Domestic Violence
Leave Laws

• Employees that are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking may take time off from work to (1) seek medical attention for injuries; (2) obtain services from a domestic violence shelter, program, or rape crisis center; (3) obtain psychological counseling; or (4) participate in safety planning and take other actions to increase safety, including temporary or permanent relocation.
• Unpaid leave cannot exceed the amount of leave allowed under, or is in addition to leave permitted by, FMLA (permitting up to 12 weeks). 
• Employees who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking may use available vacation, personal leave, accrued paid sick leave or compensatory time off (if available) for any of the authorized purposes noted above.
• Even if there is unpaid leave available, victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking may still take protected leave. 
• Employees may use paid sick time for an authorized purpose if the victim is a close family member, such as a child; parent; spouse; registered domestic partner; grandparent; grandchild; or sibling.

• An employee of twelve months or more who is a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, stalking, or other domestic violence-related crimes to take up to three days of leave per calendar year to seek a restraining order; obtain medical care or counseling; or seek legal assistance and prepare for or attend court-related proceedings.
• Prior to taking this leave, the employee must exhaust annual, vacation, personal leave, and sick leave, unless the employer waives this requirement. 
• Appropriate advance notice must be provided except in cases of imminent danger to the health or safety of the employee.  Employees may also be required to provide documentation.

• Family violence victims are allowed to take paid or unpaid leave (limited to 12 days per calendar year) during any calendar year in which such leave is “reasonably necessary” to (1) seek medical or psychological care or counseling; (2) to obtain services from a victim services organization; (3) to relocate due to the violence; or (4) to participate in a civil or criminal proceeding related to the violence.
• Employees may be required to provide written documentation. 

• Employees who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking and who have known limitations may be entitled to reasonable accommodations. 
• Employees must verify that they are victims. 

• Employees have paid leave to use for where the employee or employee’s family member is the victim of domestic violence, sexual abuse, or stalking, and the absence is directly related to social or legal services pertaining to the violence, such as seeking medical attention, obtaining services from a victim services organization, obtaining psychological or other counseling, temporarily or permanently relocating, taking legal action, or other actions to enhance the health or safety of the employee or family member.
• Employees are entitled to one hour of paid leave for every 37 hours worked, not to exceed seven days per calendar year.

• Employees may request and take up to three working days of leave in any 12-month period if the employee or family or household member of the employee is a victim of domestic or sexual violence.
• Leave may be used to: seek an injunction for protection against domestic violence, dating violence, or sexual violence; obtain medical care or mental health counseling for the employee or family/household member; obtain services from a victim-service organization; make the employee’s home secure from the perpetrator or seek new housing; or to seek legal assistance or to attend and prepare for court-related proceedings. 
• Leave may be unpaid.

• Domestic violence victims are entitled up to 30 days of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for medical or dental care, legal assistance, court appearances, counseling or supportive services, or any other arrangements needed because of domestic violence.
• Law includes leave to obtain orders of protection and for divorce, child custody and child support proceedings.
• Employee is required to exhaust all paid vacation and personal leave prior to taking leave under this provision, but the employee is entitled to her old position or an equivalent position when she returns from leave.
• Employees may be required to provide written certification.

• Domestic violence victims are entitled up to 30 days of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for medical or dental care, legal assistance, court appearances, counseling or supportive services, or any other arrangements needed because of domestic violence.
• Law includes leave to obtain orders of protection and for divorce, child custody and child support proceedings.
• Employee is required to exhaust all paid vacation and personal leave prior to taking leave under this provision, but the employee is entitled to her old position or an equivalent position when she returns from leave.
• Employees may be required to provide written certification.

• An employee may take unpaid leave for a reasonable period of time—up to 30 days per calendar year if the employer has 50 or more employees, and up to five days for smaller employers—if the employee or the employee's minor child is a victim of domestic or sexual violence, provided the leave is to seek medical attention, obtain victim services, obtain counseling, temporarily or permanently relocate, take legal action or implement other measures calculated to enhance the health or safety of the employee or the employee's minor child or of the safety of those who associate with or work with the employee.
• The employee must first exhaust all other paid and unpaid leave.
• If leave is sought for medical attention, the employee may be required to provide a doctor's certificate (including an estimate of the number of days of leave needed).
• If the leave is for non-medical reasons and is not more than five days, the employee may be required to provide a signed statement.  If non-medical leave exceeds five days, the employee may be required to provide additional written, certifying documentation.   

• An employee who is a victim of domestic or sexual violence or has a family or household member who is a victim of such violence and is employed by a private employer with 50 or more employees—or by a state or local government or school district—may take up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period to address the violence.
• Leave may be used to seek medical attention or counseling, obtain services from a victim services organization, participate in safety planning or relocation, or seek legal assistance. An employee may use paid leave that is otherwise available for time taken off pursuant to this provision.
• Unless impracticable, the employee shall provide 48-hour notice of the leave.
• Employees may be required to provide written certification.

• Regardless of any collective bargaining agreement terms and conditions, an employee may use accrued paid leave.
• The employee has a right to up to eight days per year of unpaid leave if no paid leave is available for these purposes.
• An employee shall give the employer reasonable advance notice, unless such advance notice is not feasible. Within 48 hours of returning from an absence for which prior notice was provided, the employee shall provide written documentation.   
• When prior notice is not feasible, an employee may be required to provide certain specified certifying documentation.

• Employees are entitled to reasonable and necessary leave when an employee, or a child, parent or spouse of the employee, is a victim of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, violence, assault or any other act that would support granting an order of protection.
• The leave may be used to prepare for and attend court proceedings, receive medical treatment, or obtain other necessary services to remedy a crisis caused by the violence.
• An employee may not be entitled to leave if it would cause undue hardship for Rose International, if the leave request was not made within a reasonable time under the circumstances, or if the requested leave is impractical, unreasonable or unnecessary based on the facts then made known to Rose International.

• Employees may use leave known as "safe time" for absences connected to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking committed against the employee or the employee's family member.
• "Safe time" leave can be used to obtain medical attention needed to recover from a physical or psychological injury, to obtain services from a victim services organization, to obtain legal services, including preparing for or participating in a civil or criminal proceeding or during the time the employee temporarily relocates.
• Employees accrue at least 1 leave hour for every 30 hours worked.
• Annual accrual is capped at 40 hours per calendar year.
• Carryover is capped at 40 hours.
• Annual use is capped at 64 hours.
• Employees may be required to provide reasonable documentation/certification.

• An employee is entitled to take up to 15 days of leave from work in any 12-month period if the employee or the employee’s family member is a victim of abusive behavior. The leave is limited to those employees who are not the perpetrators of such abusive behavior.
• The employee may use the leave to seek medical attention, counseling, victim services or legal assistance; secure housing; obtain a protective order; take legal action or address other issues stemming from the abusive behavior directed at the employee or the employee’s family member, including the psychological, physical or legal effects of domestic violence.
• An employee may be asked to provide certification.
• An employee must provide an advance notice, excepting cases of emergency.
• If the absence exceeds 24 consecutively scheduled work hours, the employer may require certification in the form of any of the documentation noted above.
• The employee must provide advance notice when the use of time off is foreseeable.

For domestic violence and sexual assault situations, eligible employees may use paid medical leave for the following:

• Medical care or psychological or other counseling
• Receiving services from a victim services organization
• Relocation
• Obtaining legal services
• Participation in any civil or criminal proceedings related to or resulting from the domestic violence or sexual assault

• Employees may request unpaid leave for up to two workweeks and/or reasonable accommodations within any 12-month period if the employee is a victim of domestic or sexual violence, or has a family or household member who is a victim of domestic of sexual violence.
• Qualifying Reasons for Leave. VESSA leave is available for any of the following reasons:
  • seeking medical attention for, or recovering from, physical or psychological injuries caused by domestic or sexual violence against the employee or the employee’s family or household member;
  • obtaining victim services for the employee or the employee’s family or household member;
  • obtaining psychological or other counseling for the employee or the employee’s family or household member;
  • participating in safety planning, including temporary or permanent relocation, or other actions to increase the employee or the employee’s family or household member’s safety from future domestic or sexual violence; and
  • seeking legal assistance to ensure the health and safety of the employee or the employee’s family or household member, including participating in court proceedings related to the violence.
  • Employee Eligibility. Employees working for an employer covered by VESSA are eligible to take leave under the statute if (1) they are victims of domestic or sexual violence, or (2) they have a family or household member who is a victim of domestic or sexual violence.
• Leave may be taken intermittently or on a reduced work schedule.
• Employees must provide at least 48 hours notice unless such notice is not practicable and may be required to provide supporting documentation upon request.

• Employees who are victims of domestic violence, or are family of or household members of victims of domestic violence; victims and family members and household members of victims of sexual assault, may use a leave of absence of up to 160 hours in a 12-month period: for the diagnosis, care or treatment of a health condition related to domestic violence committed against the employee or family or household member of the employee; to obtain health care, counseling or assistance related to domestic violence committed against the employee or family or household member of the employee; to participate in any court proceedings related to an act of domestic violence committed against the employee or family or household member of the employee; or to establish a safety plan, including any action to increase the safety of the employee or the family or household member of the employee from a future act which constitutes domestic violence. Any taken leave that would also qualify as FMLA leave must be deducted from not only the employee’s NRS 608.0198 leave, but also from any FMLA leave for which an employee is eligible.
• Employees must have been employed for 90 days.
• Leave must be taken within the 12 months immediately following the date on which the domestic violence occurred and will be unpaid. Allows for intermittent use.
• After taking leave because of domestic violence, employees must give at least 48 hours advance notice of the need to use additional hours of leave.
• Employees may be required to provide supporting documentation.

• Employees are entitled to unpaid leave not exceeding 20 days in the course of a year in circumstances where either the employee or the employee’s family or household member is a victim of domestic violence or a sexually violent offense.
• This leave is available for up to 1 year from the date of the commission of the incident of domestic or sexual violence.
• Employees are entitled to use time off to seek medical attention or counseling, obtain services from a victim services organization, participate in safety planning, relocate, take legal action or participate in any court proceeding relating to an incident of domestic or sexual violence of which the employee or his family or household member has been a victim.
• Employees may be asked to provide written certification. 

• Employees who are victims of domestic abuse are entitled to domestic abuse leave, which is paid or unpaid leave time for up to 14 days in any calendar year, taken for up to eight hours in one day.
• The leave may be used to obtain an order of protection or other judicial relief, to meet with law enforcement officials, to consult with attorneys or victim advocates, or to attend court proceedings related to the domestic abuse of the employee or the employee’s family member.
• Employees must give notice to the employer within 24 hours of commencing the leave and they may be required to provide written verification. 

• Employees may use safe leave if the employee or a family member is the victim of any act or threat of domestic violence or unwanted sexual contact, stalking or human trafficking and the employee need to take actions necessary to restore the physical, psychological or economic health or safety of the employee or his/her family members or to protect those who associate or work with the employees, including to:
  • obtain services from a domestic violence shelter, rape crisis center or other services program.
  • participate in safety planning, relocate or take other actions to protect the employee's safety or that of the employee's family members, including enrolling children in a new school.
  • meet with an attorney or social service provider to obtain information and advice related to custody; visitation; matrimonial issues; orders of protection; immigration; housing; discrimination in employment, housing or consumer credit.
  • file a domestic violence report with law enforcement or meet with a district attorney's office
• Employees may be required to provide written verification.
• Unused safe and sick leave can be carried over to the next calendar year.
• Safe and sick leave are capped at 40 hours of accrual and usage per year.

To request information about safe leave accrual or to use your safe leave, please send a message to Rose's HR Team.

• Employees who are victims of domestic violence may be entitled to reasonable accommodations to permit him or her to perform his or her job, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on Rose International.
• Employees will be required to provide certifying documentation.

• Employees must follow Rose International’s usual leave policy or practices, including providing advance notice unless an emergency prevents the employee from doing so.
• Employees may be required to provide written documentation.

• An employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment or stalking, or is the parent or guardian of a minor child or a dependent who is a victim, to take reasonable, unpaid time off from work to deal with the violence.
• The leave can be used to seek legal or law enforcement assistance or remedies, including preparing for and participating in protective order proceedings or other civil or criminal legal proceedings related to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking; to seek medical treatment for or to recover from injuries; to obtain, or to assist a minor child or dependent in obtaining counseling from a licensed mental health professional; to obtain services from a victim services provider; or to relocate or take steps to secure an existing home.
• Employees who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or harassment may use sick leave for any of the purposes described above.
• The leave may be taken in hourly increments, up to 40 paid hours per year.
• New employees are not eligible to take paid sick time off for the first 90 days of their employment.
• Employees may donate their sick time to a coworker who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment or stalking and needs time off for any of the above-noted authorized purposes.
• Employees may be required to provide an advance notice no more than 10 days.  If unforeseeable, the employee must provide notice as soon as practicable.  
• After three consecutive days, employees may be required to provide written certification within a reasonable time.

• An employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, or who has a family or household member who is a victim whose interests are not adverse to the employee regarding the violence is entitled to unpaid leave.
• The leave may be used for time off to obtain, either for themselves, or for a family member, medical attention to recover from physical or psychological injury or disability; services from a victim services organization; psychological or other counseling; participate in safety planning, relocation or other actions to increase safety or economic security; or seek legal services or remedies, including participating in any court proceedings resulting from the violence.
• Employees are entitled to 8 work weeks of leave in a 12-month period.
• Employees must provide at least 48 hours’ notice of the intent to take leave, if practical, and may be required to provide written certification.
• Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick time for every 40 hours worked, with the accrual capped at 40 hours per year.

• Employees who are crime victims may use unpaid leave to attend legal proceedings such as:
  1. A deposition or other court proceeding relating to a criminal proceeding where the employee is a "victim" and the employee has a right or obligation to appear at the proceeding.
  2. A relief from abuse hearing pursuant to 15 V.S.A. §1103 when the employee seeks relief as the plaintiff.
  3. A hearing concerning an order against stalking or sexual assault when the employee seeks relief as the plaintiff; or
  4. A hearing seeking relief from abuse, neglect, or exploitation when the employee seeks relief as the plaintiff.


• A crime victim may include an employee's child, foster child, parent, spouse, stepchild or ward of the employee who lives with the employee, or a parent of the employee's spouse.

• An employee who is a victim, or whose family member is a victim, of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, may take "reasonable leave" from work to: (1) seek legal or law enforcement assistance or remedies, including, but not limited to, participating in any civil or criminal legal proceeding related to the violence; (2) seek treatment by a health care provider; (3) obtain services from a victim service provider; (4) obtain mental health counseling; or (5) participate in safety planning, including relocation or other actions.
• Employees may also be entitled to a "reasonable safety accommodation" unless such an accommodation would pose an undue hardship on business operations.
• Employees may be required to provide written documentation for verification.
• If the employee's family member is the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking and the employee must take leave, the employee may be required to provide verification of the familial relationship.

• All employees working on a full and part-time basis are entitled to accrue at least 1 hour of paid sick and safe leave for every 40 hours worked, which may be used to address the effects of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking either with respect to themselves or with respect to a family member.
• The leave may be used from the 180th calendar day following the commencement of employment.
• Employees may use this time off to seek medical attention, receive services from an applicable social services program, obtain legal or law enforcement assistance, attend counseling and participate in safety planning, including relocating or taking other appropriate safety measures.
• When the leave is foreseeable, employees must provide advance notice at least ten days prior to its commencement.  If the leave is longer than three consecutive work days, employees may be required to provide written verification.