California law has long allowed employees who were victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and other crimes to take time off work to attend legal proceedings and to seek medical treatment and services.
California revised and expanded its leave provisions for victims in 2025, both broadening the definition of “victim” under the law and expanding the reasons for which this leave may be taken. Certain victims' leave provisions were also moved from the labor Code to the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), given the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) enforcement authority.
California employers must also provide reasonable accommodations for employees who are victims or whose family members are victims and who request accommodations for their safety while working.
The specific requirements for each form of leave and employers' accommodation obligations are explained in the following sections, including the employer's obligation to provide written notice to employees of their rights under the law and employees' responsibilities when taking leave under the law.
Employers are prohibited from discharging, discriminating or retaliating against an employee because they are a victim or have a family member who is a victim, if the employee has provided notice of their or their family member's status as a victim or the employer has actual knowledge of the status. Employers are also prohibited from discharging, discriminating or retaliating against an employee for using victims' leave.
Employers must also provide reasonable accommodations for employees who are victims or whose family member is a victim. The following sections will discuss all these requirements in detail.
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