Workplace Advocates & Parents Win As WI School Conference Leave Passes Assembly

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 24, 2010

Workplace Advocates & Parents Win As School Conference Leave Passes Assembly
Expansion of Family-flexible Leave Moves Forward for Wisconsin’s Working Parents

9to5 applauds the State Assembly’s passage of school conference leave, to ensure parents and guardians can participate in a child’s academic activities. AB 116 passed the State Assembly on Tuesday, and now goes to the State Senate.  The bill allows an employee to take up to 16 hours of vacation, sick leave, or other unpaid leave when taking such leave is necessary to allow the employee to attend school conferences and classroom activities. 

       “Working women have been working hard to move family-friendly policies like this,” said 9to5 Wisconsin Director, Amy Stear. “Wisconsin is catching up with Minnesota, Illinois, and many other states with similar school conference leave laws. The tide is turning to support the current realities of the workplace. The push for family-flexible work will keep advancing, so no parent will have to choose between a child’s wellbeing and their job.”

“No parent should fear the loss of employment to attend a classroom activity or school conference that can’t be scheduled during nonworking hours," said Rep. Spencer Black, author of the bill.  “Study after study has shown when parents are involved, students have higher grades, higher graduation rates, increased motivation, lower rates of suspension, decreased use of drugs and alcohol, and fewer instances of violent behavior.   

The Families and Work Institute found that only 29 percent of low-wage, low-income families had flexibility over starting and quitting times at their jobs, compared to 51 percent of higher-wage, higher-income parents. 

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