On May 19, 2025, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed House File 248, which requires employers to treat adoptive parents the same as biological parents under certain circumstances. Specifically, if an employee adopts a child up to six years of age, an employer must treat the employee “in the same manner as an employee who is the biological parent of a newborn child for purposes of employment policies, benefits, and protections for the first year of the adoption.”

The law defines adoption as the “permanent placement in this state of a child by the Department of Health and Human Services, by a licensed agency under chapter 238 [child-placing agencies], by an agency that meets the provisions of the interstate compact in section 232.158, or by a person making an independent placement according to the provisions of chapter 600.”

The law does not require employers to provide disability leave to an employee without a qualifying disability under an employer’s disability policies. However, Iowa employers should review any policies or benefits geared toward new parents to ensure compliance with the law.

The law will take effect on July 1, 2025, as Iowa Code § 91A.5B and it will be enforced by the Iowa Department of Inspections Appeals and Licensing.