2023 California Code › Military and Veterans Code - MVC › DIVISION 2 - THE MILITARY FORCES OF THE STATE › PART 1 - THE STATE MILITIA › CHAPTER 7 - Privileges and Penalties › Section 394.

394. (a) A person shall not discriminate against a member of the military or naval forces of the state or of the United States because of that membership. A member of the military forces shall not be prejudiced or injured by a person, employer, or officer or agent of a corporation, company, or firm in terms, conditions, or privileges with respect to that member’s employment, position or status or be denied or disqualified for employment by virtue of membership or service in the military forces of this state or of the United States.
(b) An officer or employee of the state, or of any county, city and county, municipal corporation, or district shall not discriminate against a member of the military or naval forces of the state or of the United States because of that membership. A member of the military forces shall not be prejudiced or injured by an officer or employee of the state, or of any county, city and county, municipal corporation, or district in terms, conditions, or privileges with respect to that member’s employment, appointment, position, or status or be denied or disqualified for or discharged from that employment or position by virtue of membership or service in the military forces of this state or of the United States.
(c) A person shall not prohibit or refuse entrance to a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or of the military or naval forces of this state into any public entertainment or place of amusement or into any of the places described in Sections 51 and 52 of the Civil Code because that member wears the uniform of the organization to which the member belongs.
(d) An employer or officer or agent of a corporation, company, or firm, or other person, shall not discharge a person from employment because of the performance of any ordered military duty or training or by reason of being a member of the military or naval forces of this state or of the federal reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States, or hinder or prevent that person from performing any military service or from attending any military encampment or place of drill or instruction the person may be called upon to perform or attend by proper authority; prejudice or harm the person in any manner in the person’s terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, position, or status by reason of performance of military service or duty or attendance at military encampments or places of drill or instruction; or dissuade, prevent, or stop any person from enlistment or accepting a warrant or commission in the California National Guard, State Guard, or Naval Militia or the federal reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States by threat or injury to the person in respect to the person’s terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, position, status, trade, or business because of enlistment or acceptance of a warrant or commission.
(e) (1) A private employer or officer or agent of a corporation, company, or firm, or other person, shall not restrict or terminate any collateral benefit for employees by reason of an employee’s temporary incapacitation incident to duty in the National Guard, State Guard, or Naval Militia or the federal reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States. As used in this subdivision, “temporary incapacitation” means any period of incapacitation of 52 weeks or less.
(2) As used in this subdivision, “benefit” includes, but is not limited to, health care which may be continued at the employee’s expense, life insurance, disability insurance, and seniority status.
(f) A person who provides lending or financing shall not discriminate against a person with respect to the terms of a loan or financing, including, but not limited to, the finance charge, based on that person’s membership in the military or naval forces of this state or of the United States. With respect to a loan or credit transaction covered by Section 987 of Title 10 of the United States Code, as amended by 126 Stat. 1785 (Public Law 112-239), and Part 232 (commencing with Section 232.1) of Subchapter M of Chapter I of Subtitle A of Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as amended as published on July 22, 2015, on Page 43560 in Number 140 of Volume 80 of the Federal Register, a person that does not market or extend those transactions to covered borrowers shall not be in violation of this section. For purposes of this section, a covered borrower has the same meaning as provided for in Part 232 (commencing with Section 232.1) of Subchapter M of Chapter I of Subtitle A of Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as amended on the date described in this subdivision.
(g) A person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor. In addition, a person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be liable for actual damages and reasonable attorney’s fees incurred by the injured party.
(h) The remedies provided for in this section are not intended to be exclusive but are in addition to the remedies provided for in other laws, including Sections 51 and 52 of the Civil Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 97, Sec. 21. (AB 2193) Effective January 1, 2021.)