Clarification About Employee ID Cards & Employee Perks

As a follow up to a Connection article from this fall, it was communicated that all employees would receive a state ID card for the purpose of securing a state rate when traveling. After receipt of further information, the Agency will not be distributing state ID cards to all staff. Heartland employees are not technically State of Iowa employees but are instead public employees. We are in many cases eligible to receive “state” pricing on products and services with examples listed below.

• Many hotels/motels allow state rates for any public employee with proof of employment, which can be a business card. Most times the state rate is only allowable for business purposes not personal travel, but there are some exceptions.
• According to the Department of Administrative Services, Heartland employees are not eligible to access Perk Spot through the State of Iowa’s program.
• Apple offers a discount for staff as educators for personal purchases.

• Discounts for cell phones and computer software are offered for educators through the Iowa Educators Consortium. Visit the IEC website at www.iec-ia.org and go to the Student & Teacher Buys link to find information about these discounts.

Below is the Department of Administrative Services’ website that lists the hotels in Iowa that offer a state rate and identify if they offer that rate to political subdivisions (like Heartland), and if so, if the rate is available for personal use. A State of Iowa employee card is not needed. Usually only a business card is needed.

http://das.gse.iowa.gov/procurement/hotel_motel.html