10
Loading video...
By Jenni Fink
Senior Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A newly introduced House bill would give millions of workers additional job-protected leave to attend school activities, parent-teacher conferences and youth programs involving their children and grandchildren.
The legislation, titled the Family Leave for Parental Involvement in Education Act, was introduced by Florida Democratic Representative Frederica Wilson on August 31. The measure would amend the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and federal employee leave rules to create a new category of leave specifically for parental involvement in children's educational and extracurricular activities.
If enacted, the proposal would allow eligible workers to take up to eight hours of leave during any 30-day period and up to 48 hours of leave during a 12-month period to participate in qualifying school or community activities. The leave would be in addition to other forms of leave already available under the FMLA.
Read More on News
Newsweek reached out to Wilson's office for comment via email but did not receive a response in time for publication.
What Parents Can Use 8 Hours of Monthly Time Off For Under New Bill
The proposal would permit eligible employees to take leave to participate in or attend a school conference or an activity sponsored by a school or community organization that relates to a program attended by the employee's child or grandchild. Among the activities that are covered under the bill are:
- Parent-teacher conferences
- Classroom events
- School performances
- Sports activities
- Scouting programs
- Educational meetings
Workers would be allowed up to eight hours of leave during any 30-day period and up to 48 hours during a 12-month period. The leave could be taken intermittently rather than all at once, allowing workers to attend individual events throughout the year.
The bill's definition of school is broad. It would cover elementary schools, secondary schools, Head Start programs and childcare facilities. That means parents of very young children, as well as parents of school-age children could potentially use the leave to participate in educational activities.
Employers would be allowed to require employees to provide documentation supporting a request for parental involvement leave. Workers generally would need to give at least seven days' notice before taking leave, or as much notice as practicable when seven days is not possible.
Notably, the legislation states that the leave entitlement would be separate from and in addition to existing FMLA leave. That means employees would not need to reduce the amount of traditional family or medical leave available to them in order to attend a school event or youth activity.
However, if parents or grandparents want to be paid for that time off, employers can require them to substitute it for paid time off, vacation time, personal leave, sick time or another paid leave bank their employer offers. If a worker doesn't want to use their paid time off or doesn't have the hours necessary, they can take the time off as unpaid. The bill just gives parents the extra time off as protected time off, not necessarily as paid time off.
...
Who Qualifies for Time Off Under New Bill
Eligibility under the proposal would generally follow existing FMLA eligibility rules for employees covered by the law. The measure does not create a universal right available to all workers; instead, it adds a new qualifying reason for leave under the framework of the FMLA.
The legislation specifically allows leave for activities involving an employee's son, daughter or grandchild. The bill defines a grandchild as the son or daughter of an employee's son or daughter.
In addition to private-sector workers covered by the FMLA, the proposal would extend similar benefits to eligible federal employees by amending Title 5 of the U.S. Code. Federal workers would receive the same basic entitlement of up to eight hours of leave during a 30-day period and up to 48 hours during a 12-month period for parental involvement activities.
Millions of Americans could be eligible for the additional time off between federal workers and private sector employees who are eligible for FMLA.
Is FMLA Paid?
The Family and Medical Leave Act provides eligible employees with job-protected leave but does not require employers to pay workers while they are on leave. Instead, the law guarantees that employees can take qualifying leave without losing their jobs and can generally return to the same or an equivalent position afterward.
Will Republicans Support Wilson's Bill?
The Trump administration has said it is making parents a priority, but it's unclear if Republicans would sign on to the proposal since there are no cosponsors on the bill.
The FMLA was enacted in 1993 under President Bill Clinton. Republicans largely opposed it at the time, arguing that it imposed costs and mandates on employers. Since then, however, opposition to the law itself has largely faded, and debates have shifted toward whether leave should be paid and how it should be funded.
During his first term, President Donald Trump signed legislation providing 12 weeks of paid parental leave for many federal employees, marking the first nationwide paid parental leave benefit for the federal workforce. That policy was separate from FMLA and applied specifically to federal workers.
In August, the Trump administration announced expanded tax-credit incentive for employers that offer paid family and medical leave. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at the time that hardworking Americans shouldn't have to choose between caring for a loved one and earning a paycheck.
“The Working Families Tax Cuts permanently expands the federal Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit, giving businesses, especially small businesses, greater incentives to provide paid leave so workers can care for a newborn or other family member or recover from a serious illness without sacrificing their financial security," Bessent said.
The bill has been referred to House committees for consideration, where it would require the Republican chairs to bring it before the committee for a vote. If it passes committee, Wilson would need to convince Republicans to bring it to the floor for a full vote.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jenni Fink and Geoffrey Rowland.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines