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HR5222FEDERALin_committee

ESP, Paraprofessional, and Education Support Staff Family Leave Act

September 9, 2025

education labor family leave school employees

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Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action

Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.Sep 9, 2025

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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The Frame

What this does

This bill would change the eligibility criteria for leave for school support staff, potentially allowing more employees in these roles to access protected family and medical leave.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Education support staff

Their eligibility criteria for FMLA leave would be redefined based on a percentage of expected monthly hours.

Educational agencies and institutions

They would be required to maintain and file documentation regarding expected monthly hours for covered employees with the Secretary of Labor.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill proposes changing how school support staff, such as s and custodial workers, qualify for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (). It establishes a new eligibility standard based on 60 percent of their expected monthly work hours rather than the standard hourly requirements.

Key Facts

The bill amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to create specific eligibility rules for 'covered educational employees'.
Covered employees include paraprofessionals and education support staff (e.g., clerical, transportation, food service, custodial, health, and technical staff).
Eligibility is met if an employee works at least 60 percent of the total monthly hours expected for their specific job description based on the previous school year.
Employers must file information with the Secretary of Labor specifying the total expected monthly hours for each covered employee's job description.
The Secretary of Labor is directed to create specific methods for calculating leave entitlement for these employees.
The bill defines 'educational agency or institution' using the existing definition from the General Education Provisions Act.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who counts as 'education support staff' under this bill?

It includes employees providing clerical, administrative, transportation, food/nutrition, custodial, maintenance, health, student, technical, or skilled trade services in an educational institution.

How does this change FMLA eligibility?

Instead of standard hourly requirements, it sets a threshold of 60 percent of the expected monthly hours for the employee's specific job description.

Why It Matters

This bill would change the eligibility criteria for leave for school support staff, potentially allowing more employees in these roles to access protected family and medical leave.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Shift to Proportional Eligibility

The bill moves away from a flat hourly requirement for FMLA to a proportional requirement based on job-specific expectations, acknowledging the non-standard schedules of school support staff.

Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993

Connected Entities

otherElementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965“Source for the definition of 'paraprofessional'.”Map →

otherFamily and Medical Leave Act of 1993“The existing federal law being amended by this bill.”Map →

personMr. Casten“Primary sponsor of the bill in the House of Representatives.”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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