It truly is out with the old and in with the new. As I mentioned in a previous blog, lawmakers in Iowa were looking to make some significant changes to the state’s workers’ compensation law this session…and, well, they did. On March 30, Governor Terry Branstad signed the Workers’ Compensation Reform Bill. The changes will go into effect on July 1, 2017.

What it boils down to is this…the bill truly overhauls the workers’ compensation law. And, I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. While this is a change in Iowa, employers in all states should take note. With the Trump administration, we might see other states propose more “extreme” reforms to benefit employers as a whole. This may be just the beginning of a domino effect.

As for Iowa, here’s what we know about what will become the “new” law. Note, these are just the highlights…

And again, those are just the highlights! It will be interesting to see if other states make changes to their workers’ compensation laws in the coming months. Either way, if you need help strategizing for your 2017 workers’ compensation programs as a result of these changes or just have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help!