Providing for employment leave for employees of railroad corporations to attend a school-sponsored activity and making penalties applicable

This bill requires a railroad corporation to provide an employee upon request at least four days of leave per calendar year for the purpose of attending a school-sponsored activity of the employee’s child if the activity cannot be scheduled during nonwork hours. No more than one day of such leave shall be taken consecutively. The bill requires an employee, before attending a school-sponsored activity, to provide the railroad corporation with a written request for leave at least five calendar days in advance of the time the employee is requesting to take leave. A railroad corporation shall have the discretion of providing paid or unpaid leave. The bill prohibits a railroad corporation from discharging, penalizing, or otherwise retaliating against an employee solely for taking leave. Code chapter 91A is administered and enforced by the director of the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing. A violation of Code chapter 91A or the administrative rules promulgated under it is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $500 per pay period for each violation.