On July 1, 2025, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) issued a new notice of employee rights and an FAQ under AB 2499, a victims’ leave law enacted last year.
As described in this December 2024 Cooley alert, effective January 1, 2025, AB 2499 expanded leave and accommodation protections available for victims of crime or abuse. For example, the law provides that employees who are a victim of violence or are a family member of a deceased victim of violence may take up to 12 weeks of leave for qualifying acts of violence. The law also requires employers to reasonably accommodate employees who are victims of, or have a family member who is a victim of, a qualifying act of violence. Qualifying acts of violence include domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and other acts of violence.
As required by AB 2499, the CRD-published notice – “Survivors of Violence and Family Members of Victims Right to Leave and Accommodations” – provides a summary of when employees who are victims of violence, or who have family members who are victims of violence, may take time off of work, employees’ rights to confidentiality under the law, reasonable accommodations, and employees’ antidiscrimination and antiretaliation protections. In addition, the FAQs provide answers to general questions regarding qualifying acts of violence and antidiscrimination and antiretaliation protections, how employees may request time off and safety-related reasonable accommodations. The FAQs confirm that “certifications” from employees to employers for unexcused absences from work relating to a qualifying act of violence may include police reports, court records or other proof of a court appearance, documentation from a supportive service provider, a statement signed by the employee or someone acting on their behalf, or other documentation verifying that a qualifying act of violence happened.
As a reminder, AB 2499 requires employers to provide this new model notice (or a form substantially similar in content and clarity to the CRD’s notice):
- To new employees upon hire.
- To all employees annually.
- At any time upon request.
- At any time an employee informs an employer that the employee or the employee’s family member is a victim.
Next steps
Employers should ensure that they distribute the new notice to all employees. Employers also should ensure their handbooks are updated for AB 2499 and train relevant human resources and management teams on managing leave and accommodation requests for victims of violence.
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