Family and Medical Leave Improvements Act of 1997

Summary: Family and Medical Leave Improvements Act of 1997 - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to extend coverage to employees at worksites where the employer employs at least 25 (currently 50) employees at the worksite and within 75 miles of that worksite. 
Allows employees covered by such Act to take up to four hours during any 30-day period, and up to 24 hours during any 12-month period, of parental involvement and elder care leave to:  (1) participate in or attend their children's educational and extracurricular activities; (2) accompany the child to routine medical or dental appointments; and (3) accompany an elderly relative to routine medical or dental appointments or appointments for other professional services related to the elder's care, such as interviewing at nursing or group homes. 
Amends Federal civil service law to apply the same parental involvement and elder care leave allowance to Federal employees.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND REFERENCE.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Family and Medical 
Leave Improvements Act of 1997''.
    (b) Reference.--Whenever in this Act (other than in section 4) an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a section or other provision of the Family and Medical Leave 
Act of 1993.

SEC. 2. COVERAGE OF EMPLOYEES.

    Paragraphs (2)(B)(ii) and (4)(A)(i) of section 101 (29 U.S.C. 2611 
(2)(B)(ii) and (4)(A)(i)) are each amended by striking ``50'' each 
place it appears and inserting ``25''.

SEC. 3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LEAVE.

    (a) Entitlement to Leave.--Section 102(a) (29 U.S.C. 2612(a)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Entitlement to parental involvement and elder-care 
        leave.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to section 103(f), an 
                eligible employee shall be entitled to a total of 24 
                hours of leave during any 12-month period, in addition 
                to leave available under paragraph (1), to--
                            ``(i) participate in school activities 
                        directly related to the educational advancement 
                        of a son or daughter of the employee, such as 
                        parent-teacher conferences or interviewing for 
                        a new school;
                            ``(ii) accompany the son or daughter of the 
                        employee to routine medical or dental 
                        appointments, such as checkups or vaccinations; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) accompany an elderly relative of 
                        the employee to routine medical or dental 
                        appointments or appointments for other 
                        professional services related to the elder's 
                        care, such as interviewing at nursing or group 
                        homes.
                    ``(B) Definitions.--As used in this paragraph:
                            ``(i) School.--The term `school' means an 
                        elementary school or secondary school (as such 
                        terms are defined in section 14101 of the 
                        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
                        (20 U.S.C. 8801)), a Head Start program 
                        assisted under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
                        9831 et seq.), and a child care facility 
                        licensed under State law.
                            ``(ii) Elderly relative.--The term `elderly 
                        relative' means an individual of at least 60 
                        years of age who is related by blood or 
marriage to the employee, including a parent.''.
    (b) Schedule.--Section 102(b)(1) (29 U.S.C. 2612(b)(1)) is amended 
by inserting after the second sentence the following: ``Leave under 
subsection (a)(3) may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave 
schedule.''.
    (c) Substitution of Paid Leave.--Section 102(d)(2)(A) (29 U.S.C. 
2612(d)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting before the period the following: 
``, or for leave provided under subsection (a)(3) for any part of the 
24-hour period of such leave under such subsection''.
    (d) Notice.--Section 102(e) (29 U.S.C. 2612(e)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
                    ``(3) Notice for parental involvement and eldercare 
                leave.--If the necessity for leave under subsection 
                (a)(3) is foreseeable, the employee shall provide the 
                employer with not less than 7 days notice before the 
                date the leave is to begin. If the necessity for leave 
                is not foreseeable, the employee shall provide such 
                notice as is practicable.''.
    (e) Certification.--Section 103 (29 U.S.C. 2613) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Certification for Parental Involvement and Elder-Care 
Leave.--An employer may require that a request for leave under section 
102(a)(3) be supported by a certification issued at such time and in 
such manner as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe.''.

SEC. 4. LEAVE FOR CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES.

    (a) Entitlement to Leave.--Section 6382(a) of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(3)(A) Subject to section 6383(f), an employee 
                shall be entitled to a total of 24 hours of leave 
                during any 12-month period, in addition to leave 
                available under paragraph (1), to:
                            ``(i) participate in school activities 
                        directly related to the educational advancement 
                        of a son or daughter of the employee, such as 
                        parent-teacher conferences, or interviewing for 
                        a new school;
                            ``(ii) accompany the son or daughter of the 
                        employee to routine medical or dental 
                        appointments, such as checkups or vaccinations; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) accompany an elderly relative of 
                        the employee to routine medical or dental 
                        appointments or appointments for other 
                        professional services related to the elder's 
                        care, such as interviewing at nursing or group 
                        homes.
                    ``(B) As used in this paragraph:
                            ``(i) The term `school' means an elementary 
                        school or secondary school (as such terms are 
                        defined in section 14101 of the Elementary and 
                        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                        8801)), a Head Start program assisted under the 
                        Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), and a 
                        child care facility licensed under State law.
                            ``(ii) The term `elderly relative' means an 
                        individual of at least 60 years of age who is 
                        related by blood or marriage to the employee, 
                        including a parent.''.
    (b) Schedule.--Section 6382(b)(1) of such title is amended by 
inserting after the second sentence the following: ``Leave under 
subsection (a)(3) may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave 
schedule.''.
    (c) Substitution of Paid Leave.--Section 6382(d) of such title is 
amended by inserting before ``, except'' the following: ``, or for 
leave provided under subsection (a)(3) any of the employee's accrued or 
accumulated annual leave under subchapter I for any part of the 24-hour 
period of such leave under such subsection''.
    (d) Notice.--Section 6382(e)(1) of such title is amended by adding 
at the end the following: ``If the necessity for leave under subsection 
(a)(3) is foreseeable, the employee shall provide the employer with not 
less than 7 days notice before the date the leave is to begin. If the 
necessity for leave is not foreseeable, the employee shall provide such 
notice as is practicable.''.
    (e) Certification.--Section 6383 of such title is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(f) Certification.--An employing agency may require that a 
request for leave under section 6382(a)(3) be supported by a 
certification issued at such time and in such manner as the Office of 
Personnel Management may by regulation prescribe.''.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect 120 days after the date of enactment.