Stay in Compliance: Updated Crime Victim and Court Duty Notice Now Available

California’s Civil Rights Department updated its required Notice addressing employee crime victim and court duty rights. The Notice, titled, “Survivors of Violence and Family Members of Victims' Right to Leave and Accommodations” is available on the Civil Rights Department website.

The Notice updates the CRD’s July 2025 Notice to address 2026 changes. Employer duties to distribute this Notice are ongoing: keep reading to make sure your business stays compliant.

Crime Victims and Court Duty Refresher

California has long protected employees who are crime victims and may need time off for court proceedings, or a reasonable accommodation to ensure their safety at work. However, the laws have been amended twice in the past two years, expanding who qualifies as a crime victim, providing additional unpaid time off requirements for employers with 25 or more employees and, in the latest amendment (AB 406), clarifying that employees can use their California Paid Sick Leave (PSL) for all court and crime victim related purposes, including jury and witness duty.

You can read more about these changes in CEA’s previous articles here and here.  The CRD has also published new FAQ.

Notice Requirement

A key component of the recent changes is the requirement that employers distribute notice of employee rights as follows:

• to new employees upon hire,
• to all employees annually,
• when an employee requests the notice, and
• any time an employee informs you that they or their family member is a crime victim.

While employers are not required to use the CRD’s model notice, it is highly recommended. Otherwise, the employer is on the hook for ensuring any notice they use meets the law’s requirements and is “substantially similar in content and clarity” to the CRD notice.

Pro Tips

Now that an updated notice is published, CEA recommends that employers:

• Add the updated Notice to your onboarding process;
• Ensure you use the updated Notice for your required annual distribution;
• Ensure your handbook is updated regarding crime victim and court duty rights, including your Crime Victims, Paid Sick Leave, and Jury and Witness Duty policies; and
• Train your HR/management team on how to handle leave and reasonable accommodation requests.

Employers can access the Model Crime Victims Notice in English and in Spanish, as well as many other languages! CEA members can call us with any questions at 800.399.5331