05/09/2025
Act No. 8369, the Women, Children, and Families Act, which I authored in 2020.
This law gives you TWO HOURS PER MONTH, PER CHILD to visit your child’s school, without loss of pay or benefits. That means you can meet with teachers, counselors, or simply spend time present in your child’s learning environment. So…. if you have 3 children, you have 6 hours a month!
It also means that if you work for a company receiving tax benefits through the EDA, the law also applies to you.
Please take advantage of this law and stay active in your child’s education and growth. Our children succeed when parents, families, and schools work hand in hand.
For clarity, here is the language from the Act:
(a)Parents, foster parents, or legal guardians who are full time employees of the Government of the Virgin Islands, its instrumentalities, autonomous and semi autonomous agencies, as well as employees of employers who receive benefits under the Industrial Development Program and Act No. 4740, are entitled to two hours per month, per child, off from their jobs, without loss of pay or benefits, to visit their child’s school in grades K through 12.
(b) Parents or guardians must submit proof of the school visit to their employer within 48 hours to qualify for paid time off.
(c) This benefit applies during each school’s academic year and during each school’s official school hours.
This law can be found in Title 17, Chapter 9, Subchapter I of the Virgin Islands Code, Section 86a.
Let us use this opportunity to show up for our children. They deserve our time, our presence, and our support.
