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HF 248

A bill for an act relating to the treatment of adoptive parent employees and making penalties applicable.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Employers must treat adoptive parents of children up to six the same as new biological parents for the first year, in policies, benefits, and protections.

Signed by Governor.
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Bill Summary · HF 248

Summary — HF 248 (Signed May 19, 2025)

Title: A bill for an act relating to the treatment of adoptive parent employees and making penalties applicable.

Purpose

HF 248 requires employers in Iowa to treat employees who adopt a child up to six years of age the same as employees who are biological parents of a newborn, with respect to employment policies, benefits, and protections, for the first year following the adoption. The intent is to ensure parity in workplace treatment between adoptive parents and biological parents.

Key provisions

  • Definition of “adoption”: permanent placement in Iowa of a child by (a) the Department of Health and Human Services; (b) a licensed agency under chapter 238; (c) an agency meeting the interstate compact (section 232.158); or (d) an independent placement under chapter 600.
  • Parity requirement: For the first year after the adoption, an employer must treat an employee who adopts a child up to six years old in the same manner as an employee who is the biological parent of a newborn with respect to employment policies, benefits, and protections.
  • Disability leave exception: The parity rule does not entitle an employee to disability leave unless the employee has a qualifying disability under the employer’s disability policies.
  • Enforcement and penalties: Chapter 91A (administered by the Director of the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) governs enforcement. Violations of Chapter 91A or its administrative rules are subject to civil penalties of up to $500 per pay period for each violation.

Who is affected

  • Covered: Employers and employees in Iowa as defined under Code chapter 91A (natural persons employed for wages in the state; chapter contains specific inclusions/exclusions such as commission salespersons and exclusions for certain agricultural workers and some independent contractors).
  • Not covered: Persons not classified as “employees” or entities not meeting the statutory definition of “employer” (e.g., clients, patients, customers, certain independent contractors) per existing 91A definitions.

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Introduced: February 6, 2025.
  • House passage: March 10, 2025 (87–0).
  • Senate passage: April 21, 2025 (45–0).
  • Signed by Governor: May 19, 2025 (effective as enacted).

Practical implications

  • Employers should review and, if necessary, update handbooks and parental-leave policies to provide parity for eligible adoptive parents for the first year after placement while preserving disability-leave standards.
  • Adoptive parents (of children up to age six) gain statutory protection to receive the same workplace policies and benefits afforded to biological parents of newborns, subject to the disability-leave exception.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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