Unemployment After Being Fired in Iowa

You are disqualified if you were discharged for misconduct: a deliberate act or omission that is a material breach of your job duties, showing willful or wanton disregard of the employer's interests (ordinary carelessness is not enough unless it is repeated to the point of equal culpability). Examples in the law include falsifying a job application, knowingly violating a reasonable and uniformly enforced rule, intentional damage to property, using or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work in violation of policy, endangering others' safety, excessive unexcused tardiness or absences, theft, and losing a required license through your own fault. The disqualification lasts until you have earned 10 times your weekly benefit amount in insured work. For gross misconduct (an indictable offense connected with work, with a conviction or signed admission), all wage credits earned before the discharge are canceled.

Your appeal must be postmarked or received within 10 calendar days from the decision date (moved to the next working day if the tenth day is a weekend or holiday). File online through your IowaWORKS account or mail the appeal form to the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Bureau, 6200 Park Avenue, Suite 100, East Entrance, Des Moines, IA 50321. An Administrative Law Judge's decision can be appealed to the Employment Appeal Board within 15 calendar days of its mailing date. Keep filing weekly claims while a fired-or-quit protest is being decided.