Wage Theft
SF 398 has passed out of committee. The bill requires a hot line for complaints at the department of labor and it requires employers and employees have an agreement in writing as to how wages are to be paid. Specific, to the trucking industry the legislation states that employers shall notify an employee in writing "whose wages are based on a task, piece, mile, or load basis about the method used to calculate wages and when the wages are earned by the employee." Any changes must be provided to the employee at least one day prior to the change. That notice may be in writing or posted where employees see routinely posted information.
The bill also states that upon request, an employee is to receive a written statement on employee agreements on policies regarding vacation pay, sick leave, reimbursements for expenses, retirements, and severance. The bill also requires records to be maintained for three years.
Prohibition on Questions Regarding Felonies
SF 84 would prohibit asking potential employees about felony convictions until such time a job offer is to be made.
Wage Discrimination
SSB 3071(now SF 2193) would prohibit an employer from requiring employees to not disclose wages or benefits with other employees. It would also prohibit an employer from seeking wage information from a potential employee during the interview process. It would require an employer to post the minimum rate of pay in all job advertisements.
Accommodations for Pregnancies
SF 313 requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant and new mothers.
Prenatal Care
SF 2097 requires employers to provide paid time for prenatal care.
Insurance Mandates
SF 2204 requires health insurance plans to cover eating disorder treatment. SF 2072 requires employer health insurance plans with more than 50 employees to cover autism treatment.
Water Quality
HSB 601 extends the statewide penny sales tax and designates a portion of the revenue for water quality.
IRS Coupling --- Still Alive But on Life Support!
The issue of Iowa coupling section 179 of the internal revenue tax code with the Iowa tax code has passed the House on a wide bipartisan basis. However, the issue has yet to be taken up in the Senate. With a $96 million price tag, it's going to be a heavy lift.
Contact your Senator and the Governor and urge them to concur with the House bill on coupling.
Oversize and Overweight Vehicles
SSB 3110 and its companion bill in the House will allow vehicles to have a weight of 46,000 pounds on a single tandem axle of the tractor and 46,000 pounds on a single tandem axle of the trailer is each axle of each tandem has at least four tires.
CDL Testing Community Colleges and Other Third Parties
The legislation would allow community colleges and other third party vendors to test CDL applicants. Community colleges already train and test their own students. This would allow them to test others. The bill is alive in the House, but the Senate wants to restrict the testing to community colleges only.
Passing Bicycles
SF 2076 has, in one form or another, been around the past several years. The bill requires a motorist overtaking a bicycle to move to the opposite side of the road until it has clearly passed. This bill has passed committee.
Ban the Box Bill
SF 84 prevents employers from asking about a prospective employee's criminal background. This bill passed committee.
