Workplace Smoking Rules in Iowa

Employers covered. Employers with one or more employees.

Written policy requirements. Employer policy not specified.

Posting requirements. Signs shall be posted at all building entrances where smoking is regulated, stating, "Smoking prohibited except in designated areas." Further, smoking and nonsmoking areas must be posted with appropriate signs.

No smoking areas. Iowa restricts smoking in any public place, defined as an enclosed area used by the general public or serving as a place of work containing 250 or more square feet of floor space, including but not limited to all restaurants with a seating capacity greater than 50, all retail stores, lobbies and malls, offices including waiting rooms and other commercial establishments, public transportation within the state, schools, health care facilities, auditoriums, elevators, theaters, libraries, art museums, concert halls, indoor arenas and meeting rooms.

Designated smoking areas. In designating smoking areas, existing physical barriers and ventilation systems should be used to prevent smoke from escaping. Where a facility has only one room, half may be reserved for no smoking with appropriate signs posted so designating the area.

Permitted smoking areas. Excluded from the definition of public places and, therefore, the restriction against smoking are retail stores selling tobacco products, private enclosed offices used exclusively by smokers, hotels, motels, resident's rooms in health care facilities, rooms being used for private parties, factories and warehouses--except employee cafeterias must have a designated nonsmoking area.

Training program for tobacco retailer employees. The alcoholic beverages division of the department of commerce will develop a tobacco compliance employee training program not to exceed two hours in length for employees and prospective employees of tobacco retailers to inform the employees about state and federal laws and regulations regarding the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to persons under 18 years of age and compliance with and the importance of laws regarding the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to persons under 18 years of age. The training program will be made available to employees and prospective employees of tobacco retailers at no cost to the employee, the prospective employee or the retailer and in a manner which is as convenient and accessible to the extent practicable throughout the state so as to encourage attendance.