Blog Archives - IAMU Informer

Municipal Utility Law 101 Workshop - November 3rd

9/30/2016

Presented by Ahlers & Cooney, P.C.

This one-day workshop will provide an overview of a wide range of important municipal utility related legal topics, and is designed for municipal utility personnel including general managers, superintendents, finance officers, and utility clerks. Opportunities will provided to ask questions in advance of the workshop and throughout the presentations.

Topics will include:

General municipal law
Utility financing
Utility rates and charges
Service territories
Billing and collections
Disconnections
City payments, franchise fees, PILOTs, and surplus transfers
IUB jurisdiction
Public purpose requirements
Ordinances and resolutions
Open meetings and open records
Public bidding and improvements
Employment law
Gift laws and public employee ethics

To register, please click here.

Cyber Liability

9/29/2016

Provided by Jester Insurance Services

In recent years there has been much publicity and conversation about the exposures that all enterprises have to an outside person hacking into their computer system. There has been considerable publicity given to very large such events, including Target and other retailers, and even the National Defense System at the Pentagon.

Many times people think this will never happen to them, but as one knowledgeable person in the field mentioned to me, “It’s not a question if you get hacked, it is a question of when”.
All exposures related to cyber-attacks can filter down to individual Municipal Utilities and Cities. For some time now we have offered coverage in this area as an option to IAMU members that they can buy as part of the IAMU Safety Group Program underwritten by EMC Insurance. We have talked about this at length in the IAMU seminars, explaining the various facets of this important coverage. Many IAMU members already have this coverage, but there are still a majority that do not at this point in time.

Open Position at IAMU - Communications Specialist

9/29/2016

IAMU currently has an opening for a communications specialist.

For more information, and to apply for this new opportunity, please click here.

22nd Annual Water/Wastewater Operator's Training Workshop

9/28/2016

Registration for the 22nd Annual Water & Wastewater Operator's Workshop is now open.

Click here for more information, and to register.

Labor and Employment Seminar - Tuesday, November 15

9/28/2016

Location
Hilton Garden Inn
205 S. 64th St., West Des Moines, IA 50266

Registration - 8:30 AM
Seminar - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Topics that will be covered:

ADA recent developments
FLSA overview and update
EEOC and Legislative update
OSHA complaints and investigations
Responding to employment litigation

Questions? Contact Lindsay Vaught at lvaught@ahlerslaw.com or telephone - (515) 243-7611.

To register, click here.

Client Alert: EEOC Releases Final Enforcement Guidance on Retaliation: Understanding the Most Frequently Alleged Discrimination Claims

9/28/2016

Provided by Ahlers & Cooney, P.C.

Understanding retaliation and implementing practices and procedures to address these claims is an important issue for employers. Allegations of retaliation are now the most frequently alleged civil rights claims, comprising nearly forty-five percent of all charges received by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

On August 29, 2016, the EEOC released its long awaited Enforcement Guidance on Retaliation and Related Issues (Guidance). The new Guidance replaces the section on retaliation contained in the EEOC's 1998 Compliance Manual and is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of retaliation in light of increased filings and key United States Supreme Court decisions.

The Guidance provides a detailed overview of the EEOC's position regarding retaliation, including numerous examples of potential scenarios. A summary of the Guidance is included below.

AttorneyConnect - Is It Time to Reexamine Policies on Pregnancy Accommodation?

9/28/2016

by Patrick D. Smith, Attorney with the law firm of Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave, P.C.

How to best accommodate pregnant employees is a frequent challenge Iowa employers face. Pregnant employees may be entitled to protection under the laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, as well as those laws requiring equal treatment based upon gender and disability. Many employers, including municipal employers, have tried to walk this fine line with policies that allow for accommodation of a temporary disability only if it is the result of an on‐the‐job injury. For non‐work related temporary disabilities (which presumably includes pregnancy almost all the time), no accommodation is offered.

The theory behind such policies is to treat similarly situated employees equally, regardless of gender or the nature of the temporary disability. The distinction is drawn between work and non‐work causes of the temporary disability. The rationale for treating on‐the‐job injuries differently is that the workers’ compensation law provides an incentive to return injured workers to work as soon as possible, so as to avoid paying benefits for temporary total disability.

Apply for Targeted Technical Assistance with Smart Growth Development

9/22/2016

From EPA’s Greenstream, 9/16/2016

“EPA’s Office of Sustainable Communities invites communities to apply for targeted technical assistance to help overcome barriers to implementing smart growth development approaches. Communities can choose from tools to help them make development more equitable, attract infill development, assess policies in small towns and rural areas, improve resilience to floods, or promote streets that are safe for all users and provide environmental benefits.

The Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program provides quick, targeted technical assistance to selected communities using a variety of tools that have demonstrated results and widespread application. EPA delivers the assistance using teams of experts who conduct one- to two-day workshops in the selected communities. After the workshop, the community gets a next-steps memo with specific actions it can take if it chooses to implement the ideas generated in the workshop.

SRF Eligibility Handbooks Now Available

9/22/2016

From Patti Cale-Finnegan, DNR’s SRF Coordinator, patti.cale-finnegan@dnr.iowa.gov

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released handbooks covering what is and what isn't eligible for the Drinking Water SRF and the Clean Water SRF.

Drinking Water SRF Eligibility Handbook
This statement in the handbook sums up the purpose of the DWSRF: “The principal objective of the DWSRF is to facilitate compliance with national primary drinking water regulations or otherwise significantly advance the public health protection objectives of the Safe Drinking Water Act.”

Clean Water SRF Eligibility White Paper
This statement from the white paper sums up the balance between federal rules and state innovation in the CWSRF:   “The 51 state programs have the flexibility to direct funding to their particular environmental needs. In addition, each state program may have its own statutes, rules, and regulations that guide project eligibilities. This paper represents a set of examples of what may be eligible at the national level. Within these parameters, each state program will determine what projects and borrowers are eligible to receive assistance.”

Save the Date - Municipal Utility Law 101 Workshop - November 3rd

9/21/2016

Save the date for a Municipal Utility Law 101 Workshop on November 3rd!

This one-day workshop will provide an overview of a wide range of important municipal utility related legal topics, and is designed for municipal utility personnel including general managers, superintendents, finance officers, and even private attorneys looking for a municipal utility primer. Opportunities will provided to ask questions in advance of the workshop and throughout the presentations.

Topics will include:

General municipal law
Utility financing
Utility rates and charges
Service territories
Billing and collections
Disconnections
City payments, franchise fees, PILOTs, and surplus transfers
IUB jurisdiction
Public purpose requirements
Ordinances and resolutions
Open meetings and open records
Public bidding and improvements
Employment law
Gift laws and public employee ethics

Registration and more details coming soon!