An Act providing for small necessities leave for eligible employees relating to children and elderly relatives of an eligible employee; and imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry.

PRINTER'S NO. 1559
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1257
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY HAYWOOD, TARTAGLIONE, KANE, SAVAL AND CAPPELLETTI,
APRIL 1, 2026
REFERRED TO LABOR AND INDUSTRY, APRIL 1, 2026
AN ACT
Providing for small necessities leave for eligible employees
relating to children and elderly relatives of an eligible
employee; and imposing duties on the Department of Labor and
Industry.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Small
Necessities Leave Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Bureau." The Bureau of Labor Law Compliance within the
department.
"Child." A child of an employee or of the employee's
domestic partner whether by blood, marriage, adoption, foster
arrangement, custody agreement, whether full, partial or no
physical custody agreement is formally or informally in effect,
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or guardianship, that is a student enrolled in a school or early
intervention learning program maintained as a part of the
Statewide comprehensive education system in this Commonwealth
and is:
(1) under three years of age with an active IFSP
developed for the coordination of early intervention services
and support to be provided for the early intervention of the
child;
(2) preschool age from the earliest admission age to
preschool until admission to a kindergarten program;
(3) compulsory school age as defined in section 1326 of
the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the
Public School Code of 1949; or
(4) no more than 21 years of age with an active IEP at
the start of a school year that the student is enrolled.
"Department." The Department of Labor and Industry of the
Commonwealth.
"Early intervention services." Developmental services as
defined in the act of December 19, 1990 (P.L.1372, No.212),
known as the Early Intervention Services System Act.
"Elderly relative." An individual of at least 60 years of
age who is related to an employee by blood, marriage or domestic
partnership.
"Eligible employee." An employee who has been employed for
at least 12 months at the time the leave is to begin and has
worked for at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period prior
to the beginning of the leave. The term does not include an
employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement if the
agreement expressly provides for paid leave, paid sick leave or
paid time off.
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"Employer." An individual, partnership, association,
corporation, business trust or any person or group of persons
acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in
relation to an employee.
"Guardianship." An arrangement with a fiduciary who provides
care and management of a child, regardless of whether the
arrangement is educational, court appointed, surrogacy or
otherwise.
"IEP." An individualized education plan developed in
accordance with 22 Pa. Code § 14.131 (relating to IEP) and the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Public Law 91-230,
20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.).
"IFSP." An individualized family service plan as defined in
55 Pa. Code Ch. 4226 (relating to early intervention services)
and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
"School." The following:
(1) A public or private elementary or secondary school.
(2) An intermediate unit.
(3) A Head Start program under 42 U.S.C. Ch. 105 Subch.
II (relating to Head Start programs).
(4) An approved private provider engaged in providing
early intervention services under 55 Pa. Code Ch. 4226.
(5) A child care center licensed under Article X of the
act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human
Services Code.
Section 3. Small necessities leave.
(a) Leave requirement.--An employer shall provide a total of
24 hours of paid leave to an eligible employee during any 12-
month period, in addition to leave available under Federal law,
for, at a minimum, the following purposes:
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(1) Participate in school activities directly related to
the educational advancement of a child of the eligible
employee.
(2) Accompany a child of the eligible employee to
medical or dental appointments.
(3) Accompany an elderly relative of the eligible
employee to medical or dental appointments or appointments
for other professional services related to the elderly
relative's care.
(b) Protections.--An employer may not deprive an eligible
employee of employment, seniority position or benefits or
threaten or otherwise coerce the eligible employee with respect
to employment, seniority position or benefits because of the use
of leave under this section.
(c) Limitations.--
(1) An eligible employee may elect, or an employer may
require the eligible employee to substitute, the accrued paid
vacation leave, personal leave or medical or sick leave of
the employee for any leave provided under this section.
(2) Nothing in this section shall require an employer to
provide paid sick leave or paid medical leave in a situation
in which the employer would not normally provide paid sick
leave or paid medical leave.
(3) Leave under this section may be taken intermittently
or on a reduced leave schedule.
(4) An employer shall provide payment for leave taken
under this section no later than the payday for the next
regular payroll period after the leave was used.
(5) An employer is not required to provide compensation
to an employee for accrued, unused paid leave under this
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section upon termination, resignation, retirement or other
separation from employment.
(d) Notice.--If the necessity for leave under this section
is foreseeable, the eligible employee shall provide the employer
with not less than seven days' notice before the date the leave
is to begin. If the necessity for leave is not foreseeable, the
employee shall provide notice as is practicable.
(e) Certification.--An employer may require that a request
for leave under this section be supported by documentation of
treatment or care under subsection (a)(2) and (3) or
documentation or a certification issued at a time and in a
manner as the department may require by regulation.
(f) Enforcement.--The bureau shall be responsible for the
administration and enforcement of the protections of an employee
under this act through an expedited process developed by the
bureau for, at a minimum, the review of an employer's denial of
benefits under this act.
(g) Regulations.--The department may promulgate rules and
regulations necessary to implement and administer this act.
Section 4. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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