HB 37, the Parent Protection Act

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Please look at the House Industrial Relations Committee list. If your legislator serves on this committee or if you know any of the members personally, please call him or her and urge their support for HB 37. Some important points to make:

- With unemployment soaring, working families are under increased pressure to keep jobs they need while caring for children and elderly parents who depend upon them. HB 37 allows limited, unpaid, job-protected leave.

- HB 37 would provide 24 hours a year of unpaid leave to attend a child’s school conferences or for medical appointments for an employee, their child, spouse or elderly parent.

- Georgia law includes at least a dozen mandates on parents to attend school conferences or meetings and to make sure their children receive immunizations required for school attendance.

- Georgia law ensures job-protected leave to vote or serve on a jury.

- Family leave actually strengthens families AND business. Leave for school functions has been shown to reduce unscheduled employee absences.

- Student achievement improves when parent involvement in school increases.

PLEASE MAKE YOUR CALLS TODAY!

If you have questions, please contact Mary Frances Williams at mfwilliams@speakeasy.net or 404-395-3485.

HOUSE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Rep. Mike Coan, Chair (R- Dist. 101, Lawrenceville) Part of Gwinnett
repcoan@charter.net
CAP 404.656.6801

Rep. Bobby Reese, Vice Chair (R- 98, Sugar Hill) Part of Gwinnett
bobby.reese@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.656.0254 

Rep. Terry England, Sec. (R-108, Auburn) Part of Barrow
englandhomeport2@windstream.net
CAP 404.656.0183 

Rep. Clay Cox (R-102, Lilburn) Part of Gwinnett
clay.cox@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.656.0188 

Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D-93, Lithonia) Parts of Dekalb & Rockdale
dee.dawkins-haigler@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.656.0287 

Rep. Pat Dooley (D-38, Marietta) Part of Cobb
Pat.dooley@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.656.0116 

Rep. Hugh Floyd (D-99, Norcross) Part of Gwinnett
hughfloyd@mindspring.com
CAP 404.656.0314 

Rep. Mark Hamilton (R-23, Cumming) Parts of Cherokee & Forsyth
Mark.hamilton@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.656.0188 

Rep. Billy Horne (R-71, Newnan) Part of Coweta
Gahouse71@yahoo.com
CAP 404.656.0287 

Rep. Henry “Wayne” Howard (D-121, Augusta) Part of Richmond
Wayne.howard@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.656.6372 

Rep. Margaret Kaiser (D-59, Atlanta) Part of Fulton
Mkaiser2@comcast.net
CAP 404.656.0265 

Rep. Tom Knox (R-24,Cumming) Part of Forsyth Tom.knox@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.656.6831 

Rep. Ed Lindsey (R-54, Atlanta) Part of Fulton
Edward.Lindsey@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.463.2247 

Rep. Pedro “Pete” Marin (D-96, Duluth) Part of Gwinnett
marinstatehouse@aol.com
CAP 404.656.0314 

Rep. Jeff May (R-111, Monroe) Part of Walton
Jeff.may@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.656.7146 

Rep. Doug McKillip (D-115, Athens) Part of Clarke
doug@dougmckillip.com
CAP 404.656.0220 

Rep. Jimmy Pruett (R-144,Eastman) Part of Ben Hill & Pulaski, Bleckley, Dodge, Wilcox
Jimmy.pruett@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.651.7737 

Rep. Robbin Shipp, (D-58, Atlanta) Parts of Fulton, Dekalb
Robbin.shipp@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.656.6372 

Rep. Rob Teilhet (D-40, Smyrna) Part of Cobb
rteilhet@yahoo.com
CAP 404.656.0298 

Rep. Roger Williams (R-4, Dalton) Part of Whitfield
Roger.williams@house.ga.gov
CAP 404.656.3904

BACKGROUND

You may recall that the Parent Protection Act was formerly submitted as HB 901. The new bill is HB 37.

Talking Points provided by Georgia PTA and Georgia Rural Urban Summit for HB 901, now HB 37
1. Parent Protection Act requires that employers give employees up to 24 hours per year in unpaid leave to attend to matters at the school their child attends or take the child, another relative or themselves for medical care.

2. Employees who have available vacation time, sick leave, or compensatory time may be asked first to use that.

3. Employers can require up to two days notice and may insist that time off be taken in blocks of at least two hours.

4. Georgia PTA provided much input into this bill (HB 901) over the last two years.

5. Too many Georgia workers do not have flexible workplace policies that allow them to register a child for school, take them for legally required immunizations, or accompany an elderly parent to a medical appointment without fear of risking their job.

6. HB 901, now HB 37, provides real support for family values by allowing workers to balance responsibilities at home and on the job.

7. Employers benefit through a healthier, more productive and loyal workforce and by being able to schedule absences in advance.

Some supporters of HB 901, now HB 37: ACLU, PTA and Georgia Rural Urban Summit and Georgia Job/Family Collaborative'''
 

HB 901 was opposed by Georgia Chamber of Commerce on the grounds that it "may hurt the business climate in GA by putting a chink in an employer's unfettered right to fire (known as the employment at-will doctrine.” We must wait and see if the Georgia Chamber of Commerce raises the same opposition to HB 37.

The problem is widespread. Georgia School Superintendents Association - Staff Analysis of the Legislation http://www.ciclt.net/sn/clt/gssa/default.aspx?ClientCode=gssa

Summary of HB 901, now HB 37: This bill is designed to create leave for parents to attend school parental conferences and medical appointments that cannot be scheduled outside the regular work day without employer retaliation.

ICM supports the Parent Protection Act. Parental involvement in a child’s education and school life is of primary importance. Parents should not have to decide between keeping their jobs and attending a school conference that involves the well-being of their children.

What can you do? · Learn more about the situation at ICM's Web site.
· Educate your faith community about the condition.
· Contact your legislator by phone, by letter and in person.
· Start phone-in, e-mail, letter-writing campaigns to the legislators who represent the district of your faith community.
· Request a personal meeting with your legislator to discuss why your faith community supports this cause.