The Illinois School Visitation Rights Act grants employed parents and guardians an allotment of time during the school year to attend necessary educational conferences, behavioral or academic meetings, or activities at their children's schools, if they are unable to meet with educators because of a work conflict.
An employer must grant an employee leave of up to eight hours during the school year, and no more than four hours of which may be taken on the same day, to attend school conferences, behavioral or academic meetings, or school activities if the activities cannot be scheduled during nonwork hours.
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Eligibility
Approval
Length of Leave
Benefits Continuation
Compensation
Returning from Leave
Employee Rights
Policies
Eligibility
Permanent full- or part-time faculty, civil service, or academic professional employees who are employed for six months or more may be eligible to request this leave.
No school visitation leave may be taken by an employee unless the employee has exhausted all accrued vacation leave, personal leave, compensatory leave and any other leave that may be granted to the employee except sick leave and disability leave.
Approval
Before attending a school conference, behavioral or academic meeting, or school activity, the employee must provide an employer with a written request for leave at least seven days in advance. In emergency situations, no more than 24 hours notice is required.
Length of Leave
Up to eight hours leave may be granted during the school year, no more than four hours of which may be taken on the same day.
Benefits Continuation
While on School Conference and Activity leave, employees continue to receive the same State and University benefits as when actively working. All State-paid contributions continue.
Compensation
An employee who utilizes this leave may choose the opportunity to make up the time on a different day or shift as directed by the employer. An employee is not required to make up the time taken, but if an employee does not make up the time, the employee will not be compensated for the leave.
An employee who does make up the time will be paid the same rate as paid for normal working time. Employers must make a good faith effort to permit an employee to make up time, but if no reasonable opportunity exists the employee will not be paid for the time.
Returning from Leave
The employee must submit the completed Illinois Department of Labor School Visitation Form to the employer following the school visit. (Please note that a school administrator signature is required on this form.) Failure to submit the verification document within two working days of the visit subjects the employee to the standard disciplinary procedures imposed by the employer for unexcused absences from work.
Employee Rights
No employee will lose any employee benefits by utilizing a school visit. This Act will not:
- Affect an employer's obligation to comply with any collective bargaining agreement.
- Prevent an employer from providing school visitation rights in excess of the Act's requirements.
- Be diminished by any collective bargaining agreement or any employee benefit plan.
Policies
School Conference and Activity Leave is provided for under State of Illinois Compiled Statutes 820 ILCS 147. This Act applies solely to public and private employers that employ at least 50 or more individuals in Illinois. No employer is required to grant school visitation leave to an employee if granting that leave would result in more than five percent of the employer's work force or five percent of the employer's work force shift taking leave at the same time. For additional information, please see the Illinois Department of Labor School Visitation Rights Act Fact Sheet .
Additional Resources