Iowa’s official “State Plan” is enforced and regulated by Iowa OSHA, which falls under the Iowa Division of Labor Services administration in the Department of Workforce Development.
Though Iowa OSHA has adopted OSHA’s standards, it also has state-specific standards, including:
All private sector workplaces in the state are covered by the Iowa State Plan, with the following exceptions:
Workers in Iowa who opt for supervisory or managerial roles in the construction industry must take Online OSHA 30 training in Iowa since Federal OSHA mandates it, and most employers prefer OSHA 30 certified employees to those who don’t have any prior training.
OSHA30Construction training online is crucial since it plays a significant role in preventing illnesses, accidents, mishaps, and fatalities by upgrading workers’ awareness and knowledge regarding potential workplace hazards. In addition, investing in OSHA 30 training provides several benefits, including:
| Fair Employment Practices | Employers with four or more employees are not allowed to discriminate against employees based on protected statuses such as race, gender, pregnancy, religion, age, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, or handicap, according to the Iowa Civil Rights Act (ICRA). In addition, harassment, a form of unlawful discrimination, is prohibited by the ICRA. A person who has legitimately objected to a practice that the ICRA forbids, complied with its requirements, filed a complaint under the ICRA, testified in a proceeding under the ICRA, or offered assistance is not subject to retaliation by an employer. |
| Access to Personnel Files | Employees are allowed access to and copies of their personnel files, including assessments of their performance and records of disciplinary action, but not employment references. The employer can send a representative and impose a fair copying cost. |
| Drug Testing | Employers are permitted by state law to use drug or alcohol testing as a pre-employment requirement for job applicants. A confirmed positive test result or a candidate's reluctance to submit a test sample is grounds for an employer to reject an application. If an employer decides to provide pre-employment drug or alcohol tests, they must comply with all legal requirements. |
| Criminal Checks | Access to criminal history records is allowed by Iowa law. According to Iowa law, employers who demand a criminal background check on job candidates must cover the cost of the investigation. |
| Minimum Wage | The minimum hourly wage in Iowa is $7.25, with a few exclusions for tipped workers and those who have yet to work for 90 days. |
| Child Labor | Child labor laws forbid kids under 16 from working in various other occupations, including manufacturing and mining, and they also restrict minors from working in dangerous fields. In addition, numerous occupations, including office and clerical work, are listed in child labor rules as actively permissible for minors. Additionally, anyone under 16 who works for five hours or longer must take a break that lasts at least 30 minutes. |
| Health Care Continuation | According to Iowa law, workers have the right to keep their group health insurance if it would otherwise expire when they leave their jobs. Additionally, upon the employee's death or the dissolution or annulment of a marriage, the qualifying dependents of the employee are entitled to continue receiving coverage. Up to nine months may pass before continuation coverage expires. |
| Pay Frequency | Employers in Iowa must pay their employees monthly, semimonthly, or bimonthly on regular paydays at predetermined, consistent intervals. Within 12 days of the conclusion of the pay period, wages must be paid. |
| Leaves of Absence | Iowa has several regulations governing mandated vacation time and employee leaves of absence. These regulations include time off on Veterans Day, time off for jury duty, time off for witnesses, time off for elected officials, time off for voting, and time off for emergency responders, voting, drinking, and driving classes. |
| Smoke-Free Workplace | According to Iowa's Smokefree Air Act, smoking is prohibited in most enclosed spaces, including work areas, private offices, conference and meeting rooms, classrooms, lounges and cafeterias, restrooms, and vehicles owned, leased, or provided by the employer. |
| Safe Driving Practices | Writing, sending, or reading text messages while operating a motor vehicle is illegal in Iowa. |
| Final Pay | Payment for terminated or resigned employees is due on the following regular payday. Unless there is a written agreement between the employer and employee specifying otherwise, unused vacation time is not required to be reimbursed. |
Safety supervisor, Safety manager, Site safety and health officer, Forklift operator, Foreman, Electrical technician etc.
There is no stated expiry date by OSHA. However, employees must renew their OSHA cards every five years due to specific changes in occupational standards.
Yes, an Online OSHA 30-hour training course is accepted in Iowa.
Region 7.
Iowa operates an OSHA-approved State Plan.
Unless otherwise specified in an employment contract or agreement, there is typically no limit on the amount of hours worked by employees.
