ESP, Paraprofessional, and Education Support Staff Family Leave Act

This bill makes it easier for school support staff to qualify for unpaid, job‑protected family and medical leave. Paraprofessionals and other school support workers can meet the hours requirement if they worked at least 60% of the monthly hours expected for their job, based on the last school year. School employers must keep records of the expected monthly hours for each job type. The U.S. Department of Labor will set clear methods for how to calculate leave time for these employees under the existing family and medical leave law .

It covers a wide range of school staff, including classroom aides (paraprofessionals) and “classified” or education support professionals who handle clerical work, transportation, food service, custodial and maintenance, health and student services, technical work, and skilled trades—all employed by a school or school district .

• Who is affected: Paraprofessionals and other school support staff employed by schools and school districts .
• What changes: They can qualify for family and medical leave by meeting a 60% of expected monthly hours test; employers must keep job-hours records; the Labor Department will provide leave calculation methods .
• When: The text directs the Labor Department to set calculation methods; no specific start date is stated in the bill text .