House File 2255 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2255 BY HUNTER A BILL FOR An Act requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations 1 to job applicants and employees based on pregnancy or 2 childbirth and making penalties applicable. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5957YH (2) 88 je/rn

H.F. 2255 Section 1. Section 216.6, subsection 2, Code 2020, is 1 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 2 NEW PARAGRAPH . f. It shall be an unfair or discriminatory 3 practice for any employer to do any of the following: 4 (1) Deny a reasonable accommodation to a limitation known to 5 the employer related to the pregnancy, childbirth, or a related 6 medical condition of a job applicant or employee, unless the 7 employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose 8 an undue hardship on the operation of the business of the 9 employer. 10 (2) Require a job applicant or employee affected by 11 pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition to accept 12 an accommodation to a limitation known to the employer related 13 to the pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition 14 of the applicant or employee that the applicant or employee 15 chooses not to accept, if the accommodation is unnecessary to 16 enable the applicant or employee to perform the job. 17 (3) Deny an employment opportunity to a job applicant or 18 employee, if the denial is based on the need of the employer to 19 make a reasonable accommodation to a limitation known to the 20 employer related to the pregnancy, childbirth, or a related 21 medical condition of the employee or applicant. 22 (4) Require an employee to take leave, whether paid or 23 unpaid, if another reasonable accommodation can be provided to 24 a limitation known to the employer related to the pregnancy, 25 childbirth, or a related medical condition of the employee. 26 (5) Take adverse action in terms, conditions, or privileges 27 of employment against an employee on account of the employee 28 requesting or using a reasonable accommodation to a limitation 29 known to the employer related to the pregnancy, childbirth, or 30 a related medical condition of the employee. 31 EXPLANATION 32 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 33 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 34 This bill prohibits an employer from denying a reasonable 35 -1- LSB 5957YH (2) 88 je/rn 1/ 2

H.F. 2255 accommodation to a known limitation related to the pregnancy, 1 childbirth, or a related medical condition of a job applicant 2 or employee, unless the employer can demonstrate that the 3 accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the employer. 4 The bill prohibits an employer from requiring a job 5 applicant or employee affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or 6 a related medical condition to accept an accommodation to a 7 known limitation related to the pregnancy, childbirth, or 8 a related medical condition of the applicant or employee 9 that the applicant or employee chooses not to accept, if 10 the accommodation is unnecessary to enable the applicant or 11 employee to perform the job. 12 The bill prohibits an employer from denying an employment 13 opportunity to a job applicant or employee, if the denial 14 is based on the need of the employer to make a reasonable 15 accommodation to a known limitation related to the pregnancy, 16 childbirth, or a related medical condition of the employee or 17 applicant. 18 The bill prohibits an employer from requiring an employee to 19 take leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided 20 to a known limitation related to the pregnancy, childbirth, or 21 a related medical condition of the employee. 22 The bill prohibits an employer from taking adverse action 23 against an employee on account of the employee requesting or 24 using a reasonable accommodation to a known limitation related 25 to the pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition of 26 the employee. 27 Penalty and remedial provisions for unfair or discriminatory 28 employment practices under Code chapter 216 are made applicable 29 to the requirements established in the bill. 30 -2- LSB 5957YH (2) 88 je/rn 2/ 2