Lawmakers ensure parents get unpaid time off work for certain school meetings

Indiana lawmakers have come together in strong bipartisan support of a new measure aimed at helping parents stay involved in their children’s education. Senate Enrolled Act 409, which passed the House 96-0 and the Senate 30-19, requires employers to provide unpaid time off at least once a year for parents to attend either a case conference meeting for a child with disabilities or an attendance conference for a frequently absent student. The bill now awaits action from Governor Mike Braun, who can sign it into law or issue a veto.

The legislation includes protections to ensure fairness for both employees and employers. Parents must provide at least five days’ notice, submit documentation after the meeting, and limit their absence to a reasonable timeframe. Supporters of the bill, including Rep. Chuck Moseley and former school principal Rep. Vernon Smith, emphasized the importance of parental involvement in a child’s academic progress. Senate sponsor Rodney Pol Jr. added that no parent should be forced to choose between their job and their child’s education, highlighting the bill as a step toward greater educational advocacy and workplace balance.