September 9, 2025
Ms. Duckworth (for herself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Markey, Mr. Coons, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
To establish eligibility requirements for covered educational employees under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the ESP, Paraprofessional, and Education Support Staff Family Leave Act
.
Sec. 2. Eligibility for education support professionals and school support staff
Section 101(2) of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2611(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(F) Paraprofessionals and education support staff
(i) Determination
For purposes of determining whether a covered educational employee meets the hours of service requirement specified in subparagraph (A)(ii), the covered educational employee will be considered to meet the requirement if the employee has worked a number of hours equal to not less than 60 percent of the applicable total monthly hours expected for the employee’s job description and duties, as assigned for the previous school year.
(ii) File
Each employer of a covered educational employee shall maintain on file with the Secretary (in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe) information specifying the total monthly hours expected for the employee’s job description and duties for each school year.
(iii) Definitions
In this subparagraph:
(I) Covered educational employee
The term
covered educational employeemeans aparaprofessionalor aneducation support staff memberemployed by an educational agency or institution.(II) Paraprofessional
The term paraprofessional has the meaning given the term in section 8101(37) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(37)).
(III) Education support staff
The term education support staff member (also known as a
classified school employee,education support professional, orESP) means an employee of an educational agency or institution who provides clerical and administrative services, transportation services, food and nutrition services, custodial and maintenance services, health and student services, technical services, or services related to skilled trades.(IV) Educational agency or institution
The term
educational agency or institutionhas the meaning given the term in section 444(a)(3) of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g(a)(3)).
Sec. 3. Entitlement to leave
Section 102(a) of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2612(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(6) Calculation of leave for covered educational employees
The Secretary shall provide methods for calculating the leave described in paragraph (1) with respect to covered educational employees, in accordance with section 108, as applicable.