LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: COVID-19 REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTIONS IN IOWA

by Baylor Evnen, LLP | Jul 22, 2021 | BLOG, IOWA WORKERS' COMPENSATION, WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

During the 2021 Iowa Legislative Session, legislators introduced two bills to amend the COVID-19 Response and Back-to-Business Limited Liability Act (“the Act”). The Act currently limits liability for businesses in civil actions arising from COVID-19 exposure but does not impact workers’ compensation claims. If passed, proposed bills HF 121 and SF 138 would provide employee-friendly […]

COVID-19: IOWA COMMISSIONER JOSEPH CORTESE POSTPONES IN-PERSON HEARINGS UNTIL OCTOBER 29, 2021

by Baylor Evnen, LLP | Jul 1, 2021 | BLOG, IOWA WORKERS' COMPENSATION, WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

On June 28, 2021, Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Joseph Cortese extended the postponement of in-person hearings by the commission from July 24, 2021 to October 29, 2021. This is the same order that has been in effect in Iowa since March 16, 2020. As part of the order, all in-person hearings scheduled to take place between […]

IOWA COURT OF APPEALS CLARIFIES “ODD-LOT DOCTRINE”

by Baylor Evnen, LLP | Jun 14, 2021 | BLOG, IOWA WORKERS' COMPENSATION, WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

The Court of Appeals of Iowa recently affirmed a decision from the Commission about an employee who argued she was entitled to permanent total disability from a work related injury. In Drahozal v. American Airlines, the employee argued that she fell under the Odd-Lot Doctrine, but the court found this not to be true, because […]

IOWA GUIDANCE ON TEMPORARY TOTAL DISABILITY AND THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF A LABOR MARKET

by Baylor Evnen, LLP | May 25, 2021 | BLOG, IOWA WORKERS' COMPENSATION, WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

In Annett Holdings, Inc. v. Roberts, the Court of Appeals of Iowa affirmed a decision from the Commission on two issues: (1) When does a period of temporary total disability benefits end; and (2) when determining an employee’s access to labor, what are the limits of the geographic area? On November 15, 2010, while the […]

AM I LIABLE: WHAT CONSTITUTES NOTICE FOR A WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIM IN IOWA?

by Baylor Evnen, LLP | Apr 15, 2021 | BLOG, IOWA WORKERS' COMPENSATION, WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

The Court of Appeals of Iowa recently affirmed a decision from the Commission that a report notifying the employer that an accident might have occurred, but did not specify that an employee had been hurt or injured, was sufficient notice in John Deere Davenport Works v. Dickerson. Under Section 85.23, notice of a work-related injury […]

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? AN INTERPRETATION OF WHICH WEEKS REPRESENT AN EMPLOYEE’S AVERAGE WEEKLY WAGE FOR WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

by Baylor Evnen, LLP | Mar 19, 2021 | BLOG, IOWA WORKERS' COMPENSATION, WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

The Court of Appeals of Iowa affirmed a decision from the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commission that held that a week during which an employee works only a few hours less than other weeks can be excluded from the average weekly wage calculation in Regional Care Hospital Partners, Inc. v. Marrs. As we know in Iowa, […]