Labor & Employment

signed · Iowa · Senate Jun 2, 2026

SF 2168: A bill for an act relating to workforce matters including apprenticeships and other career training, unemployment insurance, and membership of the state workforce development board, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

This bill establishes a mandatory reemployment case management program for Iowa's Department of Workforce Development, requiring the department to provide individualized job search and placement services to unemployment claimants within two weeks of filing a claim. It modifies work search requirements for certain claimants (including partially unemployed workers) and updates communication procedures for claim decisions, appeals, and employer notifications. The bill directly affects unemployment claimants seeking benefits and employers paying into the unemployment insurance system. Key changes include requiring electronic notifications for employers about benefit payments, adding phone hearing options for appeals, and clarifying burden-of-proof rules for eligibility disputes.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandatory reemployment case management requires timely job services, modifies work search rules to include partially unemployed workers, and updates communication procedures for unemployment claimants.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees Unemployment Workforce Development

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 2, 2026

HF 2466: A bill for an act relating to apprenticeships and other career training and making appropriations.

HF 2466, the "Iowa Skilled Workforce Act," clarifies and expands apprenticeship program rules in Iowa. It defines key terms like "intermediary sponsor" (an entity training apprentices for multiple employers) and sets requirements for financial assistance, including a minimum of 100 contact hours per apprentice annually. The bill also establishes a 3-apprentice-to-1-journeyperson supervision ratio for plumbers and mechanical professionals. It affects apprenticeship sponsors, employers, and intermediaries by standardizing program administration, financial aid criteria, and oversight procedures.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands apprenticeship frameworks with training requirements and supervision ratios, strengthening workforce development under labor/employment topic.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Apprenticeships Professional Licensing Workforce Development

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 23, 2026

SF 2437: A bill for an act relating to health insurance coverage for surviving spouses and children of deceased fire fighters and peace officers, and health insurance coverage for disabled or injured fire fighters and peace officers.

This bill requires Iowa employers (county boards, city councils, or governing bodies) to provide continued health insurance coverage for two groups: (1) surviving spouses and children of fire fighters or peace officers who died in the line of duty, and (2) disabled or injured fire fighters or peace officers receiving work-related disability benefits. Under the bill, employers must pay the full premium for the surviving family members' coverage (replacing current law where families could be required to pay part of the cost), and must cover disabled first responders until age 55. It applies to all employers offering health coverage to active employees, eliminating the option for partial employer payment. The bill directly affects surviving families of line-of-duty-deceased first responders and injured first responders receiving disability benefits.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires employers to provide full health insurance coverage for surviving families of fallen first responders and disabled officers, expanding access to healthcare benefits for vulnerable groups.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires employers to pay full health insurance premiums for injured/disabled firefighters and their families, expanding worker benefits and protections for high-risk laborers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 24, 2026

HSB 668: A bill for an act relating to state policies, programs, and licenses with race, gender, or citizenship requirements.

This bill amends Iowa's state employment laws to strengthen equal opportunity and affirmative action requirements. It requires state agencies, universities (via the Board of Regents), and school districts to develop and implement affirmative action plans addressing underrepresentation in hiring, establish training programs for staff, and submit annual reports on progress. The bill also authorizes the Department of Administrative Services to impose sanctions on entities failing to comply with these equal opportunity standards. These changes directly affect all state government employers and their hiring practices across Iowa.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires schools/universities to implement affirmative action plans addressing underrepresentation, promoting equitable hiring and access in education.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates affirmative action plans for underrepresentation in state hiring, requiring training and reporting to strengthen equal employment opportunity per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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passed · Iowa · House Feb 18, 2026

HR 106: A resolution urging the members of Congress to support the Major Richard Star Act to allow medically retired service members to receive full access to their much-deserved retirement pay and benefits.

This resolution (HR 106) urges Congress to support the Major Richard Star Act, which would change current rules affecting medically retired veterans. It directly impacts approximately 50,000 service members who retired before completing 20 years of service due to medical conditions and have a disability rating below 50% - they currently lose $1 of retirement pay for every $1 of disability pay received. The resolution does not change the law itself but calls for Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act, which would eliminate this offset and allow these veterans to receive full retirement pay and VA disability benefits. It is a symbolic action, not a policy change, referencing the case of Major Richard Star, an Iraq/Afghanistan veteran who died of burn pit-related lung cancer.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands retirement benefits for medically retired veterans by eliminating the pay reduction penalty, directly protecting earned benefits for a worker group under employment standards.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransUrges Congress to support Major Richard Star Act, restoring full retirement pay for medically retired veterans currently losing benefits due to disability rating rules.95% confidence

Sub-Topics National Guard & Reserve Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2458: A bill for an act establishing the teacher and para-educator grant program within the department of workforce development, and making appropriations.

HF 2458 establishes a state grant program within Iowa's Department of Workforce Development to help two groups: high school students pursuing a para-educator certificate and associate degree, and current para-educators seeking a bachelor's degree. The program provides financial assistance for education costs and is funded by a $3.5 million appropriation for fiscal year 2026-2027. It also allows prior work experience through this grant program to count toward the 14-week student teaching requirement for education students. The bill requires the Department of Workforce Development to administer the program in consultation with the Department of Education.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $3.5M in new appropriations for educator grants, directly funding workforce development through state budget spending.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes $3.5M grant program for para-educator/teacher education, funding associate/bachelor's degrees, directly advancing educator workforce development and access.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides state grants for para-educator/teacher education, funding workforce development and career advancement in education sector.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations K-12 Education Teachers Workforce Development

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2026

HF 2378: 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.

This Iowa bill (HF 2378) sets a phased increase to the state minimum wage: $10.00 per hour starting July 1, 2026; $12.50 on July 1, 2027; and $15.00 on July 1, 2028. It also establishes a lower minimum wage of $9.10, $11.60, and $14.10 for employees in their first 90 days of work, effective on the same dates. Beginning July 1, 2029, the wage will automatically rise each year by the same percentage as the federal Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, with no decreases allowed. The bill removes a tip credit for certain workers and allows counties or cities to set higher local minimum wages than the state rate.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly increases minimum wage annually with automatic COLA adjustments, directly strengthening worker compensation and addressing wage stagnation per Labor & Employment topic indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 23, 2026

SF 2414: A bill for an act relating to automated decision systems used by employers.

Iowa's SF 2414 requires employers to provide written notice to employees (or their authorized representatives) about automated decision systems used in employment-related decisions - excluding hiring - before deployment or by January 1, 2027. The notice must explain the types of decisions affected (e.g., promotions, discipline, work assignments), describe the employee data used, and disclose key parameters that may disproportionately impact outcomes. It applies to employers in Iowa who use such systems to make decisions materially affecting wages, benefits, work conditions, or opportunities. The bill defines "automated decision systems" broadly but excludes tools like spam filters or basic databases. This is a transparency measure, not a restriction on system use.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires employers to disclose automated decision systems' impact on employment, protecting workers' rights to understand AI-driven workplace decisions per bill's notice mandate.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires transparency in employer AI systems to protect employee privacy and prevent biased outcomes, aligning with data privacy regulations.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 19, 2026

SSB 3111: A bill for an act relating to early childhood and family services, including the creation of an early childhood and family services system, state child care assistance for the child care workforce, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

This bill establishes Iowa's statewide Early Childhood and Family Services (ECFS) system, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, to support families with children under 19 (with emphasis on those under six). It creates ECFS districts matching existing health districts and requires the department to provide three key service types: evidence-based prevention programs (like parent education), targeted early intervention for at-risk families, and ongoing community resources to address root causes of child neglect. The system must integrate early care, education, and health services while prioritizing equitable access and using data to track outcomes. It also creates a dedicated fund for these services and mandates public input on the statewide plan.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates ECFS system under Health Department, providing prevention/intervention services for children, expanding public health support through state funding.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill provides state child care assistance specifically for the child care workforce, directly funding and supporting this labor sector within early childhood services.85% confidence

Tags Children

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introduced · Iowa · House Feb 19, 2026

HF 2637: A bill for an act relating to the confidentiality of peer support communications for public safety officers and civilian employees.

HF 2637 protects confidential conversations between public safety workers (including police officers, firefighters, emergency medical staff, and civilian employees in these agencies) and their peer support counselors. It prohibits counselors from disclosing these communications in investigations, disciplinary actions, or legal proceedings, except when the conversation involves a plan to commit a crime, an explicit threat of harm, or mandatory reporting requirements like child abuse. The bill defines "confidential communication" as any discussion during peer support sessions and ensures these protections do not limit employers' ability to direct staff to employee assistance programs. This law aims to encourage open mental health support by preventing fear of professional consequences for sharing sensitive information.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects peer support confidentiality for law enforcement, reducing barriers to mental health resources and aligning with criminal justice reform goals of officer well-being and accountability.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects mental health peer support confidentiality for public safety workers, encouraging access to mental health services without fear of disclosure in legal proceedings.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProtects confidential peer support communications for public safety workers, enhancing workplace safety and mental health support without fear of disclosure in disciplinary actions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Mental Health

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