Worksharing Agreements with Local Commissions


On July 1, 1993, in an effort to improve complaint processing and to reduce burgeoning case inventories, the Commission began contracting with city and county human rights commissions throughout Iowa. Under the contracts, the Iowa Commission and a number of local commissions agreed to share certain case processing and staff training responsibilities. The Conunission agreed to partially compensate local commissions for completed case work, $30 per satisfactory resolution and $10 per accepted intake. Ile Commission also agreed to provide commissioner and staff training, as requested.

During FY 94, 12 of the 22 local commissions signed cooperative "worksharing" agreements:

Mason City Human Rights Conunission
Grinnell Human Rights Commission
Ames Human Relations Commission
Iowa City Human Rights Conmiission
Fort Madison Human Rights Commission
Burlington Human Rights Commission
Dubuque Human Rights Commission
Ottumwa Human Rights Commission
Cedar Falls Civil Rights Commission
Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission
Sioux City Human Rights Commission
Council Bluffs Human Relations Commission

For FY 95, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission expects even greater participation. Several other local commissions have expressed interest in contracting, including the Waterloo Commission on Human Rights and the Davenport Civil Rights Commission.

The agreements have worked to significantly reduce inventories. Before the contracts, local commissions had more than 700 cases in their inventories. At the end of the fiscal year, that number was 581. 'Me agreements have also strengthened relationships and improved communications among the locals and the State, which makes for more efficient and effective case processing.