6 Things To Know About Victim Protection In The Workplace

Experiencing violence or the threat of violence can disrupt a family. Both can also inhibit someone’s ability to focus and perform well at work.  Recent updates to California’s victim protection law help protect these workers from discrimination or retaliation for taking time away from their jobs.

6 Updates to California’s Victim Protection Laws in 2025

1. Broader Definition Of Victim

The updates broaden the definition of victim to include victims of any qualifying act of violence (QAOV or QAV). Once known simply as “crime or abuse,” QAOVs in California include:

• Domestic violence
• Stalking
• Sexual assault
• An act, conduct, or pattern of conduct in which someone causes bodily harm or death to another, displays or uses a dangerous weapon against them, or threatens another with physical injury or death

2. An Arrest Or Conviction Is Not Necessary

A worker is entitled to protection after experiencing a qualifying act of violence, regardless of whether there has been an arrest, prosecution, or conviction. The worker does not need to provide proof of the QAOV to their employer.

3. You Have The Right To Take Time Off

Recovering from violence and protecting yourself takes time, and this may require time away from work. The new law allows victims to take time off from work to:

• Go to court to get a restraining order
• Get medical or mental health care, or participate in safety programs (applicable only to companies with 25 or more workers)

4. You May Use Any Sick Time, Personal Time, Or Vacation Pay That You May Have Accrued

Even if you do not have any paid leave available, you still have the right to time off. While it may be unpaid, the time away from work is ultimately valuable for your and your family’s safety and health.

5. The Law Protects Families

People who experience a QAOV usually need emotional, physical, or medical support from family members. The updated law protects workers who need to take care of their families. What’s more, it protects employees from discrimination or retaliation because a family member is a victim.

6. Employers Must Make These Protections Known

Each year, employers must tell their workers about these protections. They must also provide information about these protections whenever a worker tells them that they or a family member has experienced an QAOV.

Are You or a Family Member a Victim of Violence? You Have Rights in the Workplace! Contact Your California Employment Lawyer At D.Law!

For victims of violence and their families, time is everything. The updated California law helps provide victims the time they need away from work. If your boss refuses to give you time off or is punishing you for taking it, contact D.Law. Our attorneys are experts in California employment law and worker‘s rights and can help you get the time you need away from your job in the Bay Area, San Diego, Fresno, Los Angeles, and other CA cities.