SAFE for Survivors Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create federal safe leave and workplace protections for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. It targets leave, job protections, unemployment rules, and training and resource grants to help survivors stay employed and safe.
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- Families and survivors would get a new federal safe-leave entitlement that covers victims and family or household members. The bill requires confidentiality, keeps health benefits during leave, bans employers from forcing replacement hires as a condition of leave, and sets allowable certification options.
- Workers would gain anti-discrimination and accommodation rights. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations, cannot retaliate for using leave, and the bill creates a 12-month presumption that adverse actions after leave are unlawful. Remedies mirror federal civil-rights law and allow fee shifting for prevailing plaintiffs.
- States, employers, and service organizations face new rules and supports. States must adapt unemployment rules so victims are not denied benefits for voluntary separations related to violence within a two-year conformity window. The bill funds model training grants and reauthorizes a Violence Against Women Act workplace resource program with administrative caps of 2.5 percent and evaluation caps of 5 percent and grants available for three years.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
New safe leave and job protections
If enacted, most employees would get up to 40 work days of "safe leave" in any 12-month period. At least 10 of those days would be paid and employees would choose which are paid. Employers would have to keep group health coverage during leave and generally return you to the same or an equivalent job when you come back. You could request leave orally or in writing, pick from listed forms of certification for longer leaves, and your certification and health information would be kept confidential. Employers would need to provide reasonable workplace accommodations unless they show undue hardship, and employees could sue or seek administrative relief for violations with money damages and penalties available.
Insurance protections for violence survivors
If enacted, insurers would be barred from denying or limiting payment for claims that come from qualifying acts of violence and from refusing, canceling, or charging higher premiums because someone is a victim, with narrow life‑insurance exceptions. Subrogation of those claims would be prohibited without the victim's informed consent. Insurers would have to adopt privacy and safety procedures, keep victim health records separate, and could not disclose identifying victim information except in limited cases. Group health continuation rules would protect victims whose coverage was originally in an abuser's name, though insurers could end group continuation after 18 months if they offer conversion to an equivalent individual plan. Individuals could sue insurers and, before final judgment, elect statutory damages of $5,000 per violation instead of actual damages, and the FTC could also enforce these rules.
Unemployment after violence: new rules
If enacted, States could not deny unemployment benefits just because you voluntarily left work when that separation was due to qualifying acts of violence. States would have to accept listed forms of evidence, like a sworn statement with ID, police or court records, or documentation from a medical or victim‑services professional, along with your attestation that the separation was related to the qualifying act. States would also have to notify applicants that this benefit is available and train claims reviewers and hearing staff on the new rules. States must conform their laws and policies by the earlier of when they change to comply or two years after enactment, and a related effective-date rule becomes the earlier of state change or January 1, 2029.
National outreach and training grants
If enacted, the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services and the Attorney General would run a national outreach and employer‑education campaign about safe leave and related rights. The bill would expand National Resource Center grants so victim services and Tribal, State, and territorial coalitions can help employers and employees. It would authorize "such sums as may be necessary" for fiscal years 2027–2031 and limit administrative and evaluation contracting to 2.5% and 5% respectively. The Departments would also study workplace responses to qualifying acts of violence to improve access to help and economic security.
Fast TANF cash for safe leave
If enacted, States could use TANF funds to give nonrecurring short‑term emergency cash to people taking safe leave, if they are eligible for the State TANF program and for safe leave. States would count only cash available to the individual when deciding eligibility. States would have to provide expedited benefits not later than seven days after the applicant applies.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Murray, Patty [D-WA]
WA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
WI • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 6/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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