labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Under a new law, Iowa employers must have an employee’s written permission before mailing a paycheck.

A change in Iowa’s Wage Payment Collection Law took effect recently. The change amended the existing Iowa payment law. The new law requires that employers have a written request from an employee before wages can be sent by mail. The law applies to paychecks, but not to paystub information.

The previous law permitted employers to mail paychecks when an employee made a verbal request, or at the employer’s discretion. While requiring written permission is a best practice in the HR field, Iowa is one of the few states to make that policy law.

Even employers who have routinely paid workers by mail must now have written authorization to do so.

The amendment to Iowa Code 91A.3 was passed by the Iowa Legislature and signed by Governor Chet Culver.

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 The US Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration or EBSA has extended the filing deadlines for employer sin a number of states affected by severe weather. Employers should note that the extensions apply only to operations affected by the weather, in regions that have been declared disaster areas by President Bush. Other employers in the areas must file as usual.

The extensions apply to Form 5500 or Form 5500 EZ employer tax documents. Employers should check Part I on Form 5500 or Part 1 on Form 5500 EZ, and attach a statement.

The extensions affect plan administrators, employers and others who regularly file Form 5500.

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 The US Department of Labor recently announced a grant of more than $17 million to Iowa to aid workers in areas affected by flooding and tornadoes.

“Our hearts go out to Iowans who are suffering from the ongoing flooding and who were victims of the recent tornadoes, including last week’s tragic loss of life at a Boy Scout camp,” said US Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.  “This $17 million grant will pay for temporary jobs to aid in the cleanup and recovery from these natural disasters and will provide humanitarian assistance to Iowans in need.” 

As of June 16, nearly one-third of the state was under water, and flooding continued. A June 11 tornado touched down in a Boy Scout camp, killing 4 and injuring many others. The severe thunderstorms affected many areas of the Midwest, causing flooding in the Missouri, Upper Mississippi, and Ohio River Basins.

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