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HomeLabor CodeDiv. 4Pt. 2Ch. 2Art. 7§ 4850 Public Safety Disability Leave

§ 4850 Public Safety Disability Leave

Labor Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 4850 Public Safety Disability Leave

Key Takeaways

  • •If you're a cop, firefighter, or certain other safety workers and get hurt or sick because of your job, you can take up to a year off with full pay.
  • •This only applies to full-time workers in specific jobs like police, firefighters, or lifeguards—not office staff or mechanics in those departments.
  • •Your boss’s insurance might pay for your time off instead of you getting disability checks.
  • •This time off doesn’t count against your family or medical leave if you’re a cop or firefighter.

Example

A firefighter breaks their leg while putting out a fire.

The firefighter can take time off with full pay for up to a year while they recover, instead of getting disability payments.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 4850 Public Safety Disability Leave

(a) Whenever any person listed in subdivision (b), who is employed on a regular, full-time basis, and is disabled, whether temporarily or permanently, by injury or illness arising out of and in the course of his or her duties, he or she shall become entitled, regardless of his or her period of service with the city, county, or district, to a leave of absence while so disabled without loss of salary in lieu of temporary disability payments or maintenance allowance payments, if any, that would be payable under this chapter, for the period of the disability, but not exceeding one year, or until that earlier date as he or she is retired on permanent disability pension, and is actually receiving disability pension payments, or advanced disability pension payments pursuant to Section 4850.3. (b) The persons eligible under subdivision (a) include all of the following: (1) City police officers. (2) City, county, or district firefighters. (3) Sheriffs. (4) Officers or employees of any sheriff’s offices. (5) Inspectors, investigators, detectives, or personnel with comparable titles in any district attorney’s office. (6) County probation officers, group counselors, or juvenile services officers. (7) Officers or employees of a probation office. (8) Peace officers under Section 830.31 of the Penal Code employed on a regular, full-time basis by a county of the first class. (9) Lifeguards employed year round on a regular, full-time basis by a county of the first class or by the City of San Diego. (10) Airport law enforcement officers under subdivision (d) of Section 830.33 of the Penal Code. (11) Harbor or port police officers, wardens, or special officers of a harbor or port district or city or county harbor department under subdivision (a) of Section 830.1 or subdivision (b) of Section 830.33 of the Penal Code. (12) Police officers of the Los Angeles Unified School District. (c) This section shall apply only to persons listed in subdivision (b) who meet the requirements of subdivision (a), and shall not include any of the following: (1) Employees of a police department whose principal duties are those of a telephone operator, clerk, stenographer, machinist, mechanic, or otherwise, and whose functions do not clearly fall within the scope of active law enforcement service. (2) Employees of a county sheriff’s office whose principal duties are those of a telephone operator, clerk, stenographer, machinist, mechanic, or otherwise, and whose functions do not clearly come within the scope of active law enforcement service. (3) Employees of a county probation office whose principal duties are those of a telephone operator, clerk, stenographer, machinist, mechanic, or otherwise, and whose functions do not clearly come within the scope of active law enforcement service. (4) Employees of a city fire department, county fire department, or fire district whose principal duties are those of a telephone operator, clerk, stenographer, machinist, mechanic, or otherwise, and whose functions do not clearly fall within the scope of active firefighting and prevention service. (d) If the employer is insured, the payments that, except for this section, the insurer would be obligated to make as disability indemnity to the injured, the insurer may pay to the insured. (e) No leave of absence taken pursuant to this section by a peace officer, as defined by Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or by a city, county, or district firefighter, shall be deemed to constitute family care and medical leave, as defined in Section 12945.2 of the Government Code, or to reduce the time authorized for family care and medical leave by Section 12945.2 of the Government Code. (f) This section shall not apply to any persons described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (b) who are employees of the City and County of San Francisco. (g) Amendments to subdivision (f) made by the act adding this subdivision shall be applied retroactively to January 1, 2010. (Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 66, Sec. 1. (SB 527) Effective January 1, 2014. Note: Subdivision (g) was added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 74.)

Last verified: January 21, 2026

Key Terms

disabilityenforcementprobationallowanceportharboremployeeinjury

Related Statutes

  • § 4850.4 Disability Pension Payment Exceptions
  • § 1455 Domestic Worker Labor Outreach
  • § 4656 Temporary Disability Payment Limits
  • § 4658.5 Job Displacement Retraining Voucher
  • § 4658.6 Employer Liability Exemption Conditions

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Labor Code. Section 4850.
View Official Source