Iowa
Univ. of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to pay $15 million in lawsuit from nurses claiming they were not paid overtime correctly
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – On Wednesday, a judge granted approval to a settlement that would see the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) Board of Regents pay current and former employees over the timing of their paychecks.
Before 2020, UIHC used to have a system in which employees would get their base pay for one month on the first day of the following month. Overtime and other adjustments were paid the month after that. (For example, on December 1st, an employee was paid their November salary and overtime adjustments from back in October.)
However, State law requires employers to pay wages within 12 days of the payday in which the wages were earned. Court documents show that UIHC tried to argue that documents employees signed when they were hired allowed for the timing of people’s pay to be changed.
A judge determined on March 29th, 2022 that the Hospital was in the wrong and would have to pay approximately 8,000 current and former employees over the timing of the paychecks. However, the exact figure the Hospital would have to pay wasn’t determined until Wednesday, when it was announced that UIHC and the nurses’ group proposed a class and collective action settlement that would have the hospital pay $15,000,000. The judge granted that motion.
Copyright 2023 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Iowa
Iowa takes care of Toledo, improves to 3-0
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa women’s basketball team took care of Toledo Wednesday night winning 94-57. The Hawkeyes improve to 3-0 on the season.
Sydney Affolter returned to the starting lineup. Iowa’s defense dominated the Rockets only allowing 21 points in the first half.
Hannah Stuelke led the Hawkeyes with 17 points and 9 rebounds. Taylor McCabe and Lucy Olsen followed scoring 14 points. McCabe had 4 three-pointers against the Rockets which was a team-high.
The Hawkeyes will hit the road on Sunday to face in-state rival Drake at 2 P.M.
Copyright 2024 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Iowa
Iowa State Fair boots Steer N’ Stein operators after failure to pay fair, workers, vendors
Passengers on Iowa State Fair Sky Glider rain money to passersby
People riding the Iowa State Fair Sky Glider Sunday, August 15 sent money raining down to people walking through the Fairgrounds.
Stephanie Rayburn, Provided to the Register
One of the most profitable beer and food concessions at the Iowa State Fair is up for grabs in 2025 after the fair board decided Wednesday to discontinue a contract with its operators, a prominent Des Moines couple who failed to pay employees, vendors and a portion of concession fees after this year’s fair.
Fair CEO Jeremy Parsons said fair staff will be preparing a request for proposals for those interested in operating Steer N’ Stein, which occupies a large stand across from the administration building on the fairgrounds. It recorded more than $1.28 million in sales at this year’s fair, which ran from Aug. 3-13.
Parsons said the decision to end the annual contract with former Adventureland Resort CEO Michael Krantz and his wife Kimberly came after fair staff decided the pair failed to meet contractual obligations and operations standards as concessionaires, including maintaining good business practices.
The fair sent a letter Nov. 7 to Michael Krantz, forbidding the removal of any personal items from the fair-owned Steer N’ Stein building until the fair receives $102,000 in concession fees still due from the 2024 fair.
Parsons said in an interview after Wednesday’s fair board meeting that fair staff also would be re-examining bylaws and policies in the coming year to try to avoid similar problems with future concessionaires. Changes, he said, are likely “as the fair grows in popularity, and as food and beverage sales become more important, and money is involved.”
Steer N’ Stein operators face accusations of nonpayment
To date, the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals has received at least 14 wage claims from Steer N’ Stein employees who said they didn’t get paid, didn’t receive correct tips, or had paychecks bounce.
Steer N’ Stein reported to fair officials that it experienced an almost 5% decrease in sales this year, though the fair had record attendance. The 2024 fair drew almost 1.183 million people, 4% more than the 1.134 million it drew in 2023.
The Krantzes also are accused in a Polk County civil lawsuit of owing another $218,582 to a local business that provided them services leading up to the fair. Parsons said at least one other Steer N’ Stein contractor also has complained of not getting paid.
Michael Krantz did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. He has given several reasons for the couple’s failure to pay debts since Watchdog in an Oct. 23 column reported the wage theft allegations.
He initially said in a statement the payment failures were “beyond our control,” caused by technical flaws in his company’s payment processing system. Later, he said it had temporary cash flow problems resulting from a change in how the fair collects funds from vendors.
Spokeswoman Mindy Williamson said the fair this year gave vendors the option of paying their concession fees online using automated clearing house money transfers. The limit for automated transfers was $100,000 per day, but other forms of payment were acceptable.
In a statement last week through a law firm representing him, Krantz said he was “working diligently and quickly to assure that anyone owed money from this year’s State Fair is paid,” adding that “all outstanding obligations will be resolved very soon.”
Krantzes are former owners of Adventureland; face lawsuit in child’s death there
The Krantz family is the former owner of Adventureland, the Altoona amusement park started 50 years ago by Michael Krantz’s father, Jack. It was sold in December 2021 following fatal injury the previous July of an 11-year-old boy in an accident on the park’s Raging River Ride. The Krantzes have faced large legal bills — and potential liability — tied to a $100 million wrongful death lawsuit stemming Michael Jaramillo’s death and severe injuries to his older brother, David.
The Krantzes had been big donors to the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation, contributing more than $182,700 as patrons or bidders in silent auctions since June 2022. But according to the fair, they also have not paid an invoice for a $5,000 sponsorship table at this year’s Corndog Kickoff, a fundraiser for fairgrounds renovations.
Steer N’ Stein, which serves beer, breakfast and burgers, has been a mainstay at the fair for 53 years. It was rebuilt after burning down in 1999, when it was under the management of longtime operator George Kranovich.
Lee Rood’s Reader’s Watchdog column helps Iowans get answers and accountability from public officials, the justice system, businesses and nonprofits. Reach her at lrood@registermedia.com, at 515-284-8549, on Twitter at @leerood or on Facebook at Facebook.com/readerswatchdog.
Iowa
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