Who is Eligible to Take Time-Off for Schooling or Childcare Activities?
Parents, stepparents, grandparents, foster parents or guardians who work for employers with 25 or more employees working at the same location must permit employees to take up to 40 hours of unpaid leave per year to address a childcare or school emergency. Note that time-off for childcare is only authorized if your child’s childcare provider is licensed.
When Can I Time-Off to Assist with My Child’s Schooling?
Employees can take time-off for a number of reasons related to the schooling of their children including:
- To participate in school activities or childcare activities
- A school closure or the unexpected unavailability of the school or childcare provider
- To address behavioral or discipline issues involving the child
- If the school of childcare provider asks the child be picked up or has an attendance policy that prohibits the child from attending or requires them to be picked up
- A school emergency or a childcare emergency
- To find a school
- To enroll or re-enroll a child in school
How Much Time-Off Can I Take a Month?
If you have accrued vacation then you might be able to take both days off; however, generally time-off related to a child’s education is limited to eight (8) hours in any calendar month in the year. However, it’s important to note that emergencies are not subject to the eight (8) hour per month limit.
In addition, if your child is sick you may be entitled to take additional time-off under California’s Kin Care Leave laws.
Can I Take Multiple Days-Off or Take Smaller Increments of Time-Off Within the Same Month?
Yes, the eight (8) hours in a month limit only applies to the number of hours off that you may take in a non-emergency situation in a calendar month. You can take two (2) hours off 4 times per month or more. This means that if you want to attend your child’s athletic or other extracurricular events, you can potentially attend multiple events per month.