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"Do Not Hire" List Under Scrutiny

Joyce Russell/IPR
State Sentors Matt McCoy and Janet Peterson before Senate Oversight Committee, August 2014

Democrats in the Iowa Senate fought back against the Branstad administration’s hiring and firing practices.

During weeks of testimony last year by the Senate Oversight committee, officials with the Iowa Department of Administrative Services  confirmed  the names of workers who are fired or who resign before termination are put on a list of those disqualified from future employment.  

But Des Moines Democrat Matt McCoy says workers aren’t told they’re on the list. 

“They only learned when they went to apply for another job,” McCoy says.  “So there's no due process for that employee. “

DAS attorney Karen Gregor says her agency is following guidance from the attorney general.   Under those rules, a worker is not disqualified until they seek another position.  

“Just to clarify I think there was due process,” Gregor says.   “But the due process was after the fact.

A three member panel heard testimony on a bill to mandate that workers be told upon dismissal their future employment is barred.    The DAS would also make sure workers know about how to appeal.

The bill will require the posting of all job openings in state government, even so-called at-will employees who can be let go at any time.