1. For the purposes of this section:

 a. “Convicted” means convicted of an indictable offense and includes a guilty plea or other finding of guilt by a court of competent jurisdiction.
 b. “Public employee” means any individual employed by a public employer. “Public employee” includes heads of executive branch agencies.
 c. “Public employer” means the state, its boards, commissions, agencies, and departments, and its political subdivisions including school districts and other special purpose districts. “Public employer” includes the general assembly and the governor.

Attorney's Note

Under the Iowa Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class D felonyup to 5 yearsbetween $1,025 and $10,245
For details, see Iowa Code902.9

Terms Used In Iowa Code 70A.27

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. a. A public employee on a leave of absence with full or partial compensation because the public employee is charged, by indictment or information, with the commission of a public offense classified as a class “D” felony or greater offense shall pay to the public employer employing the public employee a civil penalty equal to the cash wages that the public employee received during the period of the leave of absence if the public employee is convicted of a public offense classified as a class “D” felony or greater offense.

 b. A public employee shall pay to the public employer employing the public employee a civil penalty equal to any payments that the public employee received pursuant to the terms of the public employee’s employment contract that result from the termination of the contract, if the termination was caused by the employee being charged, by indictment or information, with the commission of a public offense classified as a class “D” felony or greater offense, and if the public employee is convicted of a public offense classified as a class “D” felony or greater offense.