AR HB1775

Expands the definition of "child" in sick leave provisions to include children in foster care who have been placed in an employee's home.

Creates new foster care leave providing eligible state employees with 40 hours per calendar year of paid leave when a foster child is placed in their home.

Limits foster care leave to 40 hours maximum per calendar year regardless of how many children are placed at different times during the year.

Permits foster care leave to be used for bonding, school placement meetings, individualized education program meetings, court hearings, and case-planning activities related to the foster placement.

Excludes emergency, intermittent, probationary, and extra-help employees from foster care leave eligibility, and denies foster care leave to employees eligible for catastrophic maternity leave for infants under one year old; unused leave does not carry over to the next year and is not compensable upon termination or retirement.