A proposed law aims to provide workers with three days of paid leave to attend their children’s or wards’ school activities. Batangas Fourth District Representative Lianda Bolilia, who filed House Bill 9845, believes that participating in events like graduations and recognition days will help parents fulfill their responsibilities and strengthen parent-child relationships.
The proposed “School Visitation Rights Act” mandates employers to grant employees up to three days of paid school visitation leave per school year. This leave can be used for attending school conferences or activities related to their child. However, employees must first exhaust all other accrued leaves, excluding sick and disability leave, before availing of this leave.
The bill requires employees to submit a written request for leave at least seven days in advance. In emergencies, a notice of no more than 24 hours is acceptable. Employees must coordinate with employers to schedule the leave in a way that minimizes disruption to the workplace.
Schools will provide documentation of the visitation, which parents or guardians must submit to their employers. Failure to submit this verification may result in disciplinary action for unexcused absence. Additionally, employers are not obligated to grant the leave if it would result in more than 5 percent of the workforce or shift attending school activities simultaneously.
