Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to government employee paid leave
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 23, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 23, 2025
- Done: House committeeFebruary 5, 2025
- Skipped: Passes the HouseContinued as HF 889
- Next: Senate committee
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Became HF 889 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to HF 889 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Certain state and public safety employees can choose to earn extra vacation time instead of sick leave if they don't use any sick days in a month. After four years of work, this choice can only be made if the employee has already saved up sick leave. Additionally, state employees will receive paid leave when they have a new child through birth or adoption, with parents receiving up to four weeks and non-birthing parents receiving up to one week.1
Read the official explanation
Under current law, certain state employees and employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement negotiated with the public safety bargaining unit, who have accumulated 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 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 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. _____ 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.
House subcommittee
Named January 23, 2025. On January 29, 2025 it recommended passage.
- Rep. Brent Siegrist REmail
- Rep. Megan Jones REmail
- Rep. Scheetz
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Fiscal note
AI summary This bill allows certain state employees in their first four years to convert sick leave into vacation time and provides paid parental leave for employees who give birth or adopt a child. The fiscal impact of these changes cannot be determined because it is unknown how many employees will use the leave or how state agencies will respond to the absences.3
Read the fiscal note
Description
House File 889 provides that certain State employees in their first four years of employment who have accumulated 10 days of sick leave, and who do not use sick leave during a full month of employment, may choose to convert that month’s sick leave time for one-half day of additional vacation time.
The Bill provides that a State employee parent who gives birth or adopts a child is entitled to four weeks of paid leave. A State employee parent who does not give birth is entitled to one week of paid leave. The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) is required to adopt administrative rules to implement the paid parental leave benefits.
Background
Under current law, certain State employees who have accumulated 30 days of sick leave, and who do not use sick leave during a full month of employment, may choose to convert that month’s sick leave time for one-half day of additional vacation time.
To qualify for the paid parental leave benefits established in the Bill, employees must meet the eligibility requirements established by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA). These requirements include working for a covered employer for at least 12 months, having at least 1,250 hours of service with the employer during the 12 months before FMLA leave starts, and working at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles. Family and Medical Leave Act leave is job-protected, unpaid leave. Employees may use accrued paid leave while they take FMLA leave. Both the birth of a child and the placement of a child for adoption are covered under FMLA leave. Leave can be taken any time in the 12 months following the birth or adoption of a child. The State of Iowa allows up to 12 weeks of leave (paid or unpaid) for the birth or adoption of a child.
According to State of Iowa Central Payroll data, there are 20,507 male and 29,088 female State employees. Based on birth rates from the 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Vital Statistics Reports, it is estimated that approximately 551 male and 879 female employees may be eligible to take paid parental leave each year.
Assumptions
- The amount of sick leave converted to vacation leave under the Bill is unknown.
- The future use rates of sick leave and vacation leave are unknown.
- State agencies’ response to employees taking paid parental leave is unknown. To cover for employees on paid parental leave, agencies may absorb the workload within existing resources, hire temporary employees, or require existing employees to work overtime.
Fiscal Impact
House File 889 may have a fiscal impact, but it cannot be determined.
The fiscal impact from expanding eligibility to convert sick leave to vacation leave cannot be determined because the amount of sick leave converted and its impact on the future use of leave is unknown.
The fiscal impact from the creation of paid parental leave cannot be determined because it is unknown which employees will take leave and how State agencies will respond to those absences.
Sources
- Department of Administrative Services
- Board of Regents
- Department of Corrections
- Department of Transportation
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Final Fiscal Note — State Employees, Paid Parental Leave · June 6, 2025
- State Employees, Paid Parental Leave · March 19, 2025
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91st General Assembly