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The Mandate Monitor

What employers in Iowa must do

Checked November 8, 2026From the agencies that run each program

Short answer

Most employers in Iowa must pay at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour; Iowa doesn’t set a higher one.

Iowa has no state paid family and medical leave insurance program.

Running payroll in Iowa? See the do-it-yourself route and list prices for the 8 payroll systems that say they file payroll taxes.

Iowa requirements at a glance

RequirementStatusWhat it means for you
Minimum wageIn effect$7.25 an hour for most workers

Pay rules Iowa employers must follow

Paydays
At least monthly, twice a month or every two weeks, on regular paydays set in advance, no more than 12 days (not counting Sundays and holidays) after the pay period ends.
Final paycheck, fired
By the next regular payday.
Final paycheck, quit
By the next regular payday.
Meal breaks
No state requirement for adults.
Rest breaks
No state rest-break requirement for adults, but all employees must be allowed toilet breaks when needed.
Overtime
Follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rule: time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. We found no separate state overtime rule.
New hire reporting
Within 15 days of hire or rehire, to the Iowa Centralized Employee Registry (Iowa Department of Health and Human Services). Contractors must also be reported, within 15 days of the date both conditions are met: you pay the contractor twice a year or more under one contract or agreement, and a payment exceeds the amount that requires a 1099-MISC tax form.

From the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing and the U.S. Department of Labor’s state tables, checked November 7, 2026.

Upcoming Iowa deadlines

No dated Iowa deadlines on file right now. Federal year-end filings still apply.

Deadline calendar for every state · How to hire your first employee · Employer law changes for 2027 · All states

Sources

  1. Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (Labor)
  2. State Payday Requirements (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
  3. Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
  4. Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements Under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
  5. State Minimum Wage Laws, including premium (overtime) pay after designated hours (updated November 5, 2026), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
  6. Iowa Code Chapter 91A, Wage Payment Collection (2026), Iowa Legislature (read Nov 7, 2026)
  7. EPAY New Hires FAQ (revised October 2024), Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Child Support (read Nov 8, 2026)