Bill > A00816

This bill enacts the "Parental Involvement Leave Act," which requires employers to provide employees with up to 24 hours of unpaid leave per twelve-month period to attend school-related events for their children. The leave is designed for parents to participate in activities such as parent-teacher meetings, disciplinary proceedings, individualized education plan meetings, class presentations, parent workshops, or school interviews that cannot be reasonably scheduled outside of work hours. To be eligible, employees must have worked at least four weeks full-time or twenty-five days part-time, and the bill broadly defines "child" to include biological, adopted, foster, step, and legal ward children. Employees must provide advance notice to their employer (seven days for foreseeable events, as soon as practicable for emergencies) and may be required to provide documentation from the school. The bill prohibits employer retaliation against employees who use this leave, allows employees to use paid leave if they choose, and establishes administrative enforcement mechanisms, including potential fines for employers who violate the law. The departments of labor and education are tasked with developing educational materials and notifying schools and parents about the new leave policy. The law will take effect 120 days after becoming law, providing time for employers and schools to prepare for its implementation.

Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A816