Employee Leave for School Activities – State Law Overview
The state laws discussed in the chart below require employers to provide leave to parents or other caretakers for school appearances or activities. In addition to ensuring compliance with these requirements, employers should also consider whether language in state laws providing broad leave, such as paid leave for any reason, requires leave for school events.
The chart below does not include laws providing leave for parents whose child is ill, or whose child’s school or place of care has been closed due to a public emergency. These leave requirements are often contained in state sick leave and family and medical leave laws.
At the federal level, a U.S. Department of Labor opinion letter advised that an employee’s need to attend school meetings addressing the educational and special needs of their child is a qualifying reason for taking federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave. Otherwise, there is no nationwide, federal mandate for school activities leave.
| State | Covered Employers and Employees | Permitted Reasons for Leave | Length of Leave | Compensation | Notice and Documentation |
| California Leave for school or Child Care Activities |
Leave for School or Child Care Activities: Employers with 25 employees or more working at the same location. Employees who are parents, guardians, stepparents, foster parents, grandparents or who stand in loco parentis to a child of the age to attend a licensed daycare provider, kindergarten or grades 1-12. Leave Due to a Child’s Suspension: All employers. Employees who are the parent or guardian of a student who has been suspended and whose teacher has requested that the employee attend a portion of the day in the classroom. |
Leave for School or Child Care Activities: Find, enroll or reenroll their child in a school or with a licensed child care provider; Participate in activities of their child’s school or licensed child care provider; or Address a childcare provider or school emergency involving their child.
Leave Due to a Child’s Suspension: |
Leave for School or Child Care Activities: 40 hours per year, limited to 8 hours in any given month except for leave due to emergencies. Leave Due to a Child’s Suspension: Not specified in the law. |
Leave For Child Care Activities The employee must use their vacation, personal leave or paid or nonpaid time off provided by the employer. Leave Due to a Child’s Suspension: Not specified in the law. |
Leave for School or Child Care Activities: Employees must give reasonable advance notice to find, enroll or reenroll a child in school or childcare, or to participate in school activities. Employees must give notice to the employer of leave to address a childcare or school emergency. Employers may require documentation from the school or licensed childcare provider as proof that the employee participated in school activities on a specific date and time. “Documentation” means whatever written verification the school or licensed childcare provider deems appropriate and reasonable. |
| District of Columbia Parental Leave |
All employers. All employees who are parents, meaning the natural mother or father of a child; a person who has legal custody of a child; a person who acts as a guardian of a child, regardless of whether they have been appointed legally as such; an aunt, uncle or grandparent of a child; or a person who is married to, or in a domestic partnership with, a person listed above. |
To attend or participate in the child’s school-related event, meaning an activity sponsored by either a school or an associated organization, such as a parent-teacher association. A school-related event includes a student performance such as a concert, play or rehearsal; the sporting game of a school team or practice; a meeting with a teacher or counselor; or any similar type of activity. A school-related event must involve the parent’s child directly, either as participant or subject, but not as a spectator. Employers may deny leave that would disrupt their business and make the achievement of production or service delivery unusually difficult. |
24 hours of leave per 12-month period. | Leave may be unpaid, unless the employee elects to use any available paid time off. | Employees must provide 10 days’ advance notice of leave for foreseeable school-related events. |
| Illinois School Visitation Leave |
Employers with 50 employees or more. “Employer” means 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. Employees who have: Worked for the employer for at least 6 consecutive months before making the leave request; and Been employed on at least a half-time basis during that 6-month period. |
For the employee to attend their children’s school conferences or behavioral or academic meetings when the events cannot be rescheduled during nonwork hours. Employers may deny leave that would result in more than 5% of the employer’s workforce or shift taking school visitation leave at the same time. |
Up to 8 hours per school year, limited to 4 hours on any given day. |
Leave may be unpaid. Employees must first exhaust all accrued vacation leave, personal leave, compensatory leave and any other leave available except sick leave and disability leave. Employers must make a good-faith effort to allow employees on leave to make up the time on a different day or shift at normal pay. |
Employees must provide a written request for leave at least 7 days in advance. In emergencies, no more than 24 hours’ notice may be required. Employees must consult with their employer to schedule leave so as not to unduly disrupt the employer’s operations. Employees must submit documentation of the visit from the school to their employer within 2 working days of the leave. |
| Indiana School Conference Leave Expires July 1. 2029 |
All employers. All employees. |
For the employee to attend their child’s: School activities, such as parent-teacher conferences (including at licensed childcare facilities); and Medical appointments. |
24 hours per 12-month period. |
Leave may be unpaid. Employees may elect or employers may require the substitution of the employee’s accrued paid vacation leave, personal leave, or medical or sick leave for small necessities leave. |
Employees must provide 7 days’ advance notice for foreseeable leave and notice as soon as practicable for unforeseeable leave. Employers may require a certification signed by the employee, stating the date and duration of the leave, and the reason for the leave. Employers may require the certification at the time the employee gives notice of the need for leave or within 2 business days thereafter. For unforeseen leave, the employee may provide the certification within 2 business days after the leave was taken, or as soon as reasonably practicable. |
| Massachusetts Small Necessities Act |
Employers with 50 employees or more. Employees who qualify under the federal FMLA. |
For the employee to attend their child’s: School activities, such as parent-teacher conferences (including at licensed childcare facilities); and |
24 hours per 12-month period. |
Leave may be unpaid. Employees may elect or employers may require the substitution of the employee’s accrued paid vacation leave, personal leave, or medical or sick leave for small necessities leave. |
Employees must provide 7 days’ advance notice for foreseeable leave and notice as soon as practicable for unforeseeable leave. Employers may require a certification signed by the employee, stating the date and duration of the leave, and the reason for the leave. Employers may require the certification at the time the employee gives notice of the need for leave or within 2 business days thereafter. For unforeseen leave, the employee may provide the certification within 2 business days after the leave was taken, or as soon as reasonably practicable. |
| Minnesota School Conference and Activities Leave |
All employers. All employees. | For the employee to attend their child’s (including a foster child’s) school conferences or school-related activities that cannot be scheduled during nonwork hours. | 16 hours per 12-month period. The employee may use the leave to attend a conference or activity related to their child’s childcare or prekindergarten program, or to observe and monitor the services or program, if this activity cannot be scheduled during nonwork hours. | Leave may be unpaid, but employees may substitute their accrued paid vacation leave or other appropriate paid leave for school conference and activities leave. | Employees must provide reasonable prior notice of foreseeable leave and make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to unduly disrupt the operations of the employer. |
| Nebraska Healthy Families and Workplace Act |
Employers with at least 11 employees, except government employers. Employees who work in Nebraska for at least 80 hours in a calendar year, with limited exceptions such as seasonal or temporary agricultural workers and workers under 16. |
With respect to school appearances, to attend a meeting necessitated by the employee’s child’s mental or physical illness, injury or health condition, at a school or place where the child is receiving care. | Employers with between 11 and 19 employees: 40 hours of leave per year.
Leave is accrued at the rate of one hour per every 30 hours worked, if not provided in an upfront lump sum at the beginning of the year. Leave begins accruing when an employee has worked for their employer for 80 hours. |
Leave must be paid at the employee’s regular rate of pay (but at least the minimum wage). |
If employers require advance notice of leave, they must provide reasonable procedures for providing notice in a written policy. Employers may require employees to provide reasonable documentation showing that leave of more than 3 consecutive workdays was for a permitted purpose under the law. “Reasonable documentation” is: Documentation signed by a health care professional indicating that paid sick time is or was necessary; or If the employee or a family member did not receive services from a health care professional, or if documentation cannot be obtained from a health care professional in reasonable time or without added expense, a written statement from the employee indicating that the employee is taking or took paid sick time for a qualifying purpose covered by the law. |
|
Nevada Leave for Public School Parents Leave for Private School Parents |
Employers with at least 50 employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current calendar year. Employees who are parents, guardians or custodians of a child enrolled in a public or private school. |
For the employee to: Attend parent-teacher conferences; Attend school-related activities during regular school hours; Volunteer or otherwise be involved at their child’s school during regular school hours; and Attend school-sponsored events. The leave must be at a time mutually agreed upon by the employer and the employee. |
4 hours per school year, which must be taken in increments of at least 1 hour. | Leave may be unpaid. |
Employers may require a written request for the leave at least 5 school days before the leave is taken. Employers may also require documentation that during the time of the leave, the employee attended or was otherwise involved at the school or school-related activity for a purpose permitted by the school leave law. |
| New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Act |
All employers. All employees. Employers may require employees to wait 120 calendar days after starting employment before using paid sick leave. |
To attend a school-related conference, meeting, function or other event requested or required by a school administrator, teacher or other professional staff member responsible for the employee’s child’s education. Leave may also be used to attend a meeting regarding care provided to the child in connection with the child’s health conditions or disability. “Child” means a biological, adopted or foster child; stepchild; legal ward; or child of a domestic partner or civil union partner. |
40 hours per 12-month period, accrued at the rate of 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, if not provided in an upfront lump sum at the beginning of the 12-month period. | Leave must be paid at the employee’s regular rate of pay (but at least the minimum wage). |
Employers may require up to 7 days’ advance notice of foreseeable leave, and notice as soon as practical for unforeseeable leave. Employers may require documentation for leave of 3 or more consecutive days. |
| New Mexico Healthy Workplace Act |
All employers except tribal and government employers. All employees. |
For meetings at the employee’s child’s school or place of care related to the child’s health or disability, such as individual education program meetings. | 64 hours per 12-month period, accrued at the rate of 1 hour per 30 hours worked, or frontloaded at the beginning of the year. | Leave must be paid at the employee’s regular rate of pay (but at least the minimum wage). |
Employees must make a reasonable effort to provide advance oral or written notice of foreseeable leave, and they must make a reasonable effort to schedule foreseeable leave in a way that will not disrupt the employer’s operations. For unforeseeable leave, only notice as soon as practicable is required. |
| North Carolina Parental Involvement Leave |
All employers. Any employee who is a parent, guardian or standing in loco parentis to a school-aged child. |
For the employee to attend or otherwise be involved at their child’s school, including preschool and childcare facilities. The employer and employee must agree on the time of the leave. |
4 hours per year. | Leave may be unpaid. |
Employers may require a written request at least 48 hours before the leave time requested. Employers may require written verification from the school that the employee attended or was otherwise involved at that school during the time of the leave. |
| Rhode Island School Involvement Leave |
Employers with 50 employees or more. Employees who: Work an average of 30 hours or more per week; and Have been employed by the same employer for 12 consecutive months. |
To attend school conferences or other school-related activities for a child of whom the employee is the parent, foster parent or guardian. | 10 hours of leave per 12-month period. | Leave may be unpaid, but employees may substitute any accrued paid vacation leave or other appropriate paid leave. | The employee must provide 24 hours’ prior notice of the leave and make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to unduly disrupt the operations of the employer. |
| Vermont Short-Term Family Leave |
Employers that employ 15 or more individuals for an average of at least 30 hours per week during a year. Employees who have been continuously employed by the same employer for 1 year for at least 30 hours per week, or who meet federal FMLA-eligibility service requirements for airline flight crew employees or full-time teachers. |
For the employee to participate in preschool or school activities directly related to the academic educational advancement of the employee’s family member, such as a parent-teacher conference. (Leave may also be used to: Accompany a family member to routine medical or dental appointments (or other appointments for professional services related to their care and well-being); or
Respond to a medical emergency involving a family member. |
4 hours in any 30-day period, not to exceed 24 hours in any 12-month period. Employers may require that short-term family leave be taken in a minimum of 2-hour segments. |
Leave may be unpaid, but employees may use accrued paid leave, including vacation and personal leave. |
Employees must give notice as early as possible and at least 7 days before the leave is to be taken, unless waiting 7 days could have a significant adverse impact on the employee’s family member. Employees must make a reasonable attempt to schedule appointments outside of regular work hours. |
This Compliance Overview is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as legal advice. Readers should contact legal counsel for legal advice. ©2026 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.]
We provide professional help designed to meet your specific needs with a wide range of insurance products for your business and your family. Contact us to earn more about our Benefit Analysts Insurance Products.
The content herein is provided for general information purposes only, and does not constitute legal, tax, or other advice or opinions on any matters. This information has been taken from sources which we believe to be reliable, but there is no guarantee as to its accuracy.
Phone
(478) 746-3259
Address
1027 Walnut Street
Macon, GA 31201