Employees shall be eligible for up to two hours of paid leave during normal business hours to attend either:

• (1) A mutually-scheduled parent-teacher conference for the employee's child attending a public or private school in grades kindergarten through twelve; or

• (2) A mutually-scheduled parent-caregiver conference for a preschool-aged child attending a licensed group child care center, as defined under section 346-151;

provided that the time-off shall not be credited against vacation or sick leave benefits, if any; and provided further that the provision of paid leave shall not adversely interfere with the operations of the work unit nor require the applicable agency to incur additional human resources or overtime costs.

The employee shall take no more than two mutually-scheduled conferences, per child, in a single calendar year. Travel time shall be included as part of the two hours permitted for each conference.