Several states have enacted laws that provide domestic violence victims (and in some states, victims of sexual assault and stalking) time off from work to address the violence in their lives and/or that protect victims from employment discrimination related to the violence. The details of each state's laws vary significantly. Some states that have not passed domestic violence leave laws have paid sick leave laws or crime victim protection laws that prohibit an employer from firing crime victims who take time off from work to appear in criminal court.
This guide is divided into two main sections. The first section outlines existing laws. The second section outlines proposed legislation on this topic. Each of these sections is further divided into those laws or bills specific to domestic violence and those laws or bills that relate to crime victims more generally.
