Iowa § 85.3 - 85.3 Acceptance presumed — notice to nonresident employers.

§ 85.3. 85.3 Acceptance presumed — notice to nonresident employers.

1. Every employer, not specifically excepted by the provisions of this chapter, shall provide, secure, and pay compensation according to the provisions of this chapter for any and all personal injuries sustained by an employee arising out of and in the course of the employment, and in such cases, the employer shall be relieved from other liability for recovery of damages or other compensation for such personal injury. 2. Any employer who is a nonresident of this state, for whom services are performed within this state by any employee, is deemed to be doing business in this state by virtue of having such services performed and the employer and employee shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the workers’ compensation commissioner and to all of the provisions of chapter 10A, subchapter III, this chapter, and chapters 85A, 85B, and 87, as to any and all personal injuries sustained by the employee arising out of and in the course of such employment within this state. In addition, every corporation, individual, personal representative, partnership, or association that has the necessary minimum contact with this state shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the workers’ compensation commissioner, and the workers’ compensation commissioner shall hold such corporation, individual, personal representative, partnership, or association amenable to suit in this state in every case not contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of the United States. 3. a. Service of process or original notice upon a nonresident employer may be performed as provided in section 617.3 or as provided in the Iowa rules of civil procedure. In addition, service may be made on any corporation, individual, personal representative, partnership, or association that has the necessary minimum contact with this state as provided in rule of civil procedure 1.305 within or without this state or, if such service cannot be made, in any manner consistent with due process of law prescribed by the workers’ compensation commissioner. b. In addition to those persons authorized to receive personal service as in civil actions as permitted by chapter 17A and this chapter, such employer shall be deemed to have appointed the secretary of state of this state as its lawful attorney upon whom may be served or delivered any and all notices authorized or required by the provisions of chapter 10A, subchapter III, this chapter, and chapters 85A, 85B, 87, and 17A, and to agree that any and all such services or deliveries of notice on the secretary of state shall be of the same legal force and validity as if personally served upon or delivered to such nonresident employer in this state. c. This section does not limit or affect the right to serve an original notice upon any corporation, individual, personal representative, partnership, or association within or without this state in any manner otherwise permitted by statute or rule. 4. For purposes of this section, a nonresident employer is any employer that is not a resident of Iowa as defined in section 617.3. [S13, §2477-m; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §1363; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §85.3] 98 Acts, ch 1061, §11; 2000 Acts, ch 1007, §1; 2000 Acts, ch 1232, §46; 2008 Acts, ch 1032, §201; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §1740, 1741 Wed Dec 10 22:31:11 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Section 85.3 (24, 0)