Idaho Industrial Commission seeks IRIS maintenance, staff and vehicle funding amid rising caseloads

The Idaho Industrial Commission asked the Joint Finance Preparation Committee on Jan. 23 for ongoing and one‑time funding to support its information systems, fill vacant positions and replace aging field vehicles.

Noah Peterson, budget and policy analyst for the Legislative Services Office, told lawmakers the commission’s FY2026 budget includes 10 enhancement requests that would add $298,200 in ongoing appropriations and $554,200 in one‑time funding, with no new authorized full‑time positions. Peterson noted the agency has 130.25 FTPs total and had 12 vacant positions as of August; the commission plans to use some of those vacant FTPs to fund requested roles.

Why it matters: The Industrial Commission administers workers’ compensation adjudication, a rehabilitation program for injured workers and the Crime Victims Compensation Program. Funding decisions affect how quickly injured workers and victims receive benefits and how promptly staff can process payments and compliance actions.

Most requested increases relate to staffing and IRIS support. The commission asked for a one‑time $288,000 contract to provide long‑term technical support for IRIS (the Industrial Commission Redesign Information System). Peterson said the original plan anticipated support from the Office of Information Technology Services, which is not currently available, and that the one‑time contract is intended to bridge that gap until ITS can provide ongoing support.

Agency officials said IRIS modernized paper‑based workflows and increased…