(The Center Square) – A new law in Illinois expands access to family and medical leave for educational support staff in school districts, colleges and universities.
The law allows an individual who has been employed for at least 12 months and has worked at least 1,000 hours to be eligible for the federal Family and Medial Leave Act. The previous threshold was 1,250 hours.
“The people who keep our schools running smoothly have fair access to FMLA when they face illness and other life-changing events with their family,” state Rep. Terra Costa-Howard, D-Glen Ellyn, the bill’s cosponsor, said.
The Family and Medical Leave Act, enacted in 1993, allows an employee to take a leave of absence to recuperate from a serious health condition, care for a family member with a serious health condition, bond with a new child, handle qualifying exigencies arising out of a family member’s military service, or care for a family member who suffered a serious injury during active duty in the military.
“Our educators and schools staff work on the frontlines every day to provide a quality education for our youth and deserve their leave with no strings attached,” the bill’s cosponsor, state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, said.
During debate of the bill, state Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, said it would be a burden on employers who have to pay others to cover for the missing employees.
“They have to pay to either sub in or work overtime or do whatever in order to fill the job that person is no longer able to fill,” Ugaste said.
The new law will include educational support staff such as teacher’s aides, secretaries, maintenance workers, cafeteria workers and school bus drivers.
HB 12 goes into effect Jan. 1, 2022.
