Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 261 - Economic Development Authority › Part VII - Additional Application Requirements and Procedures › Chapter 174 - Wage, Benefit, and Investment Requirements › Rule 261-174.6 - Qualifying Wage Threshold Requirements-effective on or After July 1, 2014

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
As of July 1, 2014, the qualifying wage thresholds described
				  in this rule shall be in effect.
(1)
Enterprise zone (EZ) program.
The qualifying wage threshold
				requirement applicable to the EZ program is 90 percent of the laborshed wage.
				The wage threshold described in this subrule continues to apply to agreements
				entered into before July 1, 2014. However, no new agreements may be entered
				into on or after July 1, 2014.
(2)
High quality jobs program (HQJP).
The qualifying wage
				threshold requirement applicable to HQJP is 120 percent of the laborshed wage
				unless subrule 174.6(3) or 174.6(4) applies to a project.
(3)
HQJP projects in distressed
				areas.
a. Notwithstanding subrule
				174.6(2), the qualifying wage threshold requirement applicable to an HQJP
				project may be lowered to 100 percent of the laborshed wage if the eligible
				business is located in an economically distressed area.
b. For purposes of this subrule,
				"economically distressed area" means a county that meets at least three of the
				following criteria:
(1) The county ranks among
				the 33 Iowa counties with the highest average monthly unemployment rates for
				the most recent 12-month period based on the applicable local area unemployment
				statistics produced by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
				Statistics.
(2) The county ranks
				among the 33 Iowa counties with the highest average annualized unemployment
				rates for the most recent five-year period based on the applicable local area
				unemployment statistics produced by the United States Department of Labor,
				Bureau of Labor Statistics.
(3) The
				county ranks among the 33 Iowa counties with the lowest annual average weekly
				wages based on the most recent quarterly census of employment and wages
				published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
				Statistics.
(4) The county ranks
				among the 33 Iowa counties with the highest family poverty rates based on the
				most recent American Community Survey five-year estimate released by the United
				States Census Bureau.
(5) The
				county ranks among the 33 Iowa counties with the highest percentage population
				loss. Percentage population loss shall be calculated by comparing the most
				recent population estimate produced by the United States Census Bureau to the
				most recent decennial census released by the United States Census Bureau,
				except for a calendar year in which the decennial census data is released, in
				which case the percentage population loss shall be calculated by comparing the
				population in the decennial census released that calendar year to the
				population in decennial census released ten years prior.
(6) The county ranks among the 33 Iowa
				counties with the highest percentage of persons 65 years of age or older based
				on the most recent American Community Survey five-year estimate released by the
				United States Census Bureau.
c. The authority may designate a county that
				does not meet at least three of the criteria in paragraph
				174.6(3)
"b"
as an economically distressed area if a business
				located in the county experiences a layoff or a closure that has a significant
				impact on a community within the county.
(1)
				Factors the authority will consider in determining whether a layoff or closure
				has a significant impact on a community within the county include, but are not
				limited to, total number of employees impacted, percentage of the applicable
				laborshed impacted, number of employees impacted as a percentage of population,
				current unemployment rate, and unemployment rate including the employees
				affected by a layoff or closure.
(2) A city or county shall request
				designation of a county as an economically distressed area pursuant to this
				paragraph in writing. Such requests are subject to approval by the board.
				Requests may be made simultaneously with a project application that would
				qualify for a lower qualifying wage threshold requirement pursuant to this
				subrule if the request is approved.
d. The authority will update the list of
				economically distressed areas, including those designated pursuant to paragraph
				174.6(3)
"c,"
according to the same schedule as the qualifying
				wage thresholds are updated pursuant to subrule 174.2(1) and will apply the
				provisions of subrule 174.2(2) to the list of economically distressed areas in
				the same manner.