California Emergency Responder Leave Policy

Purpose/Objective

[Company Name] provides unpaid leave to eligible employees who are volunteer firefighters, reserve peace officers or emergency rescue personnel so that such employees may respond to a call to emergency duty. [If 50 or more employees: Additionally, the company provides unpaid leave, up to 14 days per calendar year, to such employees so that they may engage in scheduled fire, law enforcement or emergency rescue training.]

Employees should notify the company of their status as a volunteer firefighter, reserve peace officer or emergency rescue personnel. Additionally, employees should provide as much advanced notice as practicable of the need for leave under this policy when they are called to emergency service [If 50 or more employees: or scheduled training].

Employees may use accrued, unused paid time off (including [vacation/paid time off]) for leave taken under this policy. The notice and eligibility requirements for any such paid time off will generally apply to an employee’s request for use of paid time off under this policy.

Employees requesting leave under this policy should comply with the following requirements:

1. As soon as practicable after hire, or on becoming designated as a volunteer firefighter, reserve peace officer or emergency rescue personnel, employees should notify the company of their status.

2. When called to emergency service [If 50 or more employees: or scheduled training], an employee should notify [his or her supervisor/human resources/other job title] as soon as practicable of the need for leave under this policy and provide information regarding the start and end dates for the requested leave.

3. When returning from leave under this policy, the employee should provide [his or her supervisor/human resources/other job title] with appropriate written documentation confirming that during the leave the employee was actively engaged in responding to an emergency [If 50 or more employees: or participating in scheduled training].

4. On returning from leave under this policy, employees will typically be restored to their positions, or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits, and other employment terms and conditions.

Employees with questions regarding this leave should contact [human resources/other job title].