Iowa Worker Rights Manual An Introduction to Federal and State Laws that Apply in Iowa Workplaces updated August, 2017 Labor Center The University of Iowa Phone: 319-335-4144 E-mail: [email protected] Website: https://laborcenter.uiowa.edu/ Printed at The University of Iowa Copy Centers by workers represented by AFSCME Local 12, Council 61 The Workers’ Rights Manual is a collaborative effort of the Labor Center staff. Labor Educators Jennifer Sherer, Robin Clark-Bennett and Matthew Glasson each contributed to the Manual. Research Assistant Brandon Underwood contributed to the research and writing for the 2013 version. Editor for the 2017 Manual was Matthew Glasson. Comments, suggestions and corrections should be addressed to him at [email protected]. Original artwork (on chapter title pages) by Matt Kristek Table of Contents Part 1: Getting Paid ........................................................................................................................................1 Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)..............................................................................................................................2 Iowa Minimum Wage Law ......................................................................................................................................5 County Minimum Wage Ordinances ......................................................................................................................7 Iowa Wage Payment Collection Act .......................................................................................................................8 Theft of Services .................................................................................................................................................. 11 Wage Garnishments ............................................................................................................................................ 12 Part 2: Fringe Benefits ..................................................................................................................................14 Fringe Benefits: Rarely required by law, sometimes regulated, and sometimes negotiated ............................. 15 Paid Time Off ....................................................................................................................................................... 15 Health Insurance-Affordable Care Act................................................................................................................. 17 Health Insurance-Medicaid ................................................................................................................................. 20 Health Insurance-Medicare ................................................................................................................................. 22 Health Insurance-COBRA Rights .......................................................................................................................... 24 Retirement: Social Security ................................................................................................................................. 26 Disability & Survivor Benefits: Social Security ..................................................................................................... 28 Retirement: Pensions as an Employment Benefit ............................................................................................... 30 Retirement: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ........................................................................ 31 Older Worker Benefits Protection Act of 1990 (OWBPA) ................................................................................... 33 Part 3: Time Off, If You Need It ..................................................................................................................... 36 The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) .......................................................................................................... 37 Iowa Pregnancy Disability Law ............................................................................................................................ 39 Restroom Breaks ................................................................................................................................................. 41 Break Times for Nursing Mothers ....................................................................................................................... 42 Part 4: Staying Safe ......................................................................................................................................43 Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) ....................................................................................................... 44 Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Act ........................................................................................................... 44 Iowa Workers’ Compensation Act ....................................................................................................................... 46 Part 5: Unfair Treatment .............................................................................................................................. 48 Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Title VII ........................................................................................................................ 49 Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) ................................................................................................................... 49 Equal Pay Act (EPA) ............................................................................................................................................. 49 Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) .................................................................................................. 49 i Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) ........................................................................................... 49 Iowa Civil Rights Act ............................................................................................................................................ 49 Discrimination on the Basis of Criminal History .................................................................................................. 52 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ................................................................................................................. 54 Anti-Discrimination Provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act ............................................................. 55 Services for Non-English Speaking Employees .................................................................................................... 57 Part 6: Organizing for Better Conditions: Speaking Up and Taking Collective Action ....................................... 59 National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) ................................................................................................................... 60 Iowa Public Employment Relations Act (PERA) ................................................................................................... 62 Part 7: Privacy at Work ................................................................................................................................. 64 Medical Records .................................................................................................................................................. 65 Genetic Information ............................................................................................................................................ 66 Personnel Files ..................................................................................................................................................... 67 Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) ........................................................................................................ 68 Iowa Polygraph Law ............................................................................................................................................. 70 Private Sector Drug Free Workplaces Act ........................................................................................................... 71 Part 8: Losing Your Job ................................................................................................................................. 72 Employment Termination .................................................................................................................................... 73 Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act) ......................................................................... 75 Iowa Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act ................................................................................. 78 Interference with Future Employment ................................................................................................................ 80 Iowa Employment Security Act (Unemployment Insurance) .............................................................................. 81 Part 9: Protecting Young Workers ................................................................................................................. 84 Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act ...................................................................................... 85 Iowa Child Labor Law ..........................................................................................................................................