Winneshiek County Laborshed Survey will be started sooner than first predicted

Early in June, decorahnews.com spoke with a staffer at Iowa Workforce Development who said a labor workforce survey would be done in Winneshiek County some time in the next year--probably in the fall or spring (https://www.decorahnews.com/news-stories/2018/06/19502.html).

But now comes word that the workforce survey will begin much sooner--starting next Monday.  Winneshiek County Development is announcing that it will be sending letters to employers asking that they provide information about their employees' residential ZIP codes. The information will allow Iowa Workforce Development to determine where Winneshiek county's workforce lives.
 
Once the area of Winneshiek County's laborshed is determined, a confidential telephone survey will be conducted to collect workforce information specific to the area.  The survey calls will originate out of Cedar Rapids, therefore the incoming number will have the "319" area code.  Text messages might be set from an "888" number as well, alerting poeple to expect a survey call.

Survey questions will cover topics such as: employment status, current and desired wages, current and desired benefits, education level, and type of occupation among other things. However, Iowa Workforce Development will not be asking survey takers identifiable information such as name, social security number, or date of birth.
 
Participation in this study will help economic development efforts and support both current and potential employers in the area.
 
The results of the Winneshiek County Laborshed Study will be publicly available online at www.iowalmi.gov/laborshed. 

If you have any questions about the Laborshed project, please contact Winneshiek County Development Director Stephanie Fromm at (563) 382-6061 or Iowa Workforce Development Labor Market Research Economist Katie Lippold at (515) 281-3035.