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 occurrences, as defined in the bill, of leave per academic year for the purpose of attending a scheduled school-sponsored activity of the employee’s child if the activity cannot be scheduled during nonwork hours. The railroad corporation may require an employee to provide written documentation of the school-sponsored activity before or after granting such leave. Such leave shall not be taken on a federal holiday. The bill requires an employee, before attending a school-sponsored activity, to provide the railroad corporation with a written request for leave at least 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, disciplining, 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.