Terms Used In Iowa Code > Chapter 91A - Wage Payment Collection

• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• clerk: means clerk of the court in which the action or proceeding is brought or is pending; and the words "clerk's office" mean the office of that clerk. See Iowa Code 4.1
• Commissioner: means the labor commissioner or a designee. See Iowa Code 91A.2
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Days: means calendar days. See Iowa Code 91A.2
• Employee: means a natural person who is employed in this state for wages by an employer. See Iowa Code 91A.2
• Employer: means a person, as defined in chapter 4, who in this state employs for wages a natural person. See Iowa Code 91A.2
• following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
• Health benefit plan: means a plan or agreement provided by an employer for employees for the provision of or payment for care and treatment of sickness or injury. See Iowa Code 91A.2
• 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.
• Liquidated damages: means the sum of five percent multiplied by the amount of any wages that were not paid or of any authorized expenses that were not reimbursed on a regular payday or on another day pursuant to section 91A. See Iowa Code 91A.2
• month: means a calendar month, and the word "year" and the abbreviation "A. See Iowa Code 4.1
• person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
• property: includes personal and real property. See Iowa Code 4.1
• Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
• 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
• United States: includes all the states. See Iowa Code 4.1
• Wages: means compensation owed by an employer for:
   a. See Iowa Code 91A.2
• year: means twelve consecutive months. See Iowa Code 4.1