Understanding the New Survivors of Violence Notification Requirements Effective July 2025
Did you know that in California, there are employment protections in place for victims of violence? If not, you should know that existing law prohibits an employer from discriminating against an employee because they are a victim of abuse or have taken time off for related purposes.
Scope
Effective 9/29/24, employers with 25 or more employees are prohibited from discharging, discriminating or retaliating against an employee who is a crime victim, for taking time off from work to seek medical attention from injuries caused by crime or abuse. The covered purposes include court appearances, judicial proceedings, and whatever measures need to be taken to ensure security. In addition, employers are expected to provide reasonable accommodations for the safety of the victim while at work. This law also expands the protected reasons for using paid sick leave.
Notification Requirements Effective July 2025
To ensure that employees know the protections available to them, the law also requires an employer to inform each employee of the victim rights in writing. Effective last month, the new notice requirements must be provided to:
- New employees upon hire
- All employees annually
- An employee, upon request, and
- An employee who informs the employer that the employee or their family member is a victim.
Employers are strongly advised to begin providing these notices immediately. Notifications are available for download from the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) or the Labor Commissioner’s Office. Of course, if you need assistance, our team at SDHR Consulting would love to help!
Workplace Violence Prevention Program Reminder
While we’re on the subject of employee safety, July marked the one-year anniversary of the California Workplace Violence Prevention Program (WVPP). Covered employers are required to provide training each year, so this is a reminder to meet your annual WVPP training requirements. And you know who to call for more information on implementation and training for a WVPP, right? Yes, that’s right: SDHR Consulting would be happy to get you up to compliance.
Author: Dawn Martin, SDHR Consulting HR Consultant
References: AB-2499 as approved, Employment: unlawful discrimination and paid sick days; victims of violence
