Heads up, HR leaders.
On July 1, 2025, California’s Civil Rights Department (CRD) released the official Model Crime Victims Notice, titled “Survivors of Violence and Family Members of Victims Right to Leave and Accommodations.” This notice is now live on the CRD’s website here — and its publication triggers new obligations for employers across the state.
What’s New for Employers?
California has long required protections for employees who are victims of crime, including time off to attend court proceedings and providing reasonable workplace accommodations.
AB 2499, which was effective on January 1, 2025, the law goes farther, including:
- Expanded definitions of who qualifies as a crime victim
- New requirements for safety-related accommodations for employees or their family members who are crime victims
- Additional time-off protections for employers with 25 or more employees
Your HR Compliance Checklist
You must provide the new notice to all employees upon hire, annually, upon request by an employee, and when an employee discloses that they or their family member is a victim of crime.
Although you are not required to use the CRD’s notice, if you choose to create your own, it must be “substantially similar in content and clarity.” So, using the CRD’s model is the safest path for compliance.
HR Action Steps to Stay Compliant
Here’s how HR teams can get ahead of these new requirements:
- Distribute the notice now to all employees
- Include it with your onboarding packets
- Calendar reminders for annual distribution
- Update your employee handbook
- Train HR staff and managers on how to handle conversations about leave and accommodations for employees impacted by crime
The notice is available in English, Spanish, and several other languages. You should distribute it in the languages applicable to your employees, even if fewer than 10% of them speak a language other than English.
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