3 work-related bills to watch in the Iowa Legislature

Another year, another chance for Iowa Republicans to decide whether they’ll choose to help their corporate donors or Iowa workers.

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The Iowa Legislature is officially back in session, and—despite recent Democratic gains—Republicans still control both the House and Senate. It’s also Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ last year in office—and her legacy, let’s just say, hasn’t been in workers’ best interests.

Over the past few years, Iowa Republicans have gutted protections for workers, from basically eliminating bargaining for public sector workers like teachers, to slashing unemployment benefits to just 10 weeks—hitting construction workers especially hard.

So the big question this year is: What’s next for Iowa workers?

I asked Starting Line political correspondent Zachary Oren Smith to talk about three worker-focused bills you should be paying attention to, how they’d help or hurt, and whether they have a chance of becoming law.

First: Senate File 2041, introduced by Sen. Charlie McClintock, a Republican from Alburnett.

• What it does: The legislature had previously prohibited public employers from allowing payroll deductions for union dues and prohibited public unions from bargaining for them. This bill not only strikes the first part but also makes the second part mandatory.
• What the Iowa Federation of Labor says: They support it.
• The impact: “It makes union membership more convenient for public workers and gives unions more stable funding,” Smith said.
• Will it pass? “Unlikely, as this reverses the collective bargaining restrictions Republicans championed in 2017,” Smith said. “State Senator Charlie McClintock is the sole sponsor with no House companion bill. He is a Republican, so that helps, but it’ll need more support to pass.”

Next: Senate File 2046, introduced by 16 of the Senate’s 17 Democrats. (Sen. Zach Wahls did not sign on.)

• What it does: Requires employers who pay by the task, piece, mile, or load to explain to all workers, in writing, how wages are calculated and when they are paid out. It also strengthens enforcement and whistleblower protections in workers’ favor.
• What the Iowa Fed of Labor says: They support it.
• The impact: “Truck drivers, delivery workers, and commission workers would see exactly how their pay is calculated,” said Smith. “Workers get three years instead of just one to challenge wage theft. Firing someone within 90 days of a wage complaint is presumed retaliation, with penalties of at least $150 per day.”
• Will it pass? “Extremely unlikely,” Smith said. “This has 16 Democratic sponsors and zero Republicans—in other words, it’s a messaging bill. Business groups will strongly oppose it and a Republican trifecta isn’t likely to move it.”

Finally: House Study Bill 556, proposed by Iowa Workforce Development. It has not yet been introduced by any House representative as of this writing.

• What it does: Would add a new, individualized “reemployment case management program” to IWD’s workload. Most unemployed workers would be forced to participate within two weeks of receiving benefits. It also switches unemployment notices to employers from regular mail to IWD’s online portal.
• What the Iowa Fed of Labor says: They oppose it.
• The impact: “The bill doesn’t define what ‘compliance’ would mean or how much time case management would require,” Smith said.
• Will it pass? “There’s a good chance,” Smith said. “Department-sponsored bills usually have administrative support. ‘Helping people get back to work’ is politically popular, and this lacks the partisan flashpoints of the other bills.”

Your regular reminder that your elected officials work for you, and you should definitely email them your thoughts regularly.

What Iowa bills are you following this year? Share your thoughts.

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