A federal bill introduced in 2026 would guarantee survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault up to 40 days of job-protected leave (with 10 days paid), require employer accommodations, provide access to unemployment benefits if a survivor must leave a job, and prohibit insurance discrimination against survivors. For civil justice advocates, the legislation addresses the economic instability that often makes pursuing a civil claim feel impossible.
Reviewed by Survivor Justice Alliance · Updated 2026-07-06
The SAFE for Survivors Act addresses the economic instability that makes civil litigation difficult for many survivors. Senate passage remains necessary.
The Supporting Affordability, Flexibility, and Equality for Survivors Act -- the SAFE for Survivors Act -- is a federal workplace protection bill advanced by the House Ways and Means Committee in 2026. Its core provisions address the economic consequences that survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking frequently face when they attempt to address what happened to them while continuing to work. The bill guarantees 40 days of job-protected leave annually, with 10 of those days paid, for purposes including attending legal proceedings, obtaining medical or mental health care, seeking housing or safety planning, and participating in any civil litigation related to the abuse.
Beyond leave, the legislation requires covered employers to provide reasonable workplace accommodations to survivors -- such as schedule adjustments, changes to work location, or modified duties -- when accommodations would not impose an undue hardship on the employer. This provision mirrors the reasonable accommodation framework already familiar from disability rights law, applying it to the distinct needs of survivors navigating the practical consequences of trauma. Employers cannot terminate, demote, or retaliate against an employee because the employee disclosed survivor status or requested leave or accommodations under the act.
The SAFE for Survivors Act also addresses what happens when a survivor must leave a job entirely. Under current law in many states, an employee who voluntarily separates from employment is not eligible for unemployment compensation. Survivors who leave because their workplace is unsafe -- because the abuser works there, because continuing in that environment is impossible given the trauma, or because safety planning requires relocation -- are frequently left without income support. The bill would make survivors eligible for unemployment benefits in those circumstances.
Survivors who pursue civil claims frequently describe the financial pressure of litigation as one of the most significant challenges they face. Civil cases, even those handled on contingency, require survivors to attend depositions, participate in discovery, consult with attorneys, and often take time away from work at critical points in the litigation. A survivor who loses their job because they needed leave to attend a deposition -- or who is afraid to request leave for fear of termination -- is in a materially worse position to see a civil case through to resolution.
The SAFE for Survivors Act addresses this structural problem at the federal level. Survivors who have job-protected leave, workplace accommodations, and access to unemployment benefits if they must separate from employment are survivors who can more realistically participate in civil proceedings. The legislation does not fund litigation or pay attorney fees, but it removes some of the economic precarity that forces survivors to make untenable choices between financial survival and civil justice.
For survivors who are currently employed and weighing whether to pursue a civil claim, the prospect of employer retaliation or job loss has historically been a powerful deterrent. The SAFE for Survivors Act would change that calculus by establishing federal protections that apply across states and employers. Until the legislation is enacted, survivors should consult with an employment attorney in their state about what protections currently exist, and with a civil attorney about how to structure litigation in a way that minimizes disruption to employment.
The SAFE for Survivors Act was advanced by the House Ways and Means Committee in April 2026 and is part of a broader bipartisan legislative package supporting survivors and other vulnerable populations. Like H.R. 2347 (the Survivor Justice Tax Prevention Act), the SAFE for Survivors Act still requires full Senate and House passage before it becomes law. Survivors and their advocates should be aware that the protections described in the legislation are not yet federal law and may not currently apply in their state.
Many states have enacted their own versions of survivor workplace protections, and the scope of those protections varies significantly. Some states provide paid safe leave, others provide unpaid job-protected leave, and some provide very limited protections or none at all. An employment attorney familiar with state law can assess what currently applies. Where state protections exist, survivors should know that exercising them cannot legally be held against them by their employer.
The Survivor Justice Alliance is a national network of attorneys who focus on civil accountability for sexual abuse. If a survivor is considering a civil claim and wants to understand how the current legal landscape -- including both civil justice statutes and any available workplace protections -- applies to their situation, connecting with a member attorney through the Alliance is free, confidential, and carries no obligation. The National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 800-656-4673 around the clock for any survivor who needs support while navigating these decisions.
Financial pressure is one of the most underreported barriers to civil accountability. Understanding the connection between economic stability and litigation access is essential for advocates and survivors alike.
The Survivor Justice Alliance is an attorney alliance and advocacy organization, not a law firm; nothing here is legal advice. Attorney advertising. Referrals and consultations are free, and alliance attorneys work on contingency. Support is available 24/7 at the RAINN hotline, 800-656-4673.
The bill's scope as drafted would apply to a broad range of covered employers, similar to how federal family and medical leave law applies. Small employers below a certain employee threshold may be exempt from certain provisions. A qualified employment attorney can assess what applies to a specific employment situation.
Federal leave statutes typically allow employers to request reasonable documentation. The specific documentation requirements under the SAFE for Survivors Act, and any confidentiality protections around that documentation, would be defined by the enacted legislation and any implementing regulations.
Many states have enacted their own survivor workplace protections. In the absence of comprehensive federal law, survivors who experience retaliation should consult with an employment attorney about state law remedies. Documenting the retaliation -- in writing, by date -- is important regardless of which law applies.