Domestic violence victims entitled to five days’ leave from Monday

Any person experiencing or at risk of domestic violence is entitled to take five fully paid days of leave from work under new legislation which comes into force from Monday.

Under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, employers will be legally required to offer up to five days of paid leave over a period of 12 months to employees affected by domestic violence, including coercive control, or where an employee is supporting their spouse, partner or child who is the victim.

The State was one of the first countries in the European Union to introduce this right to paid leave, said Minister for Equality Roderic O’Gorman on Monday. “No one experiencing domestic violence should have to risk poverty or unemployment in order to seek support,” said the Minister.

“Domestic violence leave is not just about the leave. It can start conversations in workplaces and society around domestic violence and raise awareness. Employers have a crucial role to play and I would encourage them to use the supports which have been developed to create a safe space for employees experiencing domestic violence.”

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The leave can be taken without prior notice to the employer and can be used to access help from the An Garda Síochána; source alternative accommodation; get a court order; seek medical attention; go to victim services organisations or seek counselling, according to a statement from the department. The Minister has previously said that a person requesting the leave would not have to provide any evidence of the abuse which is a deliberate decision to make access to the paid leave as easy as possible.

Unlike most new legislation which is reviewed after four-five years, this legislation will be reviewed after two years.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, which introduced the legislation on Monday, has also launched a website in collaboration with Women’s Aid to support and guide employers on how to provide this leave for a staff member.

The dedicated website – www.DVatWork.ie – provides employers with essential information on supporting a victim of domestic violence, including information around the importance of total confidentiality and a clear definition of domestic violence. In its guidance note, Women’s Aid encourages employers to clearly communicate to their staff the availability of domestic violence leave and to include information on the policy in the organisation’s employee handbook.

Women’s Aid will also be holding a series of webinars – which are now open for registration – for all employers providing advice and information on domestic violence policies, said the department.