The bill mandates that employers in Iowa provide employees with a minimum of ten days of paid medical leave per calendar year. Medical leave is defined as time off work due to a health condition affecting the employee or their child, parent, or spouse. The payment for this leave must equal the employee's regular earnings, calculated based on their typical pay period or an average of their earnings from the previous three pay periods if their earnings vary. Additionally, the bill allows employers to require advance notice for foreseeable leave and to request written documentation from a healthcare provider confirming the need for leave due to a health condition.

To facilitate the implementation of this new law, the bill includes provisions for enforcement by the director of the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing, following the guidelines set forth in Code chapter 91A, which outlines civil remedies and penalties. The director is also tasked with adopting administrative rules to further clarify and administer the provisions of the bill. Notably, the bill amends existing law by adding new sections related to paid medical leave and updating the responsibilities of the department regarding labor services.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 10A.202, 10A.204