NEW REPORT: Iowa Layoffs Hit One-Year High in June As Iowa’s Workforce Crisis Worsens

DES MOINES, IA – A new report from The Des Moines Register highlights Iowa’s worsening workforce crisis as the state hit a one-year high for layoffs in June. According to data from the state, over 12,000 Iowans have been laid off in the past year, underscoring the broader impact on workers, businesses, and communities across the state.

Most of the layoffs came from the manufacturing industry, with Whirlpool Corporation leading the cuts with more layoffs at its Amana plant. In March, Rob held a roundtable and rallied with workers impacted by these layoffs. The layoffs also included 192 IT workers from the Iowa Department of Management after Governor Reynolds privatized the department, shipping Iowa jobs out of state.

“A decade of one-party control has left our families, our businesses, and our communities far behind while insiders and special interests continue to pick our pockets,” said nominee for governor Rob Sand. “Rather than doubling down on another four years of the failed status quo, we need to change the direction of our state. That means fighting for and protecting good-paying jobs, investing in our state’s economy, and making sure companies want to grow here and Iowans want to stay here.”

This report comes on the heels of last month’s data from the Trump Administration’s Bureau of Economic Analysis that Iowa currently ranks 48th for economic growth in the first quarter of 2026.