In a landmark move to protect survivors, California’s Civil Rights Department (CRD) has released a required notice under Assembly Bill 2499, requiring employers to inform employees of their rights to time off and accommodations following a qualifying violent act. This notice applies to both direct victims and their family members.
What Employers Must Do
Starting July 1, 2025, all California employers, no matter how big or small, will have to give the official CRD warning, called “Survivors of Violence and Family Members of Victims: Right to Leave and Accommodations,” in the situations below.
- At hiring
- Yearly to all staff
- Upon employee request
- When an employee says they or a family member has been a victim of a qualified violent act,
The notice tells workers about their rights, such as their right to job-protected leave, appropriate safety accommodations at work, and protections against retaliation.
Accommodation Breakdown and Leave
- Employees who experience violence (or whose family members were victims) must: You can take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave each year.
- Only family members of victims (not direct victims) are included. Up to 10 days, with up to 5 days set aside for moving after violence.
- Available for domestic violence, sexual attack, stalking, and other crimes involving weapons or harming another person.
This leave can be combined with CFRA, FMLA, paid sick leave, or other paid time off so that employees can keep making money.
Workplace Safety & Confidentiality
To protect survivors or their family members, employers must make reasonable accommodations, such as rearranging plans, changing security measures, or making changes to phone or email messages.
Requests and paperwork, like police reports or court subpoenas, must be kept secret unless it’s the law or for safety reasons, and workers must be told before anything is shared.
Protection From Retaliation
Under AB 2499, California law makes it illegal for workers to be punished, demoted, fired, or treated unfairly if they use these rights by asking for leave or accommodations.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Download the CRD model warning in your preferred language (English, Spanish, etc.).
- Distribute it to new workers, current employees once a year, and people who report violence.
- Update the absence rules, employee handbooks, and onboarding packets.
- Train HR and supervisors on how to handle AB 2499 requests for leave and accommodations.
- Ensure that contact protocols, documentation systems, and confidentiality procedures are in place.
The Reason Why This Matters
One in ten violent crime victims across the country say they lost their job or were demoted after asking for help. California’s stronger rights are meant to protect workers’ dignity and help them recover. They do this by giving workers time to deal with court issues, move, get medical or mental health care, and plan for their own safety without putting their jobs at risk.
The Bottom Line for Employers
AB 2499 gives California businesses new legal duties that start on July 1, 2025. Not only giving the necessary notice on time, but also honouring leave rights and safety accommodations is important to help survivors and stay out of trouble with the law.
