BW INSIGHTS

Federal Contractor Vaccine Mandates Have Arrived. OSHA’s Nationwide Private Sector Mandate is Close Behind.

By BrownWinick | 10.26.2021

Federal Contractors Targeted First On September 9, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14042, an Executive Order on “Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors.” EO 14042 ordered federal departments and agencies to ensure that contracts and contract-like instruments include a clause requiring prime contractors to... Read More

Government Relations Update - 10.15.21

By BrownWinick | 10.15.2021

October 15, 2021 REC SUMMARY The Revenue Estimating Conference (“REC”), comprised of a three-member panel (Kraig Paulsen, Holly Lyons, and David Underwood) met this morning (10/15/21) as part of their standard schedule of meetings to estimate future state revenues. A summary of the information discussed during the meeting is below, along with the... Read More

Iowa Court of Appeals Decision Serves as Cautionary Tale for Construction Contractors

By BrownWinick | 10.08.2021

The Iowa Court of Appeals issued a decision this week that sent a strong message to construction contractors – ignore your contracts at your own risk. Specifically, the Court stated, “Contracts mean what they say. Here, a party that failed to follow what a contract said in terms of the procedure to change the scope of the contract seeks to avoid... Read More

Government Relations Update - 9.15.21

By BrownWinick | 09.15.2021

MICHAEL BOUSSELOT WINS ANKENY SPECIAL ELECTION House District 37 will continue to be represented by a republican as Michael Bousselot defeated Andrea Phillips in yesterday’s special election. Bousselot, an attorney and former director of Iowa’s Department of Management, secured 51.58% of the vote. The democratic candidate Andrea Phillips received... Read More

Company with 100+ Employees? Prepare for the Most Stringent Vaccine Requirements Yet.

By BrownWinick | 09.10.2021

On September 9, 2021, President Biden announced an updated national COVID-19 strategy that includes the most sweeping vaccine requirements to date. Of note, under the strategy, the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) is developing a rule that will mandate all large employers to either: (1) require their... Read More

Government Relations Update - 9.10.21

By BrownWinick | 09.10.2021

Gov. Reynolds Deputy Chief of Staff to Join BrownWinick Des Moines, Iowa (September 10, 2021) – BrownWinick Law is pleased to announce the addition of Paige Thorson as a member to the firm. Thorson compliments the firm’s established government relations, insurance, health care, and energy and natural resources practices. Prior to joining... Read More

BrownWinick Collects More Than 5,500 Diapers to Support Local Refugee Families

By BrownWinick | 07.26.2021

BrownWinick’s Community Engagement Committee recently held a diaper drive in collaboration with Bethany Christian Services in support of the Start Small Project in Des Moines. Start Small Project is a community effort to help fill a specific yet impactful need: diapers for refugee and immigrant families in the Des Moines area. Every single box of... Read More

Iowa Water Quality Lawsuit Dismissed by Supreme Court

By BrownWinick | 06.30.2021

A lawsuit brought against the State of Iowa alleging that the State – and various departments and officials – has failed to sufficiently protect the public’s use of the Raccoon River was ultimately halted by a divided Iowa Supreme Court earlier this month. The lawsuit, initially brought forth by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (“ICCI”) and... Read More

Iowa Supreme Court Clarifies Iowa Civil Rights Act Individual Liability, Disability Discrimination, Failure to Accommodate, and Retaliation Standards

By BrownWinick | 06.28.2021

On Friday, June 25th, the Iowa Supreme Court filed a decision addressing several issues under the Iowa Civil Rights Act. In Rumsey v. Woodgrain Millwork, Inc., a discharged employee filed disability discrimination and retaliation claims against his former employer. The employee was injured at work in early 2015, and the employer provided the... Read More

Iowa Supreme Court Decides Key Iowa Drug and Alcohol Testing Law Questions, Provides Leniency to Iowa Businesses

By BrownWinick | 06.25.2021

This morning, Friday, June 25, 2021, the Iowa Supreme Court filed decisions in two cases involving Iowa’s private sector drug and alcohol testing law. Under the decisions, Iowa employers will not be held liable for violating Iowa’s private sector drug and alcohol testing law so long as they “substantially comply” with the provisions of the law.... Read More