What's happening
This bill allows employees of large employers to take unpaid leave for school conferences or activities related to their children without job penalty.
Why it matters
Promotes parental involvement in education. By protecting employees’ jobs when attending their child’s school events, the bill encourages more parents to actively participate in their children's schooling, which research links to better student outcomes.
Establishes clear eligibility and limits. The law applies only to employees of large employers (50+ workers) who have worked long enough and enough hours, and caps leave at four hours per day and only after other leave types (except sick/disability) are used. This balances family needs with business operations.
Protects employees from retaliation. Employers are barred from taking negative actions (like firing or demoting) against employees who use this leave, and violations can result in fines and mandatory reversal of such actions, providing meaningful protection.
Includes safeguards for employers. Employers aren’t required to pay for the leave, can request advance notice and documentation, and may deny leave if more than 5% of the workforce would be absent at the same time, helping minimize workplace disruption.
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Who cares
Working parents at covered employers
Eligible employees would gain protection against adverse employment action for qualifying school visits, with no required pay, a four-hour daily limit and a requirement to exhaust most other accrued leave first.
Employers with 50 or more New York employees
Covered employers would face school-leave requirements, reversal of prohibited employment actions and fines of up to $1,000 per violation.
Public and private primary and secondary schools
Schools would have to offer regularly scheduled conferences or activities during both school and evening hours, notify families of visitation policies and verify visits upon request.
New York State Department of Labor
The department would notify employers of the requirements and be authorized to issue enforcement rules.
Headline styles
Protect Parents' School Visit Rights
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to labor
- Referred to labor
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Protect Parents' School Leave
In Senate Committee · Labor · Sponsor Anna Kaplan
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2318
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to the make time for parenting act
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The labor law is amended by adding a new article 21 to read as follows:
ARTICLE 21
MAKE TIME FOR PARENTING ACT Section 750. Short title.
751. Definitions.
752. School conference and activity leave.
753. Notification.
754. Verification.
755. Employee rights.
756. Limits on leave.
757. Enforcement.
§ 750. Short title. This article shall be known and may be cited as the "make time for parenting act".
§ 751. Definitions. As used in this article:
1. The term "employee" means a person who performs services for hire for an employer for:
a. at least six consecutive months immediately preceding a request for leave under this article; and
b. an average number of hours per week equal to at least one-half the full-time equivalent positions in the employers' job classification, as defined by the employers' personnel policies or practices or in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement, during those six months.
2. The term "employee" shall not include an independent contractor.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04245-01-9
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3. The term "employer" means any of the following: a state agency, officer, or department, a unit of local government, a school district, an individual, a corporation, a partnership, an association, or a nonprofit organization which employs fifty or more employees in the state of New York.
4. The term "child" means a biological, adopted or foster child, a stepchild or a legal ward of an employee who is enrolled in a primary or secondary public or private school in this state.
5. The term "school" means any public or private primary or secondary school or educational facility located in this state.
6. The term "school administrator" means a principal or similar administrator who is responsible for the operations of a school.
7. The term "negative action" means the discharge, suspension or demotion of an employee, or other adverse employment action taken against an employee in the terms and conditions of employment.
§ 752. School conference and activity leave. 1. Should an employee leave during any school year, no more than four hours of which may be taken on any given day, to attend school conferences or classroom activities related to the employee's child if the conference or classroom activities cannot be scheduled during non-work hours such an employee shall not be penalized with any negative action, as defined in subdivision seven of section seven hundred fifty-one of this article, for such activity. No leave may be taken by an employee of an employer that is subject to the provisions of this article unless the employee has exhausted all accrued vacation leave, personal leave, compensatory leave and any other leave that may be granted to the employee except sick leave and disability leave. Before arranging attendance at any such conference or activity, the employee shall provide the employer with a written request for leave at least seven days prior to the time the employee is required to utilize such leave. In emergency situations, no more than twenty-four hours notice shall be required. The employee must consult with the employer to schedule the leave so as not to unduly disrupt the operations of the employer.
2. Nothing in this article requires that an employee receive compensation for the duration of such leave.
3. For regularly scheduled, non emergency conferences or activities, schools shall make time available for such conferences or activities during both regular school hours and evening hours.
§ 753. Notification. The commissioner of education shall notify each public and private primary and secondary school regarding the provisions of this article. Each public and private school shall notify parents or guardians of the school's students of its school visitation policy. The department shall notify employers regarding the provisions of this article.
§ 754. Verification. Upon completion of school conference and activity leave by a parent or guardian and if requested, the school administration shall provide the parent or guardian documentation verifying the school visit. Employers may request this verification and employees must submit same.
§ 755. Employee rights. Nothing in this article shall be construed to affect an employer's obligation to comply with any collective bargaining agreement or employee benefit plan. Nothing in this article shall prevent an employer from approving school conference and activity leave in excess of the requirements of this article.
§ 756. Limits on leave. No employer that is subject to the provisions of this article is required to grant school conference and activity
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leave to an employee if granting the leave would result in more than five percent of the employer's work force taking school conference or activity leave at the same time.
§ 757. Enforcement. The department shall be authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to enforce the provisions of this article. Should an employer be found in violation of this article pursuant to the rules and regulations set forth by the department such employer shall be subject to a fine of no more than one thousand dollars per violation and such negative act shall be reversed.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.