AB 2499 Summary

• Creates new employment protections under California Fair Employment and Housing Act for victims of "qualifying acts of violence" (domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other violent crimes), replacing prior crime-based protections.

• Prohibits employers with 25+ employees from discriminating or retaliating against employees who are victims or have victim family members for taking time off for medical care, legal services, safety planning, relocation, childcare, counseling, and other violence-related purposes; limits total leave to 12 weeks unless employee is only providing care to non-victim family member.

• Requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations (transfers, schedule changes, safety measures, etc.) for employees who are victims or whose family members are victims, upon request and disclosure.

• Expands paid sick leave requirements to cover victims of qualifying acts of violence for the additional purposes listed above, beyond existing domestic violence protections.

• Requires employers to inform employees of these rights in writing upon hire, annually, upon request, and when employee discloses victim status; mandates Civil Rights Department develop and post a notice form in 15+ languages by July 1, 2025.