Policies

Accessibility Statement

The Iowa.gov Platform was designed to reduce barriers to content for visitors with disabilities by implementing requirements that allow an inclusive, accessible online experience for users with assistive technology.

Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology, Federal employees with disabilities have access and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.

Although not required by regulation or law, the Department of Management, Division of Information Technology seeks to bring State of Iowa Web-sites into basic compliance with Section 508 code. To achieve compliance with the Section 508 Standard, you need to adhere to Paragraphs A thru P of Section (1194.22).

Contact information

If any file format prevents you from accessing the information, please contact us for assistance. In order to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please note the nature of your accessibility concern, the format in which you prefer to receive the material, the webpage address of the requested material, and the best way to contact you.  Our email address is IowaFeedback@iowa.gov.

We also welcome your questions about this accessibility statement and comments on how to improve the site's accessibility.  

Copyright Policy

If you believe that any material contained on the Iowa.gov site (the "Site") or associated State of Iowa sites infringes your copyright or other intellectual property rights, you may notify the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) of your copyright infringement claim in accordance the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and/or other applicable intellectual property laws. Send any such notices to this Site's Designated Agent:

By mail:

Department of Management
Division of Information Technology
c/o Matt Behrens
200 E. Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA  50309

By phone:

(515) 281-5503

By fax:

(515) 281-6137 - Attention: CIO

By email:

CIO@iowa.gov

For DMCA notifications under 17 U.S.C. 512(c)(3), please include the detail required in subsection (c)(3).

Privacy Statement and Policy

Information Collected By Use of This Site

Iowa government sites use Google Analytics to capture information about the effectiveness of its websites. When users visit a Iowa.gov website, the service may collect some or all of the following information:

• The names of domains and pages that you visit on our websites;
• IP addresses, which are a series of numbers that identifies a computer or device when using the Internet;
• The type of browser and operating system used to access the site;
• The Internet address of the website from which users linked directly to the site;
• The search terms used to get to the website, in addition to search terms used in the site’s search engine;
• The dates and times users access the site;
• The type of device used to access the site;
• How often users visit the site;
• The pages users visit within the site; and
• The links made to other websites through this site.
   

When we collect data on what people are searching for we can determine what type of content to make available on the websites, or make the most popular search terms more easily findable on sites.

For site security purposes, the servers housing these sites use programs to monitor network traffic. You consent to the monitoring of your use by these programs and the analysis of traffic to recognize possible security risks to State of Iowa information systems.

Session Recording Information

We may use session recording software on our websites.  This software enables us to record visitors' use, interaction, and engagement with State of Iowa websites.  This software may capture your input, such as mouse and keyboard inputs and mobile gestures, and user views, such as browser or screen output.  We use this software to help us improve your website experience.  By using the Iowa government website, you consent to our use of session recording software.

If, during your visit to a Iowa.gov website, you voluntarily provide personally identifiable information through a form, we will collect such information. Examples of personally identifiable information may include:

• Your name, address, or phone number;
• An email address if you are communicating to us through email;
• Information you voluntarily submit to the State of Iowa for the purposes of completing or submitting an application or form online;
• Other information volunteered, such as vendor profile/contact information, survey information or content.

The information collected is not limited to text and may include audio, video and other graphic formats you send us. Information is retained and used in accordance with existing laws, rules, regulations, and other policies.

Depending on the specific service or transaction, the State of Iowa may share personally identifiable information among its agencies to provide such service or complete a transaction for you.

Public Disclosure

As a general rule, we will not disclose any personally identifiable information collected online to entities outside of State of Iowa departments and agencies except where you have given us permission, or where the information is public information under the Iowa Open Records law, or other applicable laws. Visitors should be aware that information collected through an Iowa.gov website may be subject to examination and inspection, if such information is a public record or not otherwise protected from disclosure.

The information that is available from governmental websites is subject to these principles and policies:

• Access to personally identifiable information in public records at state and local levels of government in Iowa is controlled primarily by Iowa Code Chapter 22. Information generally available under Chapter 22—and not made confidential elsewhere in the Iowa Code—may be posted for electronic access.
• Persons concerned with information about them should contact the custodian of the record— typically the state agency or other governmental entity that collects and maintains the information.
• The information collected will likely be comprised of only the information necessary for the State to provide information or services sought by a requester, just as a person might provide such information when visiting a governmental office in person.
• The information collected is subject to the same controls and uses as that collected by governmental offices visited in person, again subject to the access and confidentiality provisions of chapter 22, or to other applicable provisions of law. You do not have to provide personal information to visit the websites or download information. No marketing databases are created nor are any commercial uses made of any such data. Government agencies may request personally identifiable information from you in order to provide requested services, but such information is handled as it would be on an in-person visit to a government office.
• Various other websites may be linked through this site. Private sector sites are not subject to chapter 22. Visitors to those sites may wish to check privacy statements of these external websites and be cautious about providing personally identifiable information.

Links to Other Sites/Disclaimer

When you follow a link to one of these sites neither the State of Iowa, nor any agency, officer, or employee of the State warrants the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information published by the external sites, nor endorses any content, viewpoints, products, or services linked from these systems, and cannot be held liable for any losses caused by use of or reliance on the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of the information. Any person or entity that relies on any information obtained from these systems does so at his or her own risk.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

Any claim, cause of action, or dispute you have with us arising out of or relating to your use of this site or any State of Iowa website policies shall be governed in all respects by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Iowa, without regard to conflict of law provisions.

Modification and Discontinuance

The State reserves the right to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, this site (or any portion thereof) without notice for any reason or no reason whatsoever at any time. The State also reserves the right to modify or remove any information from this site without notice to you at any time. The State shall not be liable to you or any third party for any of the foregoing actions.

Waivers

Except as specifically provided for in a waiver signed by duly authorized representatives of the State of Iowa, failure by the State at any time to claim a breach of any provision of this policy shall not be construed as affecting any right of the State to require compliance with this policy, or declare a breach of this policy.

Additional Terms and Requirements

Communications with the State or its employees through this site do not constitute legal or official notice to the State, comment on an agency rule, exhaustion of administrative remedies, final agency action, or a request for public records under open records laws.

The State reserves the right to modify these terms at any time without notice to you. Any modifications to this policy will be binding on you when posted online. 

Warranties

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THIS WEBSITE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. THE STATE OF IOWA ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THIS PUBLICATION OR OTHER DOCUMENTS WHICH ARE REFERENCED BY OR LINKED TO THIS PUBLICATION. REFERENCES TO CORPORATIONS, THEIR SERVICES AND PRODUCTS, ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE STATE OF IOWA BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THOSE RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER OR NOT ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE, AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS INFORMATION. THIS PUBLICATION COULD INCLUDE TECHNICAL OR OTHER INACCURACIES OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. CHANGES ARE PERIODICALLY ADDED TO THE INFORMATION HEREIN; THESE CHANGES WILL BE INCORPORATED IN NEW EDITIONS OF This PUBLICATION.THE STATE OF IOWA MAY MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AND/OR CHANGES IN THE PRODUCT(S) AND/OR THE PROGRAM(S) DESCRIBED IN THIS PUBLICATION AT ANY TIME.

Emails from the State of Iowa Requesting Personal Information

"Phishing" is a form of online identity theft that tries to steal personal identity data and financial account credentials. Scam artists phish for victims by sending out email messages pretending to be from banks, stores or government agencies. These emails lead individuals to counterfeit websites designed to trick them into divulging sensitive data. Phishing attempts ask individuals for information such as: bank account numbers; credit card information; passwords and PINs; social security numbers; dates of birth; and other personal information.

The State of Iowa never requests personal information, like credit card numbers, social security numbers or passwords, via email. Anyone who receives an e-mail message that appears to be from the State of Iowa and asks for confidential or sensitive information should consider it to be fraudulent and should not follow the instructions in the e-mail.

If you receive an unsolicited e-mail that appears to come from the State of Iowa that asks for personal information, please notify the State of Iowa's Information Security Office (soc@iowa.gov or 515-281-4820) immediately.

You may also file a formal complaint concerning fraudulent e-mail with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) at www.ic3.gov. The IFCC is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National White Collar Crime Center.

Non-discrimination and Accommodation Policy

It is the goal of the State of Iowa to achieve and maintain a diverse workforce in state government, which includes employees with differences in age, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion or disability. Iowa Code section 19B.2 provides that it is the policy of this state to provide equal opportunity in employment to all persons, and to apply affirmative action measures to correct deficiencies in the state employment system, where those remedies are appropriate.

Federal and state laws prohibit employment and/or public accommodation discrimination on the bases of age, color, creed, disability, gender identity, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran’s status. If you believe you have been discriminated against, please contact the Iowa Civil Rights Commission at (800) 457-4416 or the Agency's affirmative action officer.

If you need accommodations because of a disability to access the Agency's services, contact the Agency's affirmative action officer.

Social Media Policies

Social Media Terms of Use and Comment Policy

State of Iowa departments and agencies use social media to present matters of public interest to the citizens of Iowa and to enhance communication between the public and the State. Social Media Sites are for informational purposes only. Please visit our website for official information, https://iowa.gov.

We strive to foster engaging, productive conversations. To that end, we encourage you to submit questions and comments. We also encourage you to submit photos and videos to showcase what is happening between the public and the State. However, please note that visitors are responsible for what they post on this site. Any views or opinions expressed in visitor-posted content reflects the views of the comment’s author and are not the official views of the State of Iowa.

We will try to respond to questions on this site as frequently as possible. However, we cannot promise we will respond to any or all questions posted on this site. To ensure your question, comment, or concern is addressed please contact us at IowaFeedback@iowa.gov.

We monitor all comments and content visitors post on social-media sites to ensure all content is constructive and suitable for all viewers, while respecting a range of opinions and points of view. Social media is a 24/7 medium. However, we cannot monitor comments 24/7. Moderation will take place during the State’s normal business hours. We reserve the right to remove any comments or content that fail to comply with our Personal Conduct policy, below. We also reserve the right to suspend comment privileges of anyone who violates these rules.

When the State follows or “friends” persons or organizations, it is not an endorsement by the State of Iowa, but instead is intended to facilitate communication between the State and the person or organization. Additionally, some links on this site may lead to external resources. These links should not be interpreted as an endorsement by the State of Iowa of these sites or their content, viewpoint, accuracy, opinions, policies, products, services, or accessibility.

Please note that social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) may be governed by their own internal policies. In addition to the State’s policies, these policies may also apply to your use of this site.

Personal Conduct.

We reserve the right to delete a comment or other content if:

1. It is not topically related to the content being commented on;
2. It is obscene;
3. It visually depicts sexual conduct by children;
4. It is directed to incite or produce imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action;
5. A reasonable person, familiar with the context, would interpret the content as a serious expression of an intention to inflict bodily harm;
6. It contains a commercial message that is either misleading or relates to unlawful activity;
7. It compromises the safety or security of the public or public systems;
8. It contains private personal information or private medical information of any person, such as social-security numbers, phone numbers, or home addresses;
9. It infringes on any copyright or other legal ownership interest of any other party;
10. It is comprised of malicious code that contains a virus, worm, defect, trojan horse or any other item of a destructive nature that may interfere or disrupt the State of Iowa’s technology services, servers, computer systems or networks.

Privacy and Public Records.

Please note that all content posted to this site is public information and available to everyone. If you post any personal content, you do so at your own risk.