an individual means the period consisting of the weeks in the individual’s benefit year which begin in an extended benefit period and, if the individual’s benefit year ends within such extended benefit period, any weeks thereafter which begin in such period.

(14) “Employer” means:

(14) (a) For purposes of this chapter with respect to any calendar year after December 31, 2018, any employing unit which in any calendar quarter in either the current or preceding calendar year paid wages for service in employment. An employing unit treated as a domestic service employer shall not be treated as an employer with respect to wages paid for service other than domestic service unless such employing unit is treated as an employer under this paragraph or as an agricultural labor employer.

(14) (b) Any employing unit, whether or not an employing unit at the time of acquisition, which acquired the organization, trade, or business, or substantially all of the assets thereof, of another employing unit which at the time of such acquisition was an employer subject to this chapter, or which acquired a part of the organization, trade, or business of another employing unit which at the time of such acquisition was an employer subject to this chapter. Provided, that such other employing unit would have been an employer under paragraph “a”, if such part had constituted its entire organization, trade, or business.

(14) (c) Any employing unit which acquired the organization, trade, or business, or substantially all the assets of another employing unit and which, if treated as a single unit with such other employing unit, would be an employer under paragraph “a” of this subsection.

(14) (d) Any employing unit which, together with one or more other employing units, is owned or controlled, by legally enforceable means or otherwise, directly or indirectly by the same interests, or which owns or controls one or more other employing units by legally enforceable means or otherwise, and which, if treated as a single unit with such other employing unit, would be an employer under paragraph “a”.

(14) (e) Any employing unit which, having become an employer under paragraph “a”, “b”, “c”, “d”, “f”, “g”, “h”, or “i” has not, under section 96.8, ceased to be an employer subject to this chapter.

(14) (f) For the effective period of its election pursuant to section 96.8, subsection 3, any other employing unit which has elected to become fully subject to this chapter.

(14) (g) Any employing unit not an employer by reason of any other paragraph of this subsection for which, within either the current or preceding calendar year, service is or was performed with respect to which such employing unit is liable for any federal tax against which credit may be taken for contributions required to be paid into a state unemployment fund; or which, as a condition for approval of this chapter for full tax credit against the tax imposed by the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, 26 U.S.C. §3301 3308, is required, pursuant to such Act, to be an “employer” under this chapter. Provided, however, that if an employer subject to contributions solely because of the terms of this subsection shall establish proper proof to the satisfaction of the department that the employer’s employees have been and will be duly covered and insured under the unemployment compensation law of another jurisdiction such employer shall not be deemed an employer and such services shall not be deemed employment under this chapter.

(14) (h) After December 31, 1971, this state or a state instrumentality and after December 31, 1977, a government entity unless the service is specifically excluded from the definition of employment.

(14) (i) Any employing unit for which service in employment, as defined in subsection 16, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (5), is performed after December 31, 1971.

(14) (j) For purposes of paragraphs “a” and “i”, employment shall include service which would constitute employment but for the fact that such service is deemed to be performed entirely within another state pursuant to an election under an arrangement entered into in accordance with subsection 16, paragraph “d”, by the department and an agency charged with the administration of any other state or federal unemployment compensation law.

(14) (k) For purposes of paragraphs “a” and “i”, if any week includes both December 31 and January 1, the days of that week up to January 1 shall be deemed one calendar week and the days beginning January 1 another such week.

(14) (l) An employing unit employing agricultural labor after December 31, 1977, if the employing unit:

(14) (l) Paid during any calendar quarter in the calendar year or the preceding calendar year wages of twenty thousand dollars or more for agricultural labor, or

(14) (l) Employed on each of some twenty days during the calendar year or during the preceding calendar year, each day being in a different calendar week, at least ten individuals in employment in agricultural labor for some portion of the day.

(14) (m) An employing unit employing after December 31, 1977, domestic service in a private home, local college club, or local chapter of a college fraternity or sorority, and with respect to any calendar year, any employing unit who during any calendar quarter in the calendar year or the preceding calendar year paid wages in cash of one thousand dollars or more for such service.

(14) (n) An Indian tribe, subject to the requirements of section 96.7, subsection 9.

(15) “Employing unit” means any individual or type of organization, including this state and its political subdivisions, state agencies, boards, commissions, and instrumentalities thereof, any partnership, association, trust, estate, joint stock company, insurance company or corporation, whether domestic or foreign, or the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, trustee or successor thereof, or the legal representative of a deceased person, which has or subsequent to January 1, 1936, had in its employ one or more individuals performing services for it within this state. All individuals performing services within this state for any employing unit which maintains two or more separate establishments within this state shall be deemed to be employed by a single employing unit for all the purposes of this chapter. Whenever any employing unit contracts with or has under it any contractor or subcontractor for any work which is part of its usual trade, occupation, profession, or business, unless the employing unit as well as each such contractor or subcontractor is an employer by reason of subsection 14 or section 96.8, subsection 3, the employing unit shall for all the purposes of this chapter be deemed to employ each individual in the employ of each such contractor or subcontractor for each day during which such individual is engaged in performing such work; except that each such contractor or subcontractor who is an employer by reason of subsection 14 or section 96.8, subsection 3, shall alone be liable for the contributions measured by wages payable to individuals in the contractor’s or subcontractor’s employ, and except that any employing unit who shall become liable for and pay contributions with respect to individuals in the employ of any such contractor or subcontractor who is not an employer by reason of subsection 14 or section 96.8, subsection 3, may recover the same from such contractor or subcontractor, except as any contractor or subcontractor who would in the absence of subsection 14 or section 96.8, subsection 3, be liable to pay said contributions, accepts exclusive liability for said contributions under an agreement with such employer made pursuant to general rules of the department. Each individual employed to perform or to assist in performing the work of any agent or employee of an employing unit shall be deemed to be employed by such employing unit for all the purposes of this chapter, whether such individual was hired or paid directly by such employing unit or by such agent or employee, provided the employing unit had actual or constructive knowledge of such work, and provided, further, that such employment was for a total of not less than eight hours in any one calendar week. An employing unit shall not be deemed to employ an independent contractor as described in section 85.61, subsection 12, paragraph “c”, subparagraph (3).

(16) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, “employment” means service, including service in interstate commerce, performed for wages or under any contract of hire, written or oral, expressed or implied. Employment also means any service performed prior to January 1, 1978, which was employment as defined in this subsection prior to such date and, subject to the other provisions of this subsection, service performed after December 31, 1977, by:

(16) (a) Any officer of a corporation.Provided that the term “employment” shall not include such officer if the officer is a majority stockholder and the officer shall not be considered an employee of the corporation unless such services are subject to a tax to be paid under any federal law imposing a tax against which credit may be taken for contributions required to be paid into a state unemployment fund or such services are required to be covered under this chapter of the Code, as a condition to receipt of a full tax credit against the tax imposed by the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, 26 U.S.C. §3301 3309, or

(16) (a) Any individual who, under the usual common law rules applicable in determining the employer-employee relationship, has the status of an employee, or

(16) (a) Any individual other than an individual who is an employee under subparagraph (1) or (2) who performs services for remuneration for any person as an agent driver or commission driver engaged in distributing meat products, vegetable products, fruit products, bakery products, beverages other than milk, or laundry or dry cleaning services for the individual’s principal; as a traveling or city salesperson, other than as an agent driver or commission driver, engaged upon a full-time basis in the solicitation on behalf of, and the transmission to, the individual’s principal, except for sideline sales activities on behalf of some other person, of orders from wholesalers, retailers, contractors, or operators of hotels, restaurants, or other similar establishments for merchandise for resale or supplies for use in their business operations.

(16) (a) Provided, that for purposes of this subparagraph (3), the term “employment” shall include services performed after December 31, 1971, only if:

(16) (a) The contract of service contemplates that substantially all of the services are to be performed personally by such individual;

(16) (a) The individual does not have a substantial investment in facilities used in connection with the performance of the services, other than in facilities for transportation; and

(16) (a) The services are not in the nature of single transaction that is not part of a continuing relationship with the person for whom the services are performed.

(16) (a) Service performed after December 31, 1971, by an individual in the employ of this state or any of its wholly owned instrumentalities and after December 31, 1977, service performed by an individual in the employ of a government entity unless specifically excluded from the definition of employment for a government entity.

(16) (a) Service performed after December 31, 1971, by an individual in the employ of a religious, charitable, educational, or other organization, but only if the service is excluded from “employment” as defined in the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, 26 U.S.C. §3301 3309, solely by reason of section 3306(c)(8) of that Act.

(16) (a) For the purposes of subparagraphs (4) and (5), the term “employment” does not apply to service performed:

(16) (a) In the employ of a church or convention or association of churches, or an organization which is operated primarily for religious purposes and which is operated, supervised, controlled, or principally supported by a church or convention or association of churches.

(16) (a) By a duly ordained, commissioned, or licensed minister of a church in the exercise of that ministry or by a member of a religious order in the exercise of duties required by such order.

(16) (a) In the employ of a nonpublic school which is not an institution of higher education prior to January 1, 1978.

(16) (a) In a facility conducted for the purpose of carrying out a program of rehabilitation for individuals whose earning capacity is impaired by age or physical or mental deficiency or injury or providing remunerative work for individuals who, because of their impaired physical or mental capacity, cannot be readily absorbed in the competitive labor market, by an individual receiving such rehabilitation or remunerative work.

(16) (a) As part of an unemployment work relief or work training program assisted or financed in whole or in part by any federal agency or an agency of a state or political subdivision thereof, by an individual receiving such work relief or work training; or

(16) (a) In the employ of a governmental entity, if such service is performed by an individual in the exercise of the individual’s duties as an elected official; as a member of a legislative body, or a member of the judiciary, of a state or political subdivision; as a member of the state national guard or air national guard; as an employee serving on a temporary basis in case of fire, storm, snow, earthquake, flood, or similar emergency; or in a position which, pursuant to the state law, is designated as a major nontenured policymaking or advisory position, or a policymaking or advisory position which ordinarily does not require duties of more than eight hours per week.

(16) (a) A person in agricultural labor when such labor is performed for an employing unit which during any calendar quarter in the calendar year or the preceding calendar year paid remuneration in cash of twenty thousand dollars or more to individuals employed in agricultural labor excluding labor performed before January 1, 1980, by an alien referred to in this subparagraph; or on each of some twenty days during the calendar year or the preceding calendar year, each day being in a different calendar week, employed in agricultural labor for some portion of the day ten or more individuals, excluding labor performed before January 1, 1980, by an alien referred to in this subparagraph; and such labor is not agricultural labor performed before January 1, 1980, by an individual who is an alien admitted to the United States to perform agricultural labor pursuant to sections 214(c) and 101(a)(15)(H) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. §1184(c), 1101(a)(15)(H) (1976). For purposes of this subparagraph division, “employed” shall not include services performed by agricultural workers who are aliens admitted to the United States to perform labor pursuant to section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and who are not covered under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act.

(16) (a) For purposes of this subparagraph, any individual who is a member of a crew furnished by a crew leader to perform agricultural labor for any other employing unit shall be treated as an employee of such crew leader if such crew leader holds a valid certificate of registration under the Farm Labor Contractor Registration Act of 1963; or substantially all the members of such crew operate or maintain tractors, mechanized harvesting or cropdusting equipment, or any other mechanized equipment, which is provided by such crew leader; and if such individual is not otherwise in employment as defined in this subsection.

(16) (a) For purposes of this subparagraph (7), in the case of any individual who is furnished by a crew leader to perform agricultural labor for any other employing unit and who is not treated as an employee of such crew leader as described above, such other employing unit and not the crew leader shall be treated as the employer of such individual; and such other employing unit shall be treated as having paid cash remuneration to such individual in an amount equal to the amount of cash remuneration paid to such individual by the crew leader either on the crew leader’s behalf or on behalf of such other employing unit for the agricultural labor performed for such other employing unit.

(16) (a) For purposes of this subparagraph (7), the term “crew leader” means an employing unit which furnishes individuals to perform agricultural labor for any other employing unit; pays, either on the crew leader’s behalf or on behalf of such other employing unit, the individuals so furnished by the crew leader for the agricultural labor performed by them; and has not entered into a written agreement with such other employing unit under which such individual is designated as an employee of such other employing unit.

(16) (a) A person performing after December 31, 1977, domestic service in a private home, local college club, or local chapter of a college fraternity or sorority if performed for an employing unit who paid cash remuneration of one thousand dollars or more to individuals employed in such domestic service in any calendar quarter in the calendar year or the preceding calendar year.

(16) (a) A member of a limited liability company. For such a member, the term “employment” shall not include any portion of such service that is performed in lieu of making a contribution of cash or property to acquire a membership interest in the limited liability company.

(16) (b) The term “employment” shall include an individual’s entire service, performed within or both within and without this state if:

(16) (b) The service is localized in this state, or

(16) (b) The service is not localized in any state but some of the service is performed in this state and (i) the base of operations, or, if there is no base of operations, then the place from which such service is directed or controlled, is in this state; or (ii) the base of operations or place from which such service is directed or controlled is not in any state in which some part of the service is performed, but the individual’s residence is in this state, or

(16) (b) The service is performed outside the United States, except in Canada, after December 31, 1971, by a citizen of the United States in the employ of an American employer, other than service which is deemed “employment” under the provisions of subparagraphs (1) and (2) or the parallel provisions of another state law, or service performed after December 31 of the year in which the United States secretary of labor approved the first time the unemployment compensation law submitted by the Virgin Islands, if:

(16) (b) The employer’s principal place of business in the United States is located in this state; or

(16) (b) The employer has no place of business in the United States but the employer is an individual who is a resident of this state, or the employer is a corporation which is organized under the laws of this state, or the employer is a partnership or a trust and the number of the partners or trustees who are residents of this state is greater than the number who are residents of any one other state; or

(16) (b) None of the criteria of divisions (a) and (b) of this subparagraph is met, but the employer has elected coverage in this state, or the employer having failed to elect coverage in any state, the individual has filed a claim for benefits based on such service under the law of this state.

(16) (b) An “American employer”, for purposes of this subparagraph, means a person who is an individual who is a resident of the United States or a partnership if two-thirds or more of the partners are residents of the United States, or a trust, if all of the trustees are residents of the United States, or a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any state.

(16) (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraphs (1), (2), and (3), all service performed after December 31, 1971, by an officer or member of the crew of an American vessel on or in connection with such vessel, if the operating office from which the operations of such vessel operating on navigable waters within and without the United States are ordinarily and regularly supervised, managed, directed, and controlled is within this state, and

(16) (b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subsection, service with respect to which a tax is required to be paid under any federal law imposing a tax against which credit may be taken for contributions required to be paid into a state unemployment fund or which, as a condition for full tax credit against the tax imposed by the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, 26 U.S.C. §3301 3308, is required to be covered under this chapter.

(16) (c) Services performed within this state but not covered under paragraph “b” of this subsection shall be deemed to be employment subject to this chapter if contributions are not required and paid with respect to such services under an unemployment compensation law of any other state or of the federal government.

(16) (d) Services not covered under paragraph “b” of this subsection, and performed entirely without this state, with respect to no part of which contributions are required and paid under an unemployment compensation law of any other state or of the federal government, shall be deemed to be employment subject to this chapter if the individual performing such services is a resident of this state and the department approves the election of the employing unit for whom such services are performed that the entire service of such individual shall be deemed to be employment subject to this chapter.

(16) (e) Service shall be deemed to be localized within a state if:

(16) (e) The service is performed entirely within such state, or

(16) (e) The service is performed both within and without such state, but the service performed without such state is incidental to the individual’s service within the state, for example, or is temporary or transitory in nature or consists of isolated transactions.

(16) (f) Services performed by an individual for wages shall be deemed to be employment subject to this chapter unless and until it is shown to the satisfaction of the department that such individual has been and will continue to be free from control or direction over the performance of such services, both under the individual’s contract of service and in fact.

(16) (f) Services performed by an individual for two or more employing units shall be deemed to be employment to each employing unit for which the services are performed. However, an individual who concurrently performs services as a corporate officer for two or more related corporations and who is paid through a common paymaster that is one of the related corporations may, at the discretion of such related corporations, be considered to be in the employment of only the common paymaster.

(16) (g) The term “employment” shall not include:

(16) (g) Service performed in the employ of any other state or its political subdivisions, or of the United States government, or of an instrumentality of any other state or states or their political subdivisions or of the United States; provided, however, that the general language just used shall not include any such instrumentality of the United States after Congress has, by appropriate legal action, expressly permitted the several states to require such instrumentalities to make payments into an employment fund under a state unemployment compensation law; and all such instrumentalities so released from the constitutional immunity to make the contributions, imposed by this chapter shall, thereafter, become subject to all the provisions of said chapter, and such provisions shall then be applicable to such instrumentalities and to all services performed for such instrumentalities in the same manner, to the same extent and on the same terms as are applicable to all other employers, employing units, individuals, and services. Should the social security administration, acting under section 1603 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, fail to certify the state of Iowa for any particular calendar year, then the payments required of such instrumentalities with respect to such year shall be refunded by the department from the fund in the same manner and within the same period as is provided for in section 96.14, subsection 5, which section provides for the refunding of contributions erroneously collected.

(16) (g) Service with respect to which unemployment compensation is payable under an unemployment compensation system established by an Act of Congress; provided, that the department is hereby authorized and directed to enter into agreements with the proper agencies under such Act of Congress, which agreements shall become effective ten days after publication thereof in the manner provided in section 96.11, subsection 2, for general rules, to provide reciprocal treatment to individuals who have, after acquiring potential rights to benefits under this chapter, acquired rights to unemployment compensation under such Act of Congress, or who have, after acquiring potential rights to unemployment compensation under such Act of Congress, acquired rights to benefits under this chapter.

(16) (g) Agricultural labor.For purposes of this chapter, the term “agricultural labor” means any service performed prior to January 1, 1972, which was agricultural labor as defined in this subparagraph prior to such date, provided that after December 31, 1977, this subparagraph shall not exclude from employment agricultural labor specifically included as agricultural labor under the definition of employment in this subsection, but shall otherwise include remunerated service performed after December 31, 1971:

(16) (g) On a farm in the employ of any person in connection with cultivating the soil, or in connection with raising or harvesting any agricultural or horticultural commodity, including the raising, shearing, feeding, caring for, training, and management of livestock, bees, poultry, and fur-bearing animals and wildlife.

(16) (g) In the employ of the owner or tenant or other operator of a farm, in connection with the operation, management, conservation, improvement, or maintenance of such farm and its tools and equipment, or in salvaging timber or clearing land of brush and other debris left by a hurricane, if the major part of such service is performed on a farm.

(16) (g) In connection with the production or harvesting of any commodity defined as an agricultural commodity in section 15(g) of the Agricultural Marketing Act, as amended, 46 Stat. 1550, §3, 12 U.S.C. §1141j, or in connection with ginning of cotton, or in connection with the operation or maintenance of ditches, canals, reservoirs, or waterways, not owned or operated for profit, used exclusively for supplying and storing water for farming purposes.

(16) (g) In the employ of the operator of a farm in handling, planting, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading, storing, or delivering to storage or to market or to a carrier for transportation to market, in its unmanufactured state, any agricultural or horticultural commodity, but only if such operator produced more than one-half of the commodity with respect to which such service is performed;

(16) (g) In the employ of a group of operators of farms, or a cooperative organization of which such operators are members, in the performance of service described in subparagraph subdivision (i), but only if such operators produced more than one-half of the commodity with respect to which such service is performed;

(16) (g) The provisions of subparagraph subdivisions (i) and (ii) of this subparagraph division (d) of this subparagraph shall not be deemed to be applicable with respect to service performed in connection with commercial canning or commercial freezing or in connection with any agricultural or horticultural commodity after its delivery to a terminal market for distribution for consumption.

(16) (g) On a farm operated for profit if such service is not in the course of the employer’s trade or business.

(16) (g) The term “farm” includes livestock, dairy, poultry, fruit, fur-bearing animals, and truck farms, plantations, ranches, nurseries, ranges, greenhouses, or other similar structures used primarily for the raising of agricultural or horticultural commodities, and orchards.

(16) (g) Domestic service in a private home prior to January 1, 1978, and after December 31, 1977, domestic service in a private home not covered as domestic service under the definition of employment.

(16) (g) Service performed by an individual in the employ of the individual’s son, daughter, or spouse, and service performed by a child under the age of eighteen in the employ of the child’s father or mother.

(16) (g) Service performed in the employ of a school, college, or university if such service is performed by a student who is enrolled and is regularly attending classes at such school, college, or university or by the spouse of such student, if such spouse is advised, at the time such spouse commences to perform such service, that the employment of such spouse to perform such service is provided under a program to provide financial assistance to such student by such school, college, or university, and such employment will not be covered by any program of unemployment insurance.

(16) (g) Service performed by an individual who is enrolled at a nonprofit or public educational institution which normally maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly organized body of students in attendance at the place where its educational activities are carried on, as a student in a full-time program taken for credit at such institution, which combines academic instruction with work experience, if the service is an integral part of the program and the institution has so certified to the employer, except that this subparagraph does not apply to service performed in a program established for or on behalf of an employer or group of employers.

(16) (g) Service performed in the employ of a hospital if such service is performed by a patient of the hospital.

(16) (g) Services performed by an individual, who is not treated as an employee, for a person who is not treated as an employer, under either of the following conditions:

(16) (g) The services are performed by the individual as a salesperson and as a licensed real estate agent; substantially all of the remuneration for the services is directly related to sales or other output rather than to the number of hours worked; and the services are performed pursuant to a written contract between the individual and the person for whom the services are performed, which provides that the individual will not be treated as an employee with respect to the services for federal tax purposes.

(16) (g) The services are performed by an individual engaged in the trade or business of selling or soliciting the sale of consumer products to any buyer on a buy-sell basis or a deposit-commission basis, for resale by the buyer or another person in the home or in a place other than a permanent retail establishment, or engaged in the trade or business of selling or soliciting the sale of consumer products in the home or in a place other than a permanent retail establishment; substantially all of the remuneration for the services is directly related to sales or other output rather than to the number of hours worked; and the services are performed pursuant to a written contract between the individual and the person for whom the services are performed, which provides that the individual will not be treated as an employee with respect to the services for federal tax purposes.

(16) (g) Services performed by an inmate of a correctional institution.

(16) (h) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, “employment” shall include service performed in the employ of an Indian tribe, subject to the requirements of section 96.7, subsection 9.

(17) “Employment office” means a free public employment office, or branch thereof, operated by this state or maintained as a part of a state-controlled system of public employment offices.

(18) “Exhaustee” means an individual who, with respect to any week of unemployment in the individual’s eligibility period has received, prior to such week, all of the regular benefits that were available to the individual under this chapter or any other state law, including dependents’ allowances and benefits payable to federal civilian employees and former armed forces personnel under 5 U.S.C. ch. 85, in the individual’s current benefit year that includes such weeks. Provided that for the purposes of this subsection an individual shall be deemed to have received all of the regular benefits that were available to the individual, although as a result of a pending appeal with respect to wages that were not considered in the original monetary determination in the individual’s benefit year the individual may subsequently be determined to be entitled to add regular benefits, or:

(18) (a) The individual’s benefit year having expired prior to such week, has no, or insufficient, wages and on the basis of which the individual could establish a new benefit year that would include such week, and

(18) (b) The individual has no right to unemployment benefits or allowances under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, the Automotive Products Trade Act of 1965, and such other federal laws as are specified in regulations issued by the United States secretary of labor, and the individual has not received and is not seeking unemployment benefits under the unemployment compensation law of Canada, but if the individual is seeking such benefits and the appropriate agency finally determines that the individual is not entitled to benefits under such law the individual is considered an exhaustee.

(19) (a) “Extended benefit period” means a period which begins with the third week after a week for which there is a state “on” indicator, and ends with either of the following weeks, whichever occurs later:

(19) (a) The third week after the first week for which there is a state “off” indicator.

(19) (a) The thirteenth consecutive week of such period.

(19) (b) However, an extended benefit period shall not begin by reason of a state “on” indicator before the fourteenth week following the end of a prior extended benefit period which was in effect with respect to this state.

(20) “Extended benefits” means benefits, including benefits payable to federal civilian employees and to former armed forces personnel pursuant to 5 U.S.C. ch. 85, payable to an individual under the provisions of this section for weeks of unemployment in the individual’s eligibility period.

(21) “Fund” means the unemployment compensation fund established by this chapter, to which all contributions required and from which all benefits provided under this chapter shall be paid.

(22) “Governmental entity” means a state, a state instrumentality, a political subdivision or an instrumentality of a political subdivision, or a combination of one or more of the preceding.

(23) “Hospital” means an institution which has been licensed, certified, or approved by the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing as a hospital.

(24) “Indian tribe” shall have the meaning given to the term pursuant to section 4(e) of the federal Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Pub. L. No. 93-638, and shall include any subdivision, subsidiary, or business enterprise wholly owned by such an Indian tribe.

(25) “Institution of higher education” means an educational institution which admits as regular students individuals having a certificate of graduation from a high school, or the recognized equivalent of such certificate; is legally authorized in this state primarily to provide a program of education beyond high school; provides an educational program for which it awards a bachelor’s or higher degree or provides a program which is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree, a program of postgraduate or postdoctoral studies, or a program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation; and is a public or other nonprofit institution.

(26) “Insured work” means employment for employers.

(27) “Nonprofit organization” means an organization described in the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. §501(c)(3), which is exempt from income taxation under 26 U.S.C. §501(a).

(28) There is a state “off” indicator for a week if, for the period consisting of the week and the immediately preceding twelve weeks, the rate of insured unemployment under the state law was less than five percent, or less than one hundred twenty percent of the average of the rates for thirteen weeks ending in each of the two preceding calendar years, except that, notwithstanding any such provision of this subsection, any week for which there would otherwise be a state “on” indicator shall continue to be such a week and shall not be determined to be a week for which there is a state “off” indicator.

(29) There is a state “on” indicator for a week if the rate of insured unemployment under the state law for the period consisting of the week and the immediately preceding twelve weeks equaled or exceeded five percent and equaled or exceeded one hundred twenty percent of the average of the rates for the corresponding thirteen-week period ending in each of the two preceding calendar years.

(30) “Public housing agency” means any agency described in section 3(b)(6) of the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended through January 1, 1989.

(31) “Rate of insured unemployment”, for purposes of determining state “on” indicator and state “off” indicator, means the percentage derived by dividing the average weekly number of individuals filing claims for regular benefits in Iowa for weeks of unemployment with respect to the most recent thirteen consecutive week period, as determined by the department on the basis of its reports to the United States secretary of labor, by the average monthly insured employment covered under this chapter for the first four of the most recent six completed calendar quarters ending before the end of such thirteen-week period.

(32) “Regular benefits” means benefits payable to an individual under this or under any other state law, including benefits payable to federal civilian employees and to former armed forces personnel pursuant to 5 U.S.C. ch. 85, other than extended benefits.

(33) “State” includes, in addition to the states of the United States, the District of Columbia, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

(34) “State law” means the unemployment insurance law of any state, approved by the United States secretary of labor under 26 U.S.C. §3304.

(35) “Statewide average weekly wage” means the amount computed by the department at least once a year on the basis of the aggregate amount of wages reported by employers in the preceding twelve-month period ending on December 31 and divided by the product of fifty-two times the average mid-month employment reported by employers for the same twelve-month period. In determining the aggregate amount of wages paid statewide, the department shall disregard any limitation on the amount of wages subject to contributions under this chapter.

(36) “Taxable wages” means an amount of wages upon which an employer is required to contribute based upon wages that have been paid in this state during a calendar year to an individual by an employer or the employer’s predecessor upon which the employer is required to contribute, which equals the greater of the following:

(36) (a) Thirty-three and one-third percent of the statewide average weekly wage that was used during the previous calendar year to determine maximum weekly benefit amounts, multiplied by fifty-two and rounded to the next highest multiple of one hundred dollars.

(36) (b) That portion of wages subject to a tax under a federal law imposing a tax against which credit may be taken for contributions required to be paid into a state unemployment compensation fund.

(37) “Totally unemployed”, “partially unemployed”, and “temporarily unemployed”.

(37) (a) An individual shall be deemed “totally unemployed” in any week with respect to which no wages are payable to the individual and during which the individual performs no services.

(37) (b) An individual shall be deemed “partially unemployed” in any week in which either of the following apply:

(37) (b) While employed at the individual’s then regular job, the individual works less than the regular full-time week and in which the individual earns less than the individual’s weekly benefit amount plus fifteen dollars.

(37) (b) The individual, having been separated from the individual’s regular job, earns at odd jobs less than the individual’s weekly benefit amount plus fifteen dollars.

(37) (c) An individual shall be deemed “temporarily unemployed” if for a period, verified by the department, not to exceed four consecutive weeks, the individual is unemployed due to a plant shutdown, vacation, inventory, lack of work, or emergency from the individual’s regular job or trade in which the individual worked full-time and will again work full-time, if the individual’s employment, although temporarily suspended, has not been terminated.

(38) “Unemployment compensation administration fund” means the unemployment compensation administration fund established by this chapter, from which administration expenses under this chapter shall be paid.

(39) “United States” for the purposes of this section includes the states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

(40) (a) “Wages” means all remuneration for personal services, including commissions and bonuses and the cash value of all remuneration in any medium other than cash. The reasonable cash value of remuneration in any medium other than cash shall be estimated and determined in accordance with rules prescribed by the department.

(40) (b) The term “wages” shall not include:

(40) (b) The amount of any payment, including any amount paid by an employer for insurance or annuities or into a fund to provide for such payment, made to or on behalf of an employee or any of the employee’s dependents under a plan or system established by an employer which makes provisions for the employer’s employees generally, or for the employer’s employees generally and their dependents, or for a class, or classes of the employer’s employees, or for a class or classes of the employer’s employees and their dependents, on account of retirement, sickness, accident disability, medical, or hospitalization expense in connection with sickness or accident disability, or death.

(40) (b) Any payment paid to an employee, including any amount paid by any employer for insurance or annuities or into a fund to provide for any such payment, on account of retirement.

(40) (b) Any payment on account of sickness or accident disability, or medical or hospitalization expense in connection with sickness or accident disability made by an employer to, or on behalf of, an employee after the expiration of six calendar months following the last calendar month in which the employee worked for such employer.

(40) (b) Remuneration for agricultural labor paid in any medium other than cash.

(40) (b) Any portion of the remuneration to a member of a limited liability company based on a membership interest in the company provided that the remuneration is allocated among members, and among classes of members, in proportion to their respective investments in the company. If the amount of remuneration attributable to a membership interest cannot be determined, the entire amount of remuneration shall be deemed to be based on services performed.

(41) “Week” means such period or periods of seven consecutive calendar days ending at midnight, or as the department may by regulations prescribe.

(42) An individual’s “weekly benefit amount” means the amount of benefits the individual would be entitled to receive for one week of total unemployment. An individual’s weekly benefit amount, as determined for the first week of the individual’s benefit year, shall constitute the individual’s weekly benefit amount throughout such benefit year.

[C39, §1551.25; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §96.19; 81 Acts, ch 19, §9; 82 Acts, ch 1030, §3 – 7, 9, ch 1126, §3]83 Acts, ch 101, §9; 83 Acts, ch 190, §22 – 24, 26, 27; 86 Acts, ch 1245, §525, 935; 87 Acts, ch 222, §6, 7; 89 Acts, ch 117, §2; 92 Acts, ch 1045, §4; 95 Acts, ch 43, §3; 96 Acts, ch 1121, §9 – 11; 96 Acts, ch 1186, §20 – 23; 97 Acts, ch 38, §3, 4; 2001 Acts, ch 111, §3 – 6; 2004 Acts, ch 1175, §66; 2008 Acts, ch 1032, §182, 183, 201; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §263; 2009 Acts, ch 133, §24; 2013 Acts, ch 90, §23; 2016 Acts, ch 1011, §24 – 31; 2016 Acts, ch 1073, §20; 2017 Acts, ch 54, §25; 2018 Acts, ch 1080, §7, 8; 2020 Acts, ch 1062, §22, 94; 2020 Acts, ch 1069, §4C2021, §96.1A2021 Acts, ch 76, §22; 2022 Acts, ch 1021, §32, 33; 2022 Acts, ch 1032, §24; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §1861; 2025 Acts, ch 6, §18; 2025 Acts, ch 125, §1