Bill > HB21

This bill, known as the Parental Right to Participate in Schools Act, provides employees who are parents or guardians the ability to take up to 48 hours of leave within a 12-month period to attend school-related activities for their children. The bill broadly defines "parent or guardian" to include biological parents, legal guardians, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and their spouses or domestic partners. School-related activities are defined as parent-teacher conferences, school performances, rehearsals, sporting events, and other school functions where the child is a participant. Employees can take this leave as unpaid time or use available paid leave like vacation, personal, or compensatory time, depending on their preference. Employees must provide at least 10 days' advance notice, unless the activity was not reasonably foreseeable, and employers can deny the leave if it would substantially disrupt business operations. Employers are required to post a notice about these leave provisions in a visible workplace location and can be fined up to $100 per day for failing to do so. Employees who believe their rights under this act have been violated can file a complaint with the Alabama Department of Workforce. The bill will become effective on October 1, 2026.

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