SAFE for Survivors Act of 2026

Key Points

• The bill creates up to 40 days of "safe leave" per year for employees dealing with domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking. At least 10 of those days must be paid. This leave is in addition to any leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
• Workers can use safe leave for a wide range of needs tied to violence they experienced, including seeking counseling, relocating, attending court, getting medical care, arranging childcare, or accessing financial services. Employers cannot require survivors to find a replacement worker while on leave.
• Employers are prohibited from firing, punishing, or discriminating against workers because they are survivors of violence. Employers must also provide reasonable workplace accommodations like schedule changes, desk moves, or new locks, unless doing so would cause undue hardship.
• Survivors who quit their jobs because of violence would be eligible for unemployment benefits. States must update their systems to screen for these claims and train staff on the dynamics of violence. States have until January 1, 2029, to comply.
• Insurance companies are banned from denying coverage, canceling policies, or charging higher rates because someone is a survivor of violence. Insurers must also protect survivors' personal information and cannot share details about abuse or a victim's location without written consent.
• The bill also authorizes $15 million per year from 2027 through 2031 for public health infrastructure to support victims, and it invalidates forced arbitration agreements for claims related to leave, employment protections, and insurance discrimination under this law.