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New law details firings of Iowa public workers for 1st time

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July 18th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Newly released records show that public employees in Iowa have been fired in recent months for misconduct such as theft, fraud and student mistreatment. Documents detailing the firings and demotions of public employees have become available under a little-noticed but dramatic change to the Iowa Open Records Act signed by then-Gov. Terry Branstad in February.

The Associated Press used the law to obtain records of dozens of firings by state agencies, cities and school districts. A Polk County officer allegedly submitted fraudulent expense forms seeking reimbursement for 2,200 miles that he didn’t drive. A Department of Revenue clerk was accused of having 400 work records buried in her desk that she claimed she had completed. And a Cedar Rapids paraeducator who worked with children with autism allegedly mistreated a student.