The ESP, Paraprofessional, and Education Support Staff Family Leave Act expands protections under the existing Family and Medical Leave Act to cover school employees who are not currently eligible for paid family leave. The bill targets paraprofessionals (such as teacher aides) and education support staff (including custodians, bus drivers, food service workers, and clerical staff) employed by public and private schools. Under this legislation, these workers would qualify for family leave if they have worked at least 60 percent of the expected monthly hours for their position during the previous school year, rather than meeting the standard 1,250 hours-per-year requirement that typically applies to other employees. Schools would be required to maintain records of expected monthly hours for each job position and submit this information to the Department of Labor. The bill does not specify new federal funding, but directs the Secretary of Labor to establish methods for calculating leave eligibility for these education workers.
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