Iowa IT layoffs affect more than 200 state workers
Iowa IT layoffs affect more than 200 state workers
Publish Date: 2026-06-10 15:22:00
Source Domain: www.kcci.com
More than 200 Iowa state information technology employees are losing their jobs after Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Tuesday that the state will outsource much of its technology infrastructure and operations to Amazon Web Services and Cognizant Government Solutions.According to the governor’s office, the state will move the executive branch’s data from state-operated servers to Amazon Web Services’ cloud platform. Cognizant Government Solutions will assume responsibility for many day-to-day IT operations, including managing servers and networks, providing on-site technical support and handling employee IT support requests.The Reynolds administration says the transition will save taxpayers more than $525 million over the next decade.”In 2022, I directed the first comprehensive review of state government in 40 years, and since then, my administration has been focused on continuously improving government efficiency and effectiveness,” Reynolds said in a news release. “One of the most important strategic initiatives we’ve undertaken since was the consolidation and centralization of all IT resources across state government.”State officials said approximately 200 employees currently providing IT operations services will receive employment offers from Cognizant Government Solutions.For employees like Ryan Klaers, the announcement was surprising, but not unforeseen.”I’m in, like, a state of shock,” Klaers said. “I saw the writing on the wall, like, back in 2023, when realignment started with the Department of Management.” Klaers is one of more than 200 employees in Iowa’s Division of Information Technology whose state employment will end July 31 as part of the transition. Retirement benefits lostKlaers said one of the primary reasons he joined state government was the retirement and benefits package offered through public employment.”There were numerous other job opportunities that came to me that I did apply for and go through and did turn down because of, at the…
