Last Updated on September 25, 2025 by MyHRConcierge

Balancing work responsibilities with family commitments can be challenging, especially for working parents who want to stay engaged in their children’s education. To support this balance, several states have enacted school activities leave laws, which provide employees with protected time off to participate in their children’s school-related events. Employers in several states need to be aware of these laws to maintain compliance and support their workforce.

What Are School Activities Leave Laws?

School activities leave laws allow employees of private employers to take time away from work during their regular work hours to participate in their child’s school or educational activities throughout the school year. While many of these leave provisions are unpaid, several states permit employees to apply accrued paid time off or vacation time to cover their absence.

Key Provisions of the Laws

While the specific rules vary by state, these laws typically include the following provisions:

• Eligibility: Generally applies to parents, guardians, foster parents or custodial grandparents.
• Covered Employers: Often limited to employers with a certain number of employees (for example, 25 or more). Some states have smaller thresholds or cover all employers.
• Amount of Leave: Typically provides a limited amount of unpaid leave, with anywhere from four to 40 hours per year, though this varies by state.
• Paid vs. Unpaid Leave: In most states, this leave is unpaid, though employees may use accrued vacation or personal time.
• Notice and Documentation: Employees are typically required to provide advance notice and, in some cases, verification from the school.
• Job Protection: Employers cannot retaliate against employees for exercising their right to this leave.

States With School Activities Leave Laws

Currently, only twelve states and the District of Columbia have laws addressing school activities leave. It is imperative to note that these states and their respective school activity leave law can change at any time- this means that it is important for employers to consult their state laws and regulations and stay up to date with any compliance changes. Below you will find states that currently have school activities leave laws, and what the provisions of those state laws are.

California

California law requires employers with 25 or more employees at the same location to provide parents, guardians, or custodial grandparents up to 40 hours of unpaid leave per year for school- or child care–related activities. Eligible reasons include enrolling or reenrolling a child, participating in school or daycare activities, and handling school or child care emergencies.

Colorado

Colorado’s Parental Involvement in K-12 Education Act allows parents or legal guardians of children in grades K–12 to take up to 18 hours of unpaid leave per school year from employers with 50 or more employees. The leave may be used for activities such as parent-teacher conferences, special education services, attendance, or discipline issues. Employers may limit leave to three-hour increments, require written verification from the school, and restrict use during emergencies or if the absence would disrupt operations.

Washington D.C.

Washington, D.C. requires all employers to provide up to 24 hours of school-related leave per year for employees to attend activities with their children. The leave may be unpaid or covered through vacation, personal, or other available paid time. Employees must give at least 10 days’ notice unless the need is unforeseeable. Employers may deny leave if it would significantly disrupt business operations.

Illinois

Illinois law allows eligible parents and guardians to take up to 8 hours of unpaid leave per school year- no more than 4 hours in a single day- to attend school-related activities for their children. The law applies to public or private employers with 50 or more employees in Illinois and covers employees who have worked at least six months and at least half-time. Employees must provide written notice at least seven days in advance, or within 24 hours in an emergency.

Louisiana

In Louisiana, employers must allow employees up to 16 hours per year- at the employer’s discretion- to attend their children’s educational activities. Employees may use accrued leave to cover this time. The law applies to any person or entity that pays compensation to an employee for services performed.

Massachusetts

Under Massachusetts’ Small Necessities Leave Act, all employers must provide up to 24 hours of leave per year for employees to attend children’s educational activities or accompany a child, spouse, or elderly relative to routine medical appointments. Employees may use, or be required to use, paid vacation, personal, medical, or sick leave. If the need is foreseeable, at least seven days’ notice must be given. School-related activities include attending parent-teacher conferences, school interviews, or accompanying a child to medical or dental appointments.

Minnesota

Employers with one or more employees must provide up to 16 hours of leave per year for employees to participate in their children’s educational activities, provided the employee has worked for the employer for at least 12 consecutive months. The leave can be used for school conferences, activities, or observing prekindergarten or special education programs. Employees may use accrued vacation or other paid time off, but employers cannot require them to do so.

Nevada

In Nevada, employers with 50 or more employees must provide up to 4 hours of unpaid leave per school year for employees to attend school-related activities. Employees may be required to give up to five days’ written notice, and the leave must occur at a mutually agreed-upon time. Employers cannot terminate employees for attending school conferences or responding to a child’s emergency. The leave can be used for parent-teacher conferences, school activities, volunteering, or attending school-sponsored events during regular school hours.

New Jersey

In New Jersey, under the Earned Sick and Safe Leave law, employees may use paid sick leave to attend their child’s school-related conferences, meetings, functions, or other events requested or required by school officials, including activities like sports or plays. Employees may also use leave to attend meetings regarding care related to a child’s health condition or disability. The law applies to all New Jersey employers, and all employees are eligible for paid sick leave with limited exceptions.

North Carolina

All employers must provide up to 4 hours of leave per year for employees to participate in their children’s educational activities. The leave must be scheduled at a time mutually agreed upon by the employer and employee. Employers may require at least 48 hours’ written notice and verification from the school.

Rhode Island

Employers with 50 or more employees must provide up to 10 hours of unpaid leave per year for employees to participate in their children’s educational activities. Eligible employees must have worked for the employer for at least 12 consecutive months and average 30 hours per week. Employees may use accrued vacation or other paid time off to cover the leave.

Vermont

In Vermont, employers with 15 or more employees who work an average of 30 or more hours per week must provide up to 4 hours of leave in any 30-day period, not to exceed 24 hours per year, for children’s educational activities. An additional 24 hours per year is available to address routine or emergency medical needs of a child, spouse, parent, or parent-in-law. Employees must give at least seven days’ notice when foreseeable, make a reasonable effort to schedule outside work hours, and emergency situations are exempt from the notice requirement.

Why These Laws Matter for Employers

For organizations operating across multiple states, compliance can become complex. Since there is no federal law under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) covering school activities leave, employers must carefully review state-specific requirements. Failure to comply may result in penalties and employee relations challenges.

Beyond compliance, supporting employees with flexibility for family obligations can improve morale, strengthen employee retention and foster a positive workplace culture. Proactively addressing school activities leave in employee handbooks and training managers on the requirements are important steps toward compliance.

Balancing Work and Family with School Activities Leave Laws

School activities leave laws reflect the growing recognition of the importance of parental involvement in education. While only a subset of states currently requires this leave, employers should monitor changes and adjust policies accordingly. Staying compliant not only reduces legal risk but also demonstrates a commitment to supporting employees in balancing their professional and family responsibilities.

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