Leave for Parent Involvement in Schools Policy

Policy Statement

In accordance with North Carolina law, Duke provides four hours leave per calendar year to any staff member who is a parent, guardian or person standing in the place of a parent of a school-aged child to attend or otherwise be involved at that child's school. Time away must be scheduled in advance and approved by the staff member’s manager.

Policy Details

It is the belief of the General Assembly that parent involvement is an essential component of school success and positive student outcomes. Therefore, North Carolina General Statute § 95-28.3 - commonly called Leave for Parental Involvement in Schools Law - states that employers must grant four hours leave per year to any staff member who is a parent, guardian or person standing in the place of a parent of a school-aged child so that the staff member may attend or otherwise be involved at that child's school.

However, any leave under this section is subject to the following conditions:

• For the purpose of this section, "school" means any (i) public school grades K to 12, (ii) private church school, church of religious charter, or nonpublic school grades K to 12, (iii) preschool, and (iv) child care facility.
• This has been interpreted to allow four hours per calendar year, rather than school year. Also, it is four total hours, not four hours per child.
• The leave should be at a mutually agreed upon time between the supervisor and the staff member.
• The staff member must provide the supervisor with a written request for the leave at least 48 hours before the time desired for the leave.
• The supervisor may require that the staff member furnish written verification from the child's school that the staff member attended or was otherwise involved at that school during the time of the leave.
• Nothing in this section should require Duke to pay a staff member for leave taken under this section.

Duke should not discharge, demote, or otherwise take an adverse employment action against a staff member who requests or takes leave under this section.

Policy Number: 09.16