HSB 78 (LSB 1096XL (3) 91)

SENATE/HOUSE FILE _____

BY  (PROPOSED GOVERNOR BILL)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to government employee paid leave.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 70A.1, subsection 7, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   7.  a.  State During the first four years of employment, state employees, excluding state board of regents’ faculty members with nine-month appointments, and employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement negotiated with the public safety bargaining unit who are eligible for accrued vacation benefits and accrued sick leave benefits, who have accumulated ten days of sick leave, and who do not use sick leave during a full month of employment, may elect to have up to one-half day of additional vacation added to the employee’s accrued vacation account.
   b.  After the fourth year of employment, state employees, excluding state board of regents’ faculty members with nine-month appointments, and employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement negotiated with the public safety bargaining unit who are eligible for accrued vacation benefits and accrued sick leave benefits, who have accumulated thirty days of sick leave, and who do not use sick leave during a full month of employment, may elect to have up to one-half day of additional vacation added to the employee’s accrued vacation account.
   c.  The additional vacation time added to an employee’s accrued vacation account for not using sick leave during a month is in lieu of the accrual of sick leave for that month. The amount of additional vacation for part-time employees shall be prorated to the amount of additional vacation authorized for full-time employees. The director of the department of administrative services may adopt the necessary rules and procedures for the implementation of this program for all state employees except employees of the state board of regents. The state board of regents may adopt necessary rules for the implementation of this program for its employees.
    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  70A.24  Paid parental leave.
   1.  A state employee entitled to leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 shall be provided paid leave for such time as specified in this section for the birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption with the employee if the leave is taken within twelve months following any such birth or adoption.
   2.  a.  For the birth of a child, a state employee parent who gave birth shall be entitled to up to four weeks of paid leave and a state employee parent who did not give birth shall be entitled to up to one week of paid leave.
   b.  For the placement of a child for adoption, a state employee parent shall be entitled to up to four weeks of paid leave.
   3.  The department of administrative services shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to implement this section.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   Under current law, certain state employees and employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement negotiated with the public safety bargaining unit, who have accumulated 30 days of sick leave, and who do not use sick leave during a full month of employment, may elect to have up to one-half day of additional vacation added to the employee’s accrued vacation account in lieu of the accrual of sick leave for that month. This bill applies this provision beginning after the fourth year of employment, and provides that for the first four years of employment, the employee may make the election after having accumulated 10 days of sick leave.
   The bill also requires a state employee entitled to leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to be provided paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child if the leave is taken within 12 months following any such birth or adoption. The bill provides that a state employee parent who gives birth or adopts a child is entitled to up to four weeks of paid leave. A state employee parent who did not give birth is entitled to up to one week of paid leave. The bill requires the department of administrative services to adopt rules to implement this provision.