There is reason to be concerned the AFSCME lawsuit challenging the recent collective bargaining amendments will undermine the legislature’s effort to reform public sector collective bargaining. As discussed in our previous post on the new law, AFSCME Council 61, the state’s largest public employee union, filed a lawsuit to invalidate the new law on February
Amendments
Why the Legislature Was Right to Limit Public Sector Collective Bargaining
The 2017 Iowa legislative session has been one of the more rancorous in recent memory, driven in large part by proposed amendments to the public sector collective bargaining law. Following all-night debates and massive protests by union supporters, the house and senate both voted on February 16 to make the most sweeping changes in…
Iowa Court of Appeals Rules that ADA Amendments Apply to Iowa Civil Rights Act, Even in the Absence of Legislative Action
A divided panel of the Iowa Court of Appeals recently ruled that the rules of construction in the ADA as amended in 2008 apply to the Iowa Civil RIghts Act when determining what constitutes a disability (Knudsen v. Tiger Tots Community Child Care Center, No. 2-1011, 1/9/13). Although Knudsen is a public accommodation and not an employment case…
Weekly Web Roundup
This week we are trying out a new feature on our Blog. A weekly round-up of important, interesting, practical, or funny employment law information and news posted in blogs or otherwise on the world wide web during the past week. Please contact us with any information or feedback. Here we go for the first edition:…
Obesity as a Protected Class?
This post in HR Observations (Hat tip: Ohio Employer’s Law Blog) explores whether obesity could be the next characteristic to become protected under the anti-discrimination laws. A group called the "Obesity Action Coalition" complains that discrimination against obese people is widespread. Employer concern about rising costs associated with employee health coverage, workers’ compensation costs…
Human Resources Challeges for 2009
A recent post at Human Resources Executive Online, entitled "Warnings from the Top". provides an excellent overview of some of the new challenges employers have been presented since the beginning of 2009. "Like it or not" say the authors, changes are coming, and employers better be prepared.
According to several attorneys the authors…