Labor & Employment

signed · Iowa · Senate May 19, 2026

SF 472: A bill for an act relating to retention and recertification elections for public employee collective bargaining units and including effective date and applicability provisions.

SF 472 establishes new procedures for retention and recertification elections for public employee collective bargaining units, affecting public employers and their employees. It requires the employment appeal board to issue a notice before an election and mandates public employers to submit a list of eligible employees within ten days. The bill makes it unlawful for public employers to fail to provide this list and requires the board to publicly identify those who have not complied. Iowa residents are authorized to petition district courts to compel non-compliant public employers to submit the required employee lists. The board must also extend election timelines as needed to resolve any legal challenges related to list submission.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates public employers to provide eligible employee lists for union elections, facilitating collective bargaining processes and preventing obstruction of worker organizing.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Public Employees

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 14, 2025

HF 18: A bill for an act establishing a diminished salary offset for unemployment benefits.

This bill (HF 18) changes Iowa's unemployment benefits system for workers who accept part-time or lower-paying jobs before their benefits run out. If someone takes a job paying less weekly than their unemployment benefit amount, they can receive the difference between their job pay and their benefit amount. Benefits continue until the total earnings from the job plus the received benefits equal the maximum yearly benefit amount. This directly affects unemployed Iowans who accept lower-wage employment during their benefit year.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands unemployment benefits by allowing workers to receive the difference between part-time pay and benefits, maintaining income support during job transitions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Minimum Wage Unemployment

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 23, 2025

SF 101: A bill for an act increasing the state minimum hourly wage and providing for subsequent increases by the same percentage as the increase in federal social security benefits.

SF 101 increases Iowa's state minimum hourly wage to $15.00 for most workers starting July 1, 2025, and sets a separate $14.10 minimum for new employees during their first 90 days of employment. The bill automatically raises both wage rates annually on July 1 beginning in 2026, using the same percentage as federal Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. It ensures the minimum wage never decreases and applies to all employers covered by Iowa's wage laws.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases state minimum wage to $15/hour with automatic COLA adjustments, ensuring never decreases - directly strengthens wage protections for workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 30, 2025

SF 157: A bill for an act relating to the maximum amount of unemployment benefits payable during a benefit year.

SF 157 changes Iowa's unemployment benefit calculation by increasing the maximum benefit amount from 16 to 26 times an individual's weekly benefit amount during a benefit year. This directly affects unemployed Iowans who qualify for benefits, as it allows them to receive more total benefits before reaching the cap. The bill also includes a special provision: workers laid off due to an employer closing their facility get the 26x maximum benefit, even if it exceeds their wage credits. Current law limits benefits to 16x the weekly amount, but this bill expands that limit. The change applies to all eligible individuals, with the exception for business closures triggering the higher cap.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases maximum unemployment benefits from 16x to 26x weekly amount, expanding financial support for unemployed workers during benefit year.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 30, 2025

SF 134: A bill for an act requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees based on pregnancy or childbirth and providing civil penalties.

SF 134 requires Iowa employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, upon request supported by a healthcare provider's advice. These accommodations include modifications like accessible workspaces, equipment adjustments, job restructuring, or flexible schedules, but cannot impose undue hardship on the employer. Employers violating this requirement face civil penalties of up to $750, with enforcement handled by the Iowa Office of Civil Rights through inspections and interviews. The bill specifies that compliance with these standards cannot be altered through collective bargaining agreements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires employer accommodations for pregnancy-related medical conditions with healthcare provider input, protecting employee health access and rights under healthcare-related labor policy.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates pregnancy accommodations, protects workers' rights, imposes civil penalties for violations - directly advances labor protections under pregnancy-related workplace standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 30, 2025

SF 155: A bill for an act prohibiting employers and employment agencies from seeking the criminal record or criminal history from applicants for employment under certain circumstances, establishing a criminal history employment application task force, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.

SF 155 prohibits Iowa employers and employment agencies from asking about an applicant's criminal record before making a conditional job offer. Exceptions apply for positions requiring specific bonds (e.g., due to state/federal law), home-based care roles, or personal services within a residence. The bill creates a task force to study criminal history employment practices and imposes penalties: a written warning for first violations, followed by fines for repeated breaches. It directly affects businesses hiring in Iowa and aims to reduce barriers for job seekers with criminal records.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves employment barriers for individuals with criminal records, a core criminal justice reform measure to reduce recidivism and promote reintegration.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits employer criminal record inquiries pre-offer, protecting applicants' rights and reducing employment barriers under Labor & Employment topic.92% confidence

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 30, 2025

SF 147: A bill for an act relating to wage payment collection issues arising between employers and employees, providing penalties and remedies, and including effective date provisions.

SF 147 strengthens wage payment protections for Iowa employees by requiring employers to prove deductions are lawful and obtain written employee authorization for them. It mandates clear written notices about pay schedules, wage calculation methods, and changes affecting pay, plus detailed pay statements showing hours worked, sales, or miles earned. Employers face penalties for non-payment, including liquidated damages and attorney fees, while prohibiting retaliation against employees who file complaints or cooperate in investigations. The bill directly affects all Iowa employers and their workers by clarifying wage transparency and enforcement mechanisms.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires lawful deductions, written authorization, detailed pay statements, penalties for non-payment, and prohibits retaliation - directly strengthens worker wage protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HSB 114: A bill for an act relating to unemployment insurance taxes on employers.

This Iowa bill (HSB 114) modifies unemployment insurance tax calculations for employers. It reduces the percentage used to calculate taxable wages from 66.66% to 33.33% of the statewide average weekly wage, simplifies reciprocal wage rules with other states, and adjusts contribution rate tiers based on employer benefit ratios. Employers will pay lower taxes under the revised rate tables, with savings required to be used for employee salaries, benefits, or seasonal unemployment alternatives. The changes directly affect all Iowa employers contributing to the state's unemployment fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReduces employer unemployment tax rates, providing direct tax relief and mandating savings use for employee benefits, aligning with tax relief indicators.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill reduces employer taxes but mandates savings be used for employee salaries/benefits, directly advancing worker compensation through required spending.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HF 185: A bill for an act requiring the consideration of project labor agreements for certain state construction projects.

HF 185 requires Iowa state agencies to consider using project labor agreements (PLAs) for large-scale public construction projects costing $25 million or more. A PLA is a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement between the project owner and labor organizations that sets working conditions and prevents disruptions. State agencies may require a PLA for such projects only if they determine it advances the state’s interest, weighing factors like project urgency, labor disruption risk, safety, and cost efficiency. The bill does not mandate PLAs but ensures any required agreement must include dispute resolution, safety standards, and allow all contractors to compete fairly. It directly affects state agencies managing major construction projects and contractors working on those projects.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires consideration of project labor agreements (PLAs), a collective bargaining mechanism, to set working conditions and prevent disruptions, advancing labor rights and collective bargaining in construction.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HF 184: A bill for an act relating to civil liability for employers of minors.

HF 184 creates strict liability for employers who hire minors in Iowa. It requires employers to pay for any injury or death a minor employee suffers while working, without needing to prove the employer was negligent. This law directly affects businesses employing minors, such as retail or agricultural employers, by shifting the legal burden to them for workplace harm. The bill overrides previous rules (section 92.24) to ensure minors can seek compensation for work-related injuries or deaths.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates strict liability for minor workplace injuries, ensuring compensation without proving negligence, strengthening minor worker safety protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards

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