Employee Communications: Iowa
Federal law and guidance on this subject should be reviewed together with this section.
Authors: Stuart R. Buttrick and Susan W. Kline, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Summary
- In the absence of communications stating otherwise, the employment relationship is presumed to be at-will. See Employment At-Will.
- Iowa law requires employers to post certain information in the workplace. See Postings Required by Iowa Law.
- Iowa employers who choose to implement a drug testing program are required to keep confidential certain communications related to this program. See Employee Communications Related to Drug Testing.
- Employers may choose to utilize restrictive covenants to prevent employees from divulging the organization's confidential information or engaging in certain conduct. See Use of Restrictive Covenants to Limit Employee Communications and Conduct.
- Iowa law prohibits drivers from writing, reading or sending text-based communications, e.g., text messages, instant messages or emails, from mobile devices while driving. See Use of Mobile Devices.
- Employers should be cautious in communicating with others about private or potentially damaging information about employees. See Publishing Statements About Employees to Others.
- Iowa law also prohibits employers from attempting to blacklist a former employee or prevent the former employee from obtaining other employment. See Preventing Employee from Obtaining Other Employment.
- Under Iowa law, subject to certain limitations, employers are immune from civil liability for providing work-related information about a current or former employee at the request of the employee or a prospective employer or if authorized by the employee. See Immunity for Providing Employment-Related Information.
- An employer may be liable for invasion of an employee's privacy. See Invasion of Privacy Claims.
- Iowa law restricts an employer's ability to monitor an employee's electronic communications. See Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance of Employee Communications.