Reemployment Activities & Registering for Work: The Steps You're Required to Take Toward Your Next Career

In other sections below, you will find step-by-step instructions for using the Job Contact and Reemployment Activity Log (formerly known as the Work Search Log). For a visual walk-though of these steps, see the online video tutorial.

If you need additional assistance registering in IowaWORKS or entering activities in the log, contact your nearest IowaWORKS Center.  

Additional information about Iowa’s Work Search requirements also be found in Continued Eligibility and Unemployment Insurance: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).  Or, you may refer to the Unemployment Insurance Benefits Handbook or contact Customer Service at 866-239-0843.

Related: Learn more about Iowa’s Reemployment Case Management Program by visiting Reemployment Case Management FAQs and the Reemployment Services page.

IowaWORKS.gov is a powerful online job and career services system which offers the public a host of employment tools, including job listings, résumé assistance, labor market information, apprenticeships, training and educational programs, skills assessments, a virtual recruiter, and much more.  IowaWORKS also is where you must complete the steps that are required to maintain eligibility for unemployment benefits.

• Under Iowa law, you are required to register for work. You must register in IowaWORKS and maintain an active and searchable résumé to be considered registered for work. If you have not done so already, we recommend that you register in IowaWORKS using your Social Security Number (SSN) this week to avoid any delays in payment. 
• If you do not use your SSN to register, the system may not be able to find your information based on your name and other identifying information. If that happens, we may be unable to verify that you have registered for work, and benefits may be withheld until this requirement has been verified. No work registration will be considered valid if the claimant's IowaWORKS account does not include both a searchable résumé and a valid SSN.
• Go to the IowaWORKS sign in web page. Go to “Create a User Account,” under Option 2, select “Individual,” and follow the prompts. Once you have created an account, answer all mandatory questions (indicated with a red asterisk *).

Note: If a partial user account has already been created for you in the IowaWORKS system based on your initial application for UI benefits, you will see a red message reading: “We have identified an existing account in the system that matches your Social Security number. If you believe you made a data entry error, please re-enter your correct Social Security number. Otherwise, please click here to retrieve your existing credentials and sign-in.” 

You should follow the link to retrieve your existing credentials (User Name, Password, or both) and complete your registration.

Failure to complete the online application will result in denial of your unemployment benefits if you are required to look for work.

If you have already registered for work on www.iowaworks.gov and have created an employer-searchable résumé, then you have met this requirement and no further action is needed.

• There are 12 qualifying reemployment activities that can be used to satisfy the requirement that unemployment recipients actively search for work. Click on the link provided below for the full list of Iowa's valid reemployment activities.
• If selected to participate, you must complete the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) workshop and work with your Reemployment Case Management (RCM) case manager. During the RESEA appointment, you will work with a case manager to develop an individual reemployment plan. Completion of the RESEA workshop and/or meeting with your RCM case manager can be counted as one valid reemployment activity, but only for the week in which the activity is completed. 
• For more on RESEA and RCM, visit Reemployment Services and Reemployment Case Management FAQs. 

To maintain your eligibility for UI benefits, you must enter at least four valid reemployment activities (three of which must be job applications) in the Job Contact and Reemployment Activity Log in IowaWORKS. To access the log: 

• Log into IowaWORKS using your username and password. 
• After you log in, you will be in your dashboard. Scroll down to the Unemployment Services section and Select “Job Contact and Reemployment Activity Log.” 
• After selecting the Job Contact and Reemployment Activity Log link, you will have the option to: Enter or Review Your Job Contacts or Enter or Review Your Reemployment Activities. 
• You must enter any job contacts that you completed outside of IowaWORKS in the Job Contact and Reemployment Activity Log. To add a job contact, select the green “Enter or Review Your Reemployment Activities” button. 

NOTE: All job contacts and reemployment activities that you complete in IowaWORKS for a given claim certification week will automatically display in the log. If a completed job contact or reemployment activity is acceptable, a green check mark (✔) will display in the same row. The log will maintain a permanent record (which you can download) of your job contacts and valid reemployment activities.

From the Job Contact and Reemployment Activity Log (see the item above), enter a job contact by selecting the green Enter or Review Your Reemployment Activities button.

• On the next screen, select “Enter a Job Contact."
• You will be asked to provide information about the job contact, including: the employer; the employer’s address of record; the means of contact (email, IowaWORKS website, another website, fax, etc.); the name and title of the person you contacted, as well as an email address or phone number for the person you contacted; the job title for the position you are interested in; occupation; and your level of interest in the position, among other details. Fill in all required fields (indicated with a red asterisk *) and select “Save”. 
• If your job contact was saved properly, it will be displayed in the log. To add more job contacts, select “Enter a Job Contact” and repeat the process. 

• In the log, select the “Reemployment Activities” tab. 

• Select “Enter a Reemployment Activity." You will be taken to a screen where you will be able to enter the details of your reemployment activity. Choose an activity from the Activity Type dropdown menu.
• You will be asked to enter information about the activity, including an activity description, the date the activity was completed, and the name and title of a contact for the event. You may need to upload documentation to substantiate the activity. Enter all required information, select “Choose File” to upload any supporting documentation that proves that you completed the activity, and then select “Save.” 
• After you save your valid reemployment activity, it will display in the log. To enter another reemployment activity, select “Enter a Reemployment Activity” and repeat the process. 

• You will certify your activities in the Job Contact and Reemployment Activity Log by going to your dashboard, scrolling down to Unemployment Services, and selecting “Certify Your Job Contacts and Reemployment Activities.” 
• Select “Certify Your Reemployment Activities.” Any weeks that are available to be certified will be displayed. 
• Your job contact activities will be displayed. When all contacts for that week have been verified you will indicate “no” to the prompt for additional Job Contacts and select “Next." 
• Your Reemployment Activities will be displayed.  When all activities for that week have been entered and/or verified you will indicate “no” to the prompt for additional Reemployment Activities and select “Next.”

• It is your responsibility to (1) review your job contacts and reemployment activities and (2) check the box below the list to certify and submit your work search and reemployment activities. Select “Next” on the page to complete the process. 

• NOTE: Once you have attested to and certified your job contacts and reemployment activities, you will not be able to make changes or additions to the information submitted.

• NOTE: This is the first step of filing a weekly claim. After you certify your reemployment activities, you must log into the weekly claim filing system and file your weekly claim for benefits.  

There are 12 valid reemployment activities that can be used to satisfy the weekly active search for work requirement. Eight (8) activities are self-guided and can be completed by claimants on their own and four (4) can only be completed with staff assistance. Several activities can be completed through the IowaWORKS website and IowaWORKS Centers, while other activities can be completed outside of IowaWORKS.

See the full list of activities in the sections below. 

(Activities can be completed by claimants on their own.) 

1. Apply for a potential job opening by submitting a résumé or application through any of the following methods: 
   1. Online 
   2. In Person 
   3. Email 
   4. Fax/Mail 
2. Take a civil service exam. 
   1. Select ‘Proficiency Testing’ when entering this activity.
3. Veterans may submit a résumé to Home Base Iowa (HomeBaseIowa.gov). 
   1. Select ‘Workshop – Résumé’ when entering this activity. 
   2. NOTE: An individual can only count this activity on only one weekly claim during their benefit year.
4. Register with a placement facility of a school or college. 
   1. Select ‘Career Planning (CAP)’ when entering this activity.
   2. NOTE: An individual can only count this activity on only one weekly claim during their benefit year.
5. Interview for a job (virtually, in person or at a job fair).
   1. Select ‘Workshop – Interviewing’ when entering this activity. 
6. Attend any IowaWORKS workshop. 
   1. Select from this list of workshops when entering this activity: 
      1. Workshop - Résumé 
      2. Workshop - Job Search 
      3. Workshop - Financial Literacy 
      4. Workshop - Interviewing 
      5. Workshop - Employer Led 
      6. Workshop - Career Interest 
      7. Workshop - Digital Literacy 
      8. Workshop - Personal Growth 
      9. Workshop - Work Readiness 
      10. Workshop - Labor Market Information 
      11. Workshop - Unemployment Information 
      12. Workshop - Other 
      13. Workshop - Job Finding Club 
7. Attend job fair sponsored by IowaWORKS or partners (keep flyer or advertisement) 
   1. Select ‘Workshop – Employer Led’ when entering this activity 
8. Attend a scheduled career networking meeting with IowaWORKS office 
   1. Select ‘Workshop - Job Finding Club’ when entering this activity 

(Activities must be completed with staff assistance.) 

9. Create a reemployment plan (RESEA or other programs). 
   1. Develop Service Strategies (IEP/ISS/EDP) 
   2. RESEA Initial Assessment 
   3. SubRESEA Assessment 
   4. RCM Appointment 
10. Appointment with a Career Planner at a IowaWORKS office 
    1. Career Planning (CAP) 
11. Appointment with a core WIOA partner (Vocational Rehabilitation, Adult Basic Education, Wagner Peyser, Title I) 
    1. Career Planning (CAP) 
12. Mock Interview at IowaWORKS 
    1. Staff-Assisted Job Search and Placement (JSP) 

Please call 1-866-239-0843 if you have any immediate questions about work search requirements related to your specific circumstances.