(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Workforce Development is shutting down its system for filing unemployment claims tonight (Tuesday) as they move to upgrade it. I-W-D spokesperson Jesse Dougherty says they are merging the system with the IowaWorks.com system, where you go to get training or find a new job. “That means for Iowans on a daily basis, if they’re filing for unemployment or employers who are working in the unemployment system, they’re going to be operating from one central location. That’s something we’ve never been able to do before,” he says.

Dougherty says the system will be shut down for one week to make the change. “We’re going to convert all of the information and securely transfer all of the data over from one system to the other. An unemployment system as complicated as it is, is not something you can do with a flip of a switch,” Dougherty says. He says they’ve been letting everyone know about the changeover, and most have probably already filed for this week.

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“Most people on unemployment are going to file their weekly claim on a Sunday or Monday, that’s the start of the benefit week. And we expect that to happen again this week. But for any claimants who did not have the chance to file or are new to unemployment. They can immediately file as soon as the new system goes live. On June 3rd,” he says. Dougherty says they are making the switch now to try and minimize the impact.

“Late May and early June are typically the lowest times historically of claims that are filed. We wouldn’t make such a change, you know, during the winter months when you have temporary layoffs. and a higher volume of claims, we want to do that in the time with the minimal impact,” he says. “And so that’s why we’re looking to make this change and have this transition during a June time period,” Dougherty says they had originally started the process for the changeover in 2019, but the pandemic then caused it to be delayed. He says the new system should be a lot simpler for everyone.