Labor & Employment (Collective Bargaining) in Iowa

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SF 2041: A bill for an act providing for payroll deduction for membership dues to an employee organization under public employee collective bargaining, and including applicability provisions.

This bill requires public employers in Iowa to negotiate whether to allow payroll deductions for union membership dues as part of collective bargaining agreements. It directly affects state employees who are union members and their public employers. The bill establishes that such deductions continue for one year or until the collective bargaining agreement expires, unless an employee transfers to a different position or becomes a management employee. Employees can terminate deductions with 30 days' written notice, and the law applies to bargaining under Chapter 20 starting from its effective date.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Public Employees

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SF 2009: A bill for an act relating to certain employees of the department of corrections, including collective bargaining, health insurance for a surviving spouse and children of certain employees of the department, and certain operational and employment matters involving the department, and including applicability provisions.

SF 2009 affects nonsupervisory Iowa Department of Corrections employees with ongoing direct contact with inmates. It designates these workers as "public safety employees" for collective bargaining under state law, requiring the state to cover full health insurance costs for surviving spouses and children. The bill mandates new training in de-escalation techniques, uniform safety practices at correctional facilities, and paid leave (5-90 days) for employees experiencing trauma or hostage situations. It also prohibits the department from offering contractors better pay or benefits than comparable state employees performing similar work.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Insurance Collective Bargaining Paid Leave

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SSB 3014: A bill for an act relating to the use of artificial intelligence systems and related software by state agencies for employment and other purposes.

This Iowa bill (SSB 3014) requires state agencies to track and report on artificial intelligence (AI) systems used for employment and public-facing purposes. Agencies must maintain a public inventory of all AI tools - including purpose, use, and data handled - and publish a list of employment-related AI tools within 90 days of use, with annual reports to the legislature. The bill prohibits using AI to alter employee rights, benefits, or job terms (including layoffs, pay cuts, or transferring duties), or to impact collective bargaining agreements. It defines "AI systems" broadly to include tools like machine learning and generative AI, while excluding basic software like spreadsheets.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Tags Artificial Intelligence

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SSB 1040: A bill for an act relating to government employee paid leave.

This bill modifies Iowa state employee leave policies. It creates a new program allowing eligible employees to convert unused sick leave into vacation time: after four years of service, employees with 30 days of unused sick leave can add up to half a day of vacation per month (reduced to 10 days for first four years). It also establishes new paid parental leave, providing up to four weeks for birth parents or adoptive parents, and one week for non-birth parents, all within 12 months of birth/adoption. These changes apply to most state employees, excluding university faculty and public safety bargaining unit employees (who have separate rules). The department of administrative services must create implementing rules.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Paid Leave Public Employees

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 16, 2025

SF 30: A bill for an act relating to employees of the department of corrections and including applicability provisions.

SF 30 designates nonsupervisory Iowa Department of Corrections employees with ongoing direct inmate contact as "public safety employees" for collective bargaining under state law. It requires the department to establish mandatory de-escalation training, uniform safety protocols at correctional facilities, and paid leave policies (5-30 days for trauma exposure, up to 90 days for hostages). The bill also changes health insurance rules so the state must cover continuation costs for surviving spouses and children of affected employees, rather than requiring them to pay. Additionally, it prohibits the department from offering contract employees better pay or benefits than comparable state employees performing similar work.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Paid Leave Public Employees

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 22, 2025

SF 33: A bill for an act providing credit for accrued sick leave for certain law enforcement officers.

This bill allows eligible law enforcement officers retiring after July 1, 2025, to receive a cash payment for unused sick leave, capped at $2,000. The payment equals the value of accrued sick leave hours multiplied by the officer's hourly rate at retirement. Officers can also use remaining sick leave value to pay their share of group health insurance premiums, continuing until the balance is exhausted, they qualify for Medicare, or they die. It excludes officers covered by collective bargaining agreements that already address sick leave credit.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Paid Leave

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 25, 2025

SSB 1172: A bill for an act relating to retention and recertification elections for public employee collective bargaining units and including effective date and applicability provisions.

This bill requires Iowa's employment appeal board to conduct retention elections for public employee bargaining units before collective bargaining agreements expire. It mandates public employers to submit employee lists within 10 days of receiving election notice, with the board publishing a public list of non-compliant employers. Iowa residents can petition courts for a court order compelling list submission without proving personal harm, with courts awarding costs and fees to successful petitioners. The bill applies to elections where the board issues a notice of intent on or after its effective date, setting specific election timing windows based on agreement expiration dates.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Public Employees

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 28, 2025

HF 677: A bill for an act designating correctional officers as public safety employees for purposes of the public employment relations Act and including applicability provisions.

HF 677 designates correctional officers employed by the Iowa Department of Corrections as "public safety employees" under Iowa's Public Employment Relations Act (Chapter 20). This reclassifies them for collective bargaining purposes, placing them under the same procedures as police and firefighters rather than standard public employees. Key provisions include amending the law to explicitly include correctional officers in the definition of public safety employees, which applies to all collective bargaining negotiations starting after the bill's effective date. As a result, correctional officers will now access specific bargaining procedures related to negotiation scope, arbitration, and city civil service matters that were previously unavailable to them.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Public Employees

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 3, 2025

HF 716: A bill for an act relating to health care coverage of certain nonstate public employees and officials under the state health insurance plan, and including effective date provisions.

HF 716 allows employees and elected officials of local governments (like counties, cities, school districts, and community colleges) who participate in Iowa’s public retirement system to enroll in the state’s health insurance plan. It requires their employers to apply for coverage, pay monthly premiums at the same rate as state employees (including any employee contributions), and cover administrative fees. Payments go to a new trust fund managed by the state, and employers can deduct employee contributions subject to collective bargaining agreements. The bill mandates annual reports tracking costs, enrollment, and financial impacts. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 7, 2025

HSB 78: A bill for an act relating to government employee paid leave.

This bill modifies Iowa state employee paid leave policies. It allows most state employees (excluding some faculty and public safety workers under collective bargaining) to convert unused sick leave into vacation time: after four years, they need 30 unused sick days to get half a day of extra vacation, while during the first four years they only need 10 unused sick days. It also adds new paid parental leave: birth parents get up to four weeks, non-birthing parents get one week, all within 12 months of a child's birth or adoption. The Department of Administrative Services must create rules to implement these changes.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Paid Leave Public Employees

All labor & employment bills