SB 1257

                                                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
1 Providing for small necessities leave for eligible employees
2    relating to children and elderly relatives of an eligible
3    employee; and imposing duties on the Department of Labor and
4    Industry.
5    The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1.    Short title.
8    This act shall be known and may be cited as the Small
9 Necessities Leave Act.
10 Section 2.    Definitions.
11    The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
12 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13 context clearly indicates otherwise:
14    "Bureau."    The Bureau of Labor Law Compliance within the
15 department.
16    "Child."    A child of an employee or of the employee's
17 domestic partner whether by blood, marriage, adoption, foster
18 arrangement, custody agreement, whether full, partial or no
19 physical custody agreement is formally or informally in effect,
1 or guardianship, that is a student enrolled in a school or early
2 intervention learning program maintained as a part of the
3 Statewide comprehensive education system in this Commonwealth
4 and is:
5(1)   under three years of age with an active IFSP
6    developed for the coordination of early intervention services
7    and support to be provided for the early intervention of the
8    child;
9(2)   preschool age from the earliest admission age to
10    preschool until admission to a kindergarten program;
11(3)   compulsory school age as defined in section 1326 of
12    the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the
13    Public School Code of 1949; or
14(4)   no more than 21 years of age with an active IEP at
15    the start of a school year that the student is enrolled.
16    "Department."     The Department of Labor and Industry of the
17 Commonwealth.
18    "Early intervention services."        Developmental services as
19 defined in the act of December 19, 1990 (P.L.1372, No.212),
20 known as the Early Intervention Services System Act.
21    "Elderly relative."     An individual of at least 60 years of
22 age who is related to an employee by blood, marriage or domestic
23 partnership.
24    "Eligible employee."     An employee who has been employed for
25 at least 12 months at the time the leave is to begin and has
26 worked for at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period prior
27 to the beginning of the leave. The term does not include an
28 employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement if the
29 agreement expressly provides for paid leave, paid sick leave or
30 paid time off.
20260SB1257PN1559  - 2 -
1    "Employer."     An individual, partnership, association,
2 corporation, business trust or any person or group of persons
3 acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in
4 relation to an employee.
5    "Guardianship."     An arrangement with a fiduciary who provides
6 care and management of a child, regardless of whether the
7 arrangement is educational, court appointed, surrogacy or
8 otherwise.
9    "IEP."      An individualized education plan developed in
10 accordance with 22 Pa. Code § 14.131 (relating to IEP) and the
11 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Public Law 91-230,
12 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.).
13    "IFSP."     An individualized family service plan as defined in
14 55 Pa. Code Ch. 4226 (relating to early intervention services)
15 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
16    "School."     The following:
17(1)    A public or private elementary or secondary school.
18(2)    An intermediate unit.
19(3)    A Head Start program under 42 U.S.C. Ch. 105 Subch.
20    II (relating to Head Start programs).
21(4)    An approved private provider engaged in providing
22    early intervention services under 55 Pa. Code Ch. 4226.
23(5)    A child care center licensed under Article X of the
24    act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human
25    Services Code.
26 Section 3.     Small necessities leave.
27    (a)   Leave requirement.--An employer shall provide a total of
28 24 hours of paid leave to an eligible employee during any 12-
29 month period, in addition to leave available under Federal law,
30 for, at a minimum, the following purposes:
20260SB1257PN1559  - 3 -
1(1)   Participate in school activities directly related to
2    the educational advancement of a child of the eligible
3    employee.
4(2)   Accompany a child of the eligible employee to
5    medical or dental appointments.
6(3)   Accompany an elderly relative of the eligible
7    employee to medical or dental appointments or appointments
8    for other professional services related to the elderly
9    relative's care.
10    (b)   Protections.--An employer may not deprive an eligible
11 employee of employment, seniority position or benefits or
12 threaten or otherwise coerce the eligible employee with respect
13 to employment, seniority position or benefits because of the use
14 of leave under this section.
15    (c)   Limitations.--
16(1)   An eligible employee may elect, or an employer may
17    require the eligible employee to substitute, the accrued paid
18    vacation leave, personal leave or medical or sick leave of
19    the employee for any leave provided under this section.
20(2)   Nothing in this section shall require an employer to
21    provide paid sick leave or paid medical leave in a situation
22    in which the employer would not normally provide paid sick
23    leave or paid medical leave.
24(3)   Leave under this section may be taken intermittently
25    or on a reduced leave schedule.
26(4)   An employer shall provide payment for leave taken
27    under this section no later than the payday for the next
28    regular payroll period after the leave was used.
29(5)   An employer is not required to provide compensation
30    to an employee for accrued, unused paid leave under this
20260SB1257PN1559  - 4 -
1    section upon termination, resignation, retirement or other
2    separation from employment.
3    (d)   Notice.--If the necessity for leave under this section
4 is foreseeable, the eligible employee shall provide the employer
5 with not less than seven days' notice before the date the leave
6 is to begin. If the necessity for leave is not foreseeable, the
7 employee shall provide notice as is practicable.
8    (e)   Certification.--An employer may require that a request
9 for leave under this section be supported by documentation of
10 treatment or care under subsection (a)(2) and (3) or
11 documentation or a certification issued at a time and in a
12 manner as the department may require by regulation.
13    (f)   Enforcement.--The bureau shall be responsible for the
14 administration and enforcement of the protections of an employee
15 under this act through an expedited process developed by the
16 bureau for, at a minimum, the review of an employer's denial of
17 benefits under this act.
18    (g)   Regulations.--The department may promulgate rules and
19 regulations necessary to implement and administer this act.
20 Section 4.   Effective date.
21    This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20260SB1257PN1559  - 5 -