HF 2607 exempts employees of certain Amish employers from unemployment insurance eligibility. It applies only to employers who certify (to Iowa's workforce department) that all owners are members of the Old Order Amish church or a similar congregation with sincere religious objections to unemployment insurance, and who agree not to allow employees to claim benefits. Employers must also obtain written employee acknowledgments confirming they understand service won't qualify for benefits and file annual elections with the department. This exemption does not affect compliance with federal unemployment laws or other employment obligations.
HF 2514 makes Iowa's state child care assistance program available to children of child care workers employed at licensed facilities. To qualify, a parent or guardian must work at least 32 hours weekly directly providing child care (not as an owner, substitute, or caring for their own child at home), and the facility must accept state reimbursement. The bill requires the state department to report annual spending, participation numbers, and household income data for the program. This policy directly supports low-income child care workers who previously faced barriers to accessing this assistance.
This bill expands Iowa's state child care assistance program to include children of child care workers. It makes a child eligible if their parent, guardian, or custodian works at least 32 hours per week providing direct child care at a facility with a state reimbursement agreement, meets other specific requirements (like not being an owner or substitute), and the family qualifies for assistance. Parents would still pay copayments as determined by the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill requires the department to create rules for implementing these changes.
HF 216 requires Iowa child care centers that employ workers under 18 years old to provide unsupervised care for school-age children to maintain professional liability insurance coverage for those employees. The bill directs the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to create rules mandating centers provide proof of this insurance coverage. It specifically applies to centers using teen employees (under 18) for direct child care without additional adult supervision. The law aims to protect children by ensuring insurance coverage for incidents involving minor caregivers, using existing definitions of "child care" from Iowa Code section 237A.1.
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.
HF 349 increases Iowa's state minimum hourly wage to $13.50 effective July 1, 2025. It requires all Iowa employers covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act to pay employees the higher of the state minimum wage or the current federal minimum wage. The bill removes a previous exception that allowed employers to pay less than the state minimum wage to employees working fewer than 90 days, ensuring all covered employees earn at least the state minimum wage. This directly affects all hourly workers in Iowa covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act.
HF 681 creates a dedicated wage and hour division within Iowa's Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. This division will directly enforce state wage laws under chapters 91A (wage payment), 91D (minimum wage), and 92 (child labor) for workers and employers across Iowa. Key provisions require the division to investigate wage violations and prioritize state-level enforcement over referring cases to the federal Department of Labor. The bill mandates that the division handle enforcement activities, including penalties, for these specific labor laws rather than relying on federal authorities. This establishes a permanent state mechanism for wage enforcement previously managed under broader departmental responsibilities.
HF 682 requires Iowa state departments to recapture tax incentives (such as credits, exemptions, or rebates) from businesses that violate state or federal child labor laws (under Iowa Code chapter 92 or the Fair Labor Standards Act). It applies to businesses receiving state tax benefits and extends to their contractors, subcontractors, or third parties working at the business's facility. Beginning July 1, 2025, if a violation occurs, the business must notify the administering department within 30 days of the appeal period ending, and the state will reclaim the tax benefits using the same process as for unpaid taxes. This bill directly affects businesses receiving state tax incentives who breach child labor protections.
SF 381 restricts youth employment in Iowa for individuals under 18. It prohibits work for those under 14 entirely, limits under-16s to specific non-hazardous jobs (like retail, food service, or office work) during non-school hours, and bans dangerous occupations such as logging, meatpacking, operating heavy machinery, or working with explosives for all minors. The bill also sets strict work hour limits: no work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. (extended to 9 p.m. June 1-Labor Day), max 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week, and requires 30-minute breaks for 5+ hour shifts. These provisions directly affect employers hiring minors and aim to protect young workers from hazardous conditions and excessive hours.
