What happened?

On April 24, 2025, Indiana Governor Eric Braun signed Senate Bill 409 (SB 409) into law, requiring all employers in the state to provide unpaid, job-protected leave for employees to attend certain school-related meetings for their children.

Overview:

SB 409 – Protected Leave for School Meetings: Indiana employers must allow employees to take unpaid time off, without fear of discipline or termination, to attend:

• A school attendance conference (e.g., related to truancy)
• A case conference committee meeting (e.g., for an Individualized Education Program or IEP)

Who is Covered?

• All employers in Indiana, including private businesses, state agencies, and local governments.
• All employees, regardless of how long they have worked or how many hours they work.

Frame:

• Leave is limited to 1 meeting per calendar year.
• Time off must be no longer than reasonably necessary, including travel.
• Employees must give at least 5 days’ notice.
• Employees must try to schedule the meeting electronically (e.g., virtual or phone).
• Employers may request proof of attendance.

Important Notes

• Employers are not required to pay for this time off.
• Employers can take action if:
  • The employee exceeds the one-meeting limit.
  • The absence is longer than necessary.
  • The employee fails to give proper notice.

Expiration: This law is in effect through July 1, 2029, unless extended or amended.

Source References

• Indiana SB 409 – Employee absence for certain meetings.

This communication is intended solely for the purpose of conveying information. The present post might incorporate hyperlinks directing readers to websites managed by third-party entities. The inclusion of any links within this communication is meant to serve as points of reference and could encompass opinion articles from various law firms, articles from HR associations, official websites, news releases, and documents of government agencies, and other relevant third-party sources. Vensure has no authority over these external websites and bears no responsibility for their content. Furthermore, Vensure does not endorse the materials present on these websites. The contents of this communication should not be interpreted as legal advice or as a legal standpoint concerning specific facts or scenarios. Nor should it be deemed an exhaustive compilation of facts potentially pertinent to federal, state, or local laws. It is strongly advised that employers solicit legal guidance from an employment attorney when undertaking actions in response to any legal updates provided. This is due to the possibility of future alterations occurring in federal, state, and local laws, regulations, as well as the directives and guidelines issued by governing agencies. These changes may transpire at any given time, potentially rendering certain portions of the content within this update void or inaccurate.