Book

Leaves of Absence and Time Off From Work Manual - 25th Edition

Castle Publications, LLC

March 16, 2026Estimated Read Time: 2 mins

California’s time off, leave of absence, and paid leave rules were overhauled by legislation that took effect between 2024 and 2026. As a result, many new rules were relocated from the Labor Code to the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”). As a result of sweeping changes, California employers must now reassess their obligations to provide paid and unpaid time off for a variety of reasons. The changes affect time off rights for victims of crimes, stalking and violence in addition to time off to address other matters, such as illnesses and diagnoses, jury and witness duty, kin-care issues, and numerous other statutorily protected situations.

Employers must draft new policies and update employee handbooks to address the changes. In his newly revamped publication, Sheppard Attorney Richard J. Simmons has tackled these new changes in a valuable addition to his employment law resources. The 2026 desk book includes a detailed chart listing key state and federal rules and provides in-depth summaries of California’s time off and leave of absence statutes. The new publication walks readers through the maze of new laws and offers practical guidance for employers and HR leaders. The new rules apply to employers of all sizes but contain special features for employers with 25 or more employees.

Among the numerous topics addressed in the publication are the following:

  • Legal Obligations to Provide Leaves
  • Radical Changes to Paid Sick Leave
  • New Crime Victim Leave Rules
  • Time Off Due to Assaults, Stalking and Other Crimes
  • Updates to Reproductive Loss Leave Law
  • Posting Rules - New DLSE & CRD Notices
  • New Bereavement Leave Rules
  • Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Leaves
  • Family and Medical Leaves
  • Recent Changes to CFRA
  • Interactive Process Rules
  • Stacking Leaves
  • Side-by-Side Comparison Chart
  • Federal and State Laws
  • Sample Forms

To order this book, please visit https://www.castlepublications.com.

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