House File 2380 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2380 BY GOSA , B. MEYER , LEVIN , WILBURN , MATSON , BROWN-POWERS , AMOS JR. , WICHTENDAHL , WILSON , RAMIREZ , KRESSIG , MADISON , CROKEN , BAGNIEWSKI , JACOBY , SRINIVAS , KURTH , GJERDE , EHLERT , OLSON , WESSEL-KROESCHELL , GAINES , R. JOHNSON , and JAMES A BILL FOR An Act providing for a community-based wage enforcement program 1 for purposes of the state wage payment collection and 2 minimum wage laws. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5694YH (4) 91 je/js

H.F. 2380 Section 1. Section 91A.2, Code 2026, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 01. “Community-based organization” means a 3 legal aid or community-based nonprofit organization that has 4 a minimum of five years’ experience working with employees 5 or advocating on behalf of employees as well as a successful 6 record of facilitating successful complaints that have been 7 filed by employees with the director under section 91A.10. 8 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 91A.16 Community-based wage 9 enforcement program. 10 1. The director shall establish a community-based wage 11 enforcement program. The director shall enter into contracts 12 with participating community-based organizations to provide 13 funds and other resources to facilitate effective, cooperative 14 community-based enforcement of this chapter and chapter 15 91D. Funds and other resources shall be used to increase 16 the capacity and expertise of community-based organizations 17 in order to improve the education of employees regarding the 18 rights and remedies provided by this chapter and chapter 91D 19 and to secure successful resolution of complaints filed with 20 the director under section 91A.10. All education and services 21 under this section shall be provided at no cost to employees 22 and accessible to any employee in this state. 23 2. The program shall provide for but is not limited to all 24 of the following services by community-based organizations: 25 a. Education for employees regarding the rights provided by 26 this chapter and chapter 91D, which may be conducted jointly 27 with staff of the department of inspections, appeals, and 28 licensing and other relevant agencies and organizations. 29 b. Direct assistance by a worker advocate to assist 30 employees who seek to file a complaint under section 91A.10. 31 c. Legal assistance to employees who seek to file a 32 complaint under section 91A.10. 33 d. Additional assistance for employees who are members 34 of marginalized communities or who are not native English 35 -1- LSB 5694YH (4) 91 je/js 1/ 2

H.F. 2380 speakers. 1 e. Assistance to the director in monitoring for compliance 2 with and conducting investigations under this chapter and 3 chapter 91D. 4 EXPLANATION 5 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 6 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 7 This bill requires the director of the department 8 of inspections, appeals, and licensing to establish a 9 community-based wage enforcement program. The director 10 shall enter into contracts with participating community-based 11 organizations to provide funds and other resources to 12 facilitate effective, cooperative community-based enforcement 13 of Code chapters 91A (wage payment collection) and 91D (minimum 14 wage). 15 The bill defines “community-based organization” as a legal 16 aid or community-based nonprofit organization that has a 17 minimum of five years’ experience working with employees or 18 advocating on behalf of employees as well as a successful 19 record of facilitating successful complaints that have been 20 filed by employees with the director. 21 Funds and other resources provided under the program 22 shall be used to increase the capacity and expertise of 23 community-based organizations in order to improve the education 24 of employees regarding the rights and remedies provided by law 25 and to secure successful resolution of complaints filed with 26 the director. All education and services under the program 27 shall be provided at no cost to employees and accessible to any 28 employee in Iowa. The bill specifies minimum services to be 29 provided by community-based organizations under the program. 30 -2- LSB 5694YH (4) 91 je/js 2/ 2