Workers’ Compensation Legislation Heads to Governor’s Desk

April 11, 2019

On Tuesday evening, the House passed SF 507 with a bipartisan vote of 55-44. The legislation, which was approved by the Senate a few weeks ago, ensures that idiopathic or unexplained falls from a level surface onto the same level surface are not compensable under workers’ compensation. The bill was necessary to fix an Iowa Supreme Court decision from last November. The court concluded there is no blanket rule rendering certain categories of workplace idiopathic falls noncompensable, so long as the employee proves that a condition of his or her employment increased the risk of injury. Justice Waterman noted in his dissent that this ruling could potentially convert the employer into a general health insurer. There was a robust debate on SF 507 with several amendments considered, but ultimately none of them were adopted. This ABI-supported legislation now heads to Gov. Reynolds for her consideration.