A bill for an act providing paid leave to state employees for volunteer activities.
Summary
HF 2177 would authorize state employees in Iowa to receive up to eight hours of paid leave per calendar year to participate in volunteer activities. The leave would be paid at the employee’s regular rate and would not reduce seniority, vacation, personal days, sick leave, insurance or health coverage, or earned overtime accumulation.
The bill also specifies that an employee on this volunteer leave would not be considered a state employee for purposes of workers’ compensation or the state tort claims chapter during the leave period. The measure amends section 70A.1 of the Iowa Code to add this new category of paid leave for state workers.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would create a new paid leave entitlement for state employees and modify Iowa Code section 70A.1 to include volunteer leave as a protected leave category. It would affect state employment policies, payroll practices, and leave administration, while also limiting state liability and workers’ compensation coverage during the leave period by excluding employees from those legal definitions while they are away volunteering.
Sentiment
The available legislative context suggests generally favorable treatment of the bill. The only recorded action is that a subcommittee recommended passage, and there are no recorded votes or committee objections in the provided materials. That indicates the bill was viewed positively at the early committee stage, at least in the absence of documented opposition.
Contention
The main policy issue is the balance between encouraging civic engagement and the cost or administrative burden of providing paid leave to state employees. Supporters would likely emphasize volunteerism and public service, while any concerns would center on lost work time, payroll costs, and the decision to exclude workers’ compensation and tort-claims coverage during the leave. No specific opponents or disputed amendments are identified in the provided record.
Paid leave for employees; providing certain state employees to receive paid maternity leave; providing protections for certain employees. Effective date.