AFSCME Wins Paid Leave to Participate in Your Children’s Educational Activities

One of the 2007 Legislative Priorities for AFSCME Local 965 was a bill providing paid leave for state employees’ children’s educational activity. We were successful, and now each year, all full-time benefits eligible employees will receive 8 hours of paid leave for the purpose of participating in their children’s educational activities. Unused leave is not subject to carry-over and is not compensable at retirement, so use it for the sake of your kids.

Children are defined as any person enrolled in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 (preK-12) and who is related to the state employee as: natural child, adopted child, stepchild, foster child, grandchild, legal guardian or any other legal capacity where the employee is acting as a parent.

Educational activity is defined as: parent-teacher conferences, participation in school-sponsored tutoring, school-sponsored volunteer programs, field trips, classroom programs, academic competitions, and assisting with athletic, music or theater programs. Please note that this does not include attendance at sports activities.

This leave goes into effect July 1^st. For 2007 only, you will receive the full 8 hours to use between July 1st and December 31^st. After January 1^st, 2008 it will be 8 hours per calendar year. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Beth Arbuthnot of UA Human Resources at 5-6209 or betha@uark.edu. If any supervisor trys to deny you paid leave for your children's educational activities, contact any officer or executive board member of AFSCME Local 965.