This month’s policy overview is on 4.181 Leave, Other. The policy reminds us that there are other laws with which the College complies. As an example, in Illinois there is a School Visitation Rights Act. The Illinois School Visitation Rights Act, signed in 1992 by Governor Jim Edgar, provides parents and legal guardians up to eight hours of unpaid time off during the school year to attend necessary academic or behavioral conferences at their children’s schools when such meetings conflict with work hours.
Here are highlights from this Act:
- The employee must have been employed at least six months and have been employed at least part time to be eligible to take leave under the Act. Part time is equivalent to at least 50% of full-time hours as set by the employer or collective bargaining agreement.
- An eligible employee can take up to eight leave hours during any school year; no more than four hours may be taken on a given workday.
- The employee must have exhausted all accrued vacation leave, personal leave, compensatory leave, and any other leave except sick leave and disability leave before taking unpaid leave under the Act.
- An employee may choose to make up the time taken under the Act but shall not be required to do so and the employer shall make a good faith effort to allow the employee to make up the time if requested by the employee.
- An employer may not terminate an employee for an absence which is due solely to the employee’s attendance at a school conference, behavioral meeting, or academic meeting,
- The employee must provide the employer with a written request for leave at least seven days in advance. In emergency situations, 24-hour notice is required.