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IA SF134

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

summary

Introduced
01/23/2025
In Committee
01/23/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

91st General Assembly

Bill Summary

This bill requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees based on pregnancy or childbirth. The bill requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodations to an employee based on medical conditions related to the employee’s pregnancy or childbirth if the employee requests reasonable accommodations with the advice of the employee’s health care provider. The bill defines “reasonable accommodations” as actions which would permit an employee with a medical condition relating to the employee’s pregnancy or childbirth to perform in a reasonable manner the activities involved in the employee’s specific occupation and include but are not limited to the provision of an accessible worksite, acquisition or modification of equipment, job restructuring, and a modified work schedule. The bill provides that “reasonable accommodations” does not mean any action that would impose an undue hardship on the business of the employer from whom the action is requested. The bill provides that an employer who violates the bill is subject to a civil penalty of up to $750. The director of the Iowa office of civil rights shall adopt rules to enforce the bill and provide exemptions where reasonable. The director or director’s representative upon presenting appropriate credentials to the person in charge may inspect employment records relating to the total number of employees and pregnant employees or employees recovering from childbirth and the services provided to pregnant employees or employees recovering from childbirth, as well as interview an employer, operator, owner, agent, or employee during working hours or at other reasonable times. The bill provides that compliance with minimum standards required by the bill shall not be subject to or considered in collective bargaining.

AI Summary

This bill requires employers in Iowa to provide reasonable accommodations to employees experiencing medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. Reasonable accommodations are defined as actions that would help an employee perform their job, such as making the worksite accessible, modifying equipment, restructuring job duties, or adjusting work schedules. These accommodations must be requested by the employee with support from their healthcare provider and cannot impose an undue hardship on the employer. If an employer fails to provide such accommodations, they can be subject to a civil penalty of up to $750. The director of the Iowa office of civil rights is tasked with creating rules to implement and enforce these requirements, and is granted the authority to inspect employment records and interview employers or employees to ensure compliance. Notably, the bill specifies that these accommodation requirements cannot be negotiated or modified through collective bargaining agreements, meaning they are mandatory standards that must be met regardless of existing labor contracts.

Committee Categories

Health and Social Services

Sponsors (10)

Last Action

Subcommittee: Klimesh, Costello, and Petersen. S.J. 170. (on 01/30/2025)

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