(a) An employer must grant an employee leave of up to a total of 8 hours during any school year, and no more than 4 hours of which may be taken on any given day, to attend school conferences, behavioral meetings, or academic meetings related to the employee’s child if the conference or meeting cannot be scheduled during nonwork hours; however, no leave may be taken by an employee of an employer that is subject to this Act unless the employee has exhausted all accrued vacation leave, personal leave, compensatory leave and any other leave that may be granted to the employee except sick leave and disability leave. Before arranging attendance at the conference or activity, the employee shall provide the employer with a written request for leave at least 7 days in advance of the time the employee is required to utilize the visitation right. In emergency situations, no more than 24 hours’ notice shall be required. The employee must consult with the employer to schedule the leave so as not to disrupt unduly the operations of the employer.
     (b) Nothing in this Act requires that the leave be paid.
     (c) For regularly scheduled, nonemergency visitations, schools shall make time available for visitation during both regular school hours and evening hours.