(a) In addition to the leave provided in section 472 of this title, an employee shall be entitled to take unpaid leave not to exceed four hours in any 30-day period and not to exceed 24 hours in any 12-month period. An employer may require that leave be taken in a minimum of two-hour segments and may be taken for any of the following purposes:

• (1) To participate in preschool or school activities directly related to the academic educational advancement of the employee's child, stepchild, foster child, or ward who lives with the employee, such as a parent-teacher conference.
• (2) To attend or to accompany the employee's child, stepchild, foster child, or ward who lives with the employee or the employee's parent, spouse, or parent-in-law to routine medical or dental appointments.
• (3) To accompany the employee's parent, spouse, or parent-in-law to other appointments for professional services related to their care and well-being.
• (4) To respond to a medical emergency involving the employee's child, stepchild, foster child, or ward who lives with the employee or the employee's parent, spouse, or parent-in-law.

(b) An employee shall make a reasonable attempt to schedule appointments for which leave may be taken under this section outside of regular work hours. In order to take leave under this section, an employee shall provide the employer with the earliest possible notice, but in no case later than seven days, before leave is to be taken except in the case of an emergency. In this subsection, "emergency" means circumstances where the required seven day notice could have a significant adverse impact on the family member of the employee.

(c) At the employee's discretion, the employee may use accrued paid leave, including vacation and personal leave.