State-by-State Guide: Family & School Partnership Acts

59.8 million.

That is the number of students enrolled in both public and private schools from prekindergarten to 12th grade across the United States. That means that there are about 60 million kids and their parents counting down the days until school starts again.

While some people enjoy getting back into a routine, others cringe at the thought of school activities and taking time off for them. Between back to school night, volunteering in the classroom, field trips and parent-teacher conferences, schedules fill up fast.

But what if there was a law protecting your right to go and participate in your child’s school or child care? In nine states and Washington, D.C., there is. While no law requires time off to be paid, the employer may be required to offer vacation, personal leave, compensatory time off or time without pay as options.

Check out the state-by-state laws below:

California – The Family-School Partnership Act

• Overview: CA law that allows the person who has custody of a child to take time off work to participate in their children’s school or child care activities.
• Applies to: Parent, guardian, or grandparent who has custody of a child enrolled in public or private school, kindergarten through 12th grade or in day care.
• Leave time: Up to 40 hours each year (up to eight hours in a month).
• Employer requirements: The business must have 25 or more employees at the same location to be subject to this act. They may not refuse the request.
• Request time: The law does not specify how far in advance one must request off, so be sure to check with your employer.

District of Columbia – Parental Leave Act

• Overview: This leave applies to school events like parent-teacher conferences, concerts, plays, rehearsals, sports, or any activity where child is an active participant.
• Applies to: Biological mother/father, legal custodian, guardian of child, aunt/uncle or grandparent of child, or person married to any person previously listed.
• Leave time: 24 hours of leave during a 12-month period.

• Request time: Employee must notify employer 10 days before requested leave, unless not reasonably foreseeable.
• Employer requirements: Employer must post this notice in a conspicuous place. If not, the employer may be fined $100 for each day they fail to post it.

Illinois – School Visitation Rights Act

• Overview: This act grants employees the right to attend school conferences or activities only if such activities cannot be rescheduled rescheduled during non-work hours. This time can only be taken if the employee has exhausted all accrued leave time, except sick leave or disability leave.
• Applies to: The employee must have been employed at least six months.
• Leave time: Up to eight hours during any school year, but no more than four hours can be taken in one day.
• Request time: Employee must notify employer seven days before requested leave, 24 hours if an emergency.
• Employer requirements: Act applies solely to public and private employers with 50 or more individuals in Illinois.

Massachusetts – Small Necessities Leave Act

• Overview: This act covers child’s school activities, doctor, and dentist appointments.
• Applies to: The employee must have worked at least 1,250 hours for the same employer in the last 12 months.
• Leave time: Up to 24 hours of unpaid leave every 12 months.
• Request time: No specific amount of time required, please check with employer.
• Employer requirements: Act applies employers with 50 or more employees.

Minnesota – School Conference and Activities Leave

• Overview: This act is to allow parents to attend school conferences or related activities if they cannot be rescheduled during non-work hours.
• Applies to: The employees who have children.
• Leave time: Up to 16 hours of paid leave every 12 months.
• Request time: Employee must provide reasonable prior notice.
• Employee requirements: Must execute effort to schedule outside of work and cannot disrupt business operations.

Nevada – Leave for School-related Activities

• Overview: This encompasses parent-teacher conferences, school-related activities, classroom volunteering, and school-sponsored events.
• Applies to: This leave is for parents, guardians or custodians of a child who is enrolled in public school.
• Leave time: Up to four hours each school year. Leave taken for any of those activities must be taken in increments of at least one hour and be mutually agreed upon by employee and employer.
• Request time: Must provide written request five school days in advance.
• Employer requirements: Must have 50 or more employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current calendar year. Employers are prohibited from terminating, demoting, suspending or otherwise discriminating against an employee who requests off.

North Carolina – Parental Leave

• Overview: This encompasses parent-teacher conferences, school-related activities, classroom volunteering, and school-sponsored events.
• Applies to: Any person who is a parent, guardian or custodian of a school-aged child.
• Leave time: Four hours per year.
• Request time: Must provide written request five school days in advance.

• Employer requirements: An employer may require a written request five days in advance. Employer may require a written verification from child’s school that employee attended. Employers should not discharge, demote, or otherwise discriminate against an employee who requests or takes leave.

Rhode Island – School Involvement Leave

• Overview: This covers school conferences or other school-related activities for a child of whom the employee is the parent, foster parent or guardian.
• Applies to: An employee who has been employed by the same company for 12 months.
• Leave time: Ten hours of leave during any 12-month period.
• Request time: Must provide 24-hour notice.

Vermont – Short Term Family Leave

• Overview: Directly related to the educational advancement of the worker’s child, stepchild, foster child or ward. This may also be used for routine medical or dental appointments.
• Applies to: Employees who work 30 hours a week for a year.
• Leave time: Employer is entitled to four hours in any 30-day period (not to exceed 24 hours in 12 months).
• Request time: At least seven days’ notice unless it would have a significant adverse impact on the situation.
• Employer requirements: Covers employers with 10 or more workers who work an average of 30 hours per week over the course of a year.

Louisiana – The Louisiana School and Day Care Conference and Activities Leave Act

• Overview: To attend conferences or classroom activities related to the employee’s dependent child if cannot be scheduled during non-work hours.
• Applies to: Employees with dependent children.
• Leave time Employer may grant up to 16 hours of leave per year.
• Request time: Must give reasonable time.

Back-to-school time can be stressful for your employees. But their well-being should be one of your top priorities. Be sure to review your state’s guidance before making decisions surrounding time off. 

Not sure what to do regarding HR-related guidance?

Schedule a call today

Please read our disclaimer here.