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House File 501 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to employment policies regarding expression of
2breast milk.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 216.6, Code 2017, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 2A. a. An employer shall provide
4reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk
5for the employee’s child. An employer shall provide a clean
6and sanitary private room, other than a toilet facility, which
7may be locked by an employee while in use and includes access
8to an electrical outlet for an employee to express breast milk.
9b. An employer shall not pay wages to an employee that are
10less than the rate paid to other employees because the employee
11expresses, or asks the employer about the ability to express,
12breast milk at work.
13c. An employer shall not discipline, up to and including
14termination, or retaliate against an employee whose work
15product or work volume decreases because the employee uses
16or asks the employer about the ability to use break time to
17express breast milk.
18EXPLANATION
19The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
20the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
21This bill requires an employer to provide reasonable break
22time for an employee to express breast milk for the employee’s
23child. The bill requires an employer to provide a clean and
24sanitary private room, other than a toilet facility, which may
25be locked by an employee while in use and includes access to an
26electrical outlet for an employee to express breast milk.
27The bill provides that an employer shall not pay wages to an
28employee that are less than the rate paid to other employees
29because the employee expresses, or asks the employer about
30the ability to express, breast milk at work. The bill also
31prohibits an employer from disciplining, up to and including
32termination, or retaliating against an employee whose work
33product or work volume decreases because the employee uses
34or asks the employer about the ability to use break time to
35express breast milk.
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2breast milk.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 216.6, Code 2017, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 2A. a. An employer shall provide
4reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk
5for the employee’s child. An employer shall provide a clean
6and sanitary private room, other than a toilet facility, which
7may be locked by an employee while in use and includes access
8to an electrical outlet for an employee to express breast milk.
9b. An employer shall not pay wages to an employee that are
10less than the rate paid to other employees because the employee
11expresses, or asks the employer about the ability to express,
12breast milk at work.
13c. An employer shall not discipline, up to and including
14termination, or retaliate against an employee whose work
15product or work volume decreases because the employee uses
16or asks the employer about the ability to use break time to
17express breast milk.
18EXPLANATION
19The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
20the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
21This bill requires an employer to provide reasonable break
22time for an employee to express breast milk for the employee’s
23child. The bill requires an employer to provide a clean and
24sanitary private room, other than a toilet facility, which may
25be locked by an employee while in use and includes access to an
26electrical outlet for an employee to express breast milk.
27The bill provides that an employer shall not pay wages to an
28employee that are less than the rate paid to other employees
29because the employee expresses, or asks the employer about
30the ability to express, breast milk at work. The bill also
31prohibits an employer from disciplining, up to and including
32termination, or retaliating against an employee whose work
33product or work volume decreases because the employee uses
34or asks the employer about the ability to use break time to
35express breast milk.
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