Recess from Work? The MI Family Education Leave Bill

[XLFD]

If high tax rates and strong unions weren't enough to deter many businesses from considering Michigan their place to locate with its 49 other competitor states, we now have the potential of one other factor working against us, and as usual it's inflicted on us by legislators with good intentions.

 

LANSING, MI – Parents would be allowed time away from work to take part in their children’s school activities without the fear of losing their jobs under a bill introduced in the state Senate.

State Sen. Bert Johnson, D-Detroit, said the Family Education Leave Act would provide unpaid leave for employees and also prohibit discrimination against workers who request or use the leave.

The bill would require an employer to allow each of his or her employees who is a parent or legal guardian of a minor child to request and take unpaid leave, not to exceed 10 hours for each child in any one academic year, for the purpose of attending an academic activity for or with the child.

“There is wide agreement that more parental involvement is a key factor in improving our children’s prospects for a successful education,” Johnson said Wednesday. “Too many parents, however, cannot afford to take any time off of work to attend parent-teacher conferences and other educational activities for their children. This bill provides a common-sense approach to relieve that burden.”

 

The bill also states that an employer shall not fire, threaten, or discriminate against an employee because he or she requests or takes leave for a school appointment.

Johnson said he doesn’t want parents to be penalized for playing an active role in their child’s education, but also understands the needs of businesses.

“It’s important that parents have access to the schools, and sometimes that is needed during working hours,” he said. “Especially in our inner-city and rural areas, parents shouldn’t have to worry about losing their jobs to be involved in their child’s school.”

Johnson said he is working with a group of state House members led by Jim Ananich, D-Flint, who introduced a similar bill in that chamber last year.

The bill will probably be assigned to the Senate Education Committee or Labor Committee, and Johnson said he’s optimistic the legislation will get a hearing despite Democrats being in the minority in both chambers.

“I think there are enough teachers on both sides of the aisle that they will understand the impact of parental involvement,” he said.

http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2012/07/michigan_senate_bi...

 

Typically you get a two weeks notice at least for an 'academic activity' at your school.  Many times you are offered the option to catch P/T conferences during the day or in the evening, and often many other school activities are offered in both time frames.  If you can't get the unpaid time off from your employer(s) for most of these activities right now, it is likely your company is small enough to depend on you being at your work during that particular time to stay open and/or survive. 

Employers may be forced to make employment decisions based on whether you have children in the same school or classroom as other workers during that shift-- if you both have fourth graders going to Foster School, forget it.  Bills such as these use governmental power to force small businesses to make decisions they shouldn't need to, and one of those decisions they may make is to move out of the state because their employees Bob and Alice wants an hour here and there to attend soccer practice during peak business hours, and they can't do anything about it.

But according to the article's poll, I am in the minority.  What do you think?

[Willy]

It would be nice for every parent to attend these activities but it's not really necessary in order for the child to receive a good education. I don't think employers should be forced to participate. Like you said it will only alienate companies and just might encourage businesses  to leave. The schools should be more flexible but then you run into the teachers unions. 

[masonco]

It only encourages hiring of those without children. Before anyone says "discrimination", there are ways to not hire someone without it appearing to the government you are discriminating (protecting yourself). As one classified 'deaf' most of my life and now one "older" I've heard them all.

"We found someone more qualified for the position".

"We must have someone who is compatible with the rest of the team"

"Someone filled the position and I was not aware"

"You are over qualified for the position"

"We will get back to you once we decide what specifications are for the job"

and my favorite

"We changed the qualifications and you no longer meet the minimum requirements" (This done the day after you apply)

So yes...it will make it harder for single parents to find work

[Sweater Cows!]

AS a small business owner with 5 employees on payroll I support this bill. If a business can't survive without a few employees leaving for an hour or two for the parents to go to an activity then maybe they should re-think why they are in business at all, in most cases I see with business owners in small business the owners work the job too and are capable to fill in for someone for a bit. I think medium sized biz may be more affected, like factories, but the bosses can get off there high ranking butts and go work the production line for a minute. Customer service is important but being there to my kid at her assemblies is more important. It really means a lot to her when her dad and I are there.

Why should a person ever have to tell their kid, sorry honey I can't leave work so I have to miss your event. Since when is work more important than family? It should never be!

[Sweater Cows!]

The downside is the employees who would abuse this. But maybe it should allow the employer to require a signed note from teacher or school staff that parent attended the function.

I have never missed a halloween, xmas, etc... party or field trip or field day or anything for my kid. I may not have stayed the entire time (field day) but I definitely show up and make an appearance for the kid..

Of course we have the parents who I have never seen at any school function and you just know they are on the gov't dole so why aren't they there? that really makes me mad.

[XLFD]

How can you argue against parents taking some time off their work to go to their kids school functions?  Kind of like this, 

Well, most of these functions do allow for a lot of advance notice, and most employers are flexible enough to give you some unpaid time off to attend if you give them some notice beforehand. 

Besides, if you want to become Joe or Mary Parent and use this law to get off work to check out all of junior's basketball games, you are going to be able to maybe go to three or four games before the ten hours runs out.  And what happens if you get caught going somewhere else other than this function? 

If you want to increase parent involvement in schools by legislation, make laws that apply to public schools/institutions, not the private workplace.  Private employers would only get less reasonable in giving you time off for other important things if they are forced to accomodate their employees with a law like this.