(Des Moines)– Iowa Workforce Development offices in Pocahontas, LeMars and Sheldon will be closing at the end of June due to a lack of funding.
They’re among 15 regional offices will be closed after the legislature approved a 5.8 million dollar budget for the agency…a million dollars less than the current year.
Workforce Development officials say they warned the legislature last month the offices will have to close if adequate funding wasn’t provided.
12 of the 15 offices that are closing are part-time satellites of larger offices. 54 regional offices, including the one in Spencer, will remain open.
Agency spokeswoman Kerry Koonce says there will be layoffs. However, Nancy Blair, Manager of Workforce Development offices in northern Iowa, says the move will force customers to travel to other counties for service.
Workforce Development offices help people search for jobs and file unemployment claims.
(Story from the Associated Press.).
