Know Your Rights: Sample Letters to an Employer

Many states have laws that give employees who are victims of domestic violence, stalking, and/or sexual assault certain employment rights. To see if your state has a law, see our State Law Guides.

Additionally, there is a federal law called the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that can give you time off to address serious medical conditions. To see if you qualify, see our Know Your Rights Guide: Medical Leave for Survivors and Family Members.

We have prepared some sample letters to help you tell your employer about these laws and enforce your rights.

Requesting Time Off Under State Law - This sample letter provides a guide for domestic violence victims to request time off from their employer under state law. November 2008

Challenging Firing Under New York City Law - This sample letter provides a guide for domestic violence victims to challenge firing by their employers under New York City law. December 2005

Asking for Reasonable Acccommodation Under New York City Law - This sample letter provides a guide for domestic violence victims to ask for reasonable accommodation from their employers under New York City law. December 2005

Asking for Reasonable Accommodation Under State Law - This sample letter provides a guide for domestic violence victims to ask for reasonable accommodation from their employers under state law. October 2005

Challenging Firing Under State Law - This sample letter provides a guide for domestic violence victims to challenge firing by their employers under state law. April 2005

Challenging Firing Under the Family Medical Leave Act - This sample letter provides a guide for domestic violence victims to challenge their firing under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). April 2005

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Did You Know...

Nearly half (50%) of the 24 cities surveyed in 2005 by the US Conference of Mayors identified domestic violence as a “primary cause” of homelessness.

Publication Highlight

"Risk Assessment and Intimate Partner Sexual Abuse: The Hidden Dimension of Domestic Violence"
This article is by Lynn Hecht Schafran for Judicature Magazine. Risk assessment is of critical concern to judges in every kind of domestic violence case. Recent research documents the importance of a largely ignored sign of risk and potential lethality in these cases: intimate partner sexual abuse. More »