Employee Discipline: Iowa

Federal law and guidance on this subject should be reviewed together with this section.

Authors: Stuart R. Buttrick, Taylor L. Haran and Tareen Zafrullah, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Summary

• Employers must not discipline employees based on protected leave. See Attendance.
• Employers must not discipline employees based on protected characteristics. See Iowa Antidiscrimination Laws.
• While Iowa employers may terminate an employee with or without cause under state law, employers may not dismiss an employee based on a protected characteristic. See Employment at Will.
• Iowa is a one party consent state with respect to recording meetings, including those of a disciplinary nature. See Recording Communications.
• Iowa's Smokefree Air Act requires employers to provide smoke-free workplaces. See Iowa Smokefree Air Act.
• Iowa law regulates employee drug and alcohol testing and AIDS and HIV testing. See Drug and Alcohol Testing; AIDS and HIV testing.
• Iowa law regulates employee polygraph testing. See Polygraph Testing.
• Iowa hospitals may face liability if they do not properly discipline employees with criminal histories. See Criminal Convictions.
• Employees have a right to inspect their personnel files, including disciplinary records. See Personnel Files.
• Iowa law prohibits employees from making false representations to employers regarding their educational records. See Educational Records.
• Iowa law allows an employer to sue an employee for breach of loyalty or breach of fiduciary duty. See Workplace Theft.
• Iowa law generally prohibits employers from resorting to "self-help" and withholding cash shortages, lost or stolen property from an employee's wages. See Wage Deductions.
• Iowa law allows an employer to sue an employee for misappropriation of trade secrets. See Trade Secrets.
• Noncompete agreements are enforceable in Iowa. See Noncompete Agreements.
• Waterloo has requirements pertaining to employee discipline. See Local Requirements.