Iowa employers are facing a rapidly shifting employment law landscape as new technologies, evolving workplace expectations and changes in federal and state policy create fresh legal considerations.
From the rise of artificial intelligence in human resources to emerging litigation trends, immigration policy changes and a patchwork of state-level regulations, attorneys say businesses must stay on top of these changes to reduce risk and stay compliant.
“[AI] is almost the elephant in the room,” said Tom Cunningham, an attorney with Nyemaster Goode. “Employers are increasingly using AI platforms in human resource functions, particularly in recruiting, hiring, performance evaluations, compensation and termination decisions.”
Some of the most notable developments are early cases under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which expands employer obligations for workplace accommodations.
Unlike the Americans with Disabilities Act, which generally does not require employers to remove essential job functions, the new law may require temporary adjustments to those functions during pregnancy and postpartum recovery periods, Cunningham said.
Another shift comes from a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision eliminating a higher standard for discrimination claims brought by majority-group employees, allowing those cases to proceed under the same standard as others.
Cunningham said he is currently handling such cases for the first time in his decadeslong career.
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