Employers in some states are required to provide leave for parents and guardians to attend their children's school-related activities. Now's the time to dust off your school activities leave policy.
As of September 2023, states that require employers to provide leave for parents and guardians to attend their children's school-related activities include California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and the District of Columbia.
Other states have enacted legislation that encourages, but does not require, employers to provide school-related leave to employees.
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SHRM
Dear Littler: What Do We Need to Know about School-Activity Leave Laws?
Littler | Sep 2023
As School Bells Ring, Employers Should Review School-Related Activities Leave Policies
Akerman | Sep 2023
SHRM Samples
Policy: Paid Leave for School Visitation
Form: School Activities Leave Request
State-by-State Resources
Where possible, we've included links to the code, an article and an example policy. Use example policies as guidelines only. You must ensure that your policy and form comply with relevant state law.
California Family-School Partnership Act
Code: Sections 230.7 & 230.8
Article: Employee Leave Entitlements 101: School-Related Requests
Jackson Lewis | Aug 2023
Example policy: Family-School Partnership
UC Berkeley
REPEALED: Colorado Parental Leave for Academic Activities
Read the Text of Measure
Section 8-13.3-101 to 8-13.3-104. (Repealed).
District of Columbia Parental Leave Act of 1994
Code: § 32-1202. Amount of leave; denial; form; notice
Poster: Parental Leave Act - Know Your Rights
Example Policy: DC Parental Leave
George Washington University
Illinois School Visitation Rights Act
Code: (820 ILCS 147/) School Visitation Rights Act
Fact Sheet: School Visitation Rights
Form: School Visitation Leave
Example policy: School Conference and Activity Leave
University of Illinois System
Article: Effective August 1, 2020, changes to the Illinois school conference and activity leave requirements went into effect. The amended law provides that the leave can be used for school conferences, behavioral meetings or academic meetings, and provides that employers cannot terminate an employee's employment based solely on an absence for one of these reasons.
Year-End State Law Roundup: Get Ready for 2020!
Squire Patton Boggs | Dec 2019
Massachusetts Small Necessities Leave
Code: Chapter 149: Section 52D - Small Necessities Leave
Sample Employee Certification (page 5) An Act Providing Employees Leave for Certain Family Obligations
Example policy: Small Necessities Leave - MA
Tufts University
Minnesota School Conference and Activities Leave
Code: 181.9412 School Conference and Activities Leave
Poster: School Conference and Activities Leave
Example policy: School and Conference Activity Leave
University of Minnesota
Nevada Parental Involvement
Code: NRS 392.4577 Parental involvement
Article: Must Nevada Employers Allow Parents to Participate in School Activities?
Piccolo | Dec 2019
Leave for School Related Activities
Nevada Association of Employers | Aug 2017
New Jersey
Under New Jersey’s earned sick and safe leave law, which applies to all New Jersey employers, employees may use their paid sick leave to attend a child’s school-related conference, meeting, function, or other event requested or required by school officials. Per the rules, this could include sporting events, plays, or similar activities. In addition, employees may use their time to attend meetings regarding care provided to child in connection with the child’s health conditions or disability. All New Jersey employees are eligible for paid sick leave with limited exceptions.
Dear Littler: What Do We Need to Know about School-Activity Leave Laws?
Littler | Sep 2023
New Mexico
Under New Mexico’s Healthy Workplaces Act of 2021, all employers are required to provide eligible employees with sick leave per benefit year. Eligible employees may use earned sick leave for meetings at the employee’s child’s school or place of care related to the child’s health or disability. When leave is foreseeable, the employee is required to make a reasonable effort to provide advanced oral or written notice of the need for the leave to the employer and must make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave in a manner that does not disrupt the operations of the employer. When the use of the leave is not foreseeable, the employee is required to notify the employer orally or in writing as soon as practicable.
As School Bells Ring, Employers Should Review School-Related Activities Leave Policies
Akerman | Sep 2023
North Carolina Leave for Parental Involvement in Schools
Code: § 95-28.3. Leave for parent involvement in schools
NC DOL: Parental Leave
Example policy: Leave for Parent Involvement in Schools
Duke University
Rhode Island School Involvement Leave
Code: § 28-48-12 School involvement leave
RI DLT: Notice to Employees- Rhode Island Parental and Family & Medical Leave Act
Example policy: Staff Time Away
Rhode Island School of Design
Vermont Short-Term Family Leave to Participate in Preschool or School Activities
Code: 21 V.S.A. § 472a. Short-term family leave
VT DOL Poster: Parental Leave, Family Leave, and Short-Term Family Leave
Example policy: Vermont Parental Leave, Family Leave and Short-Term Family Leave (VPFL) Policy
The University of Vermont
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