Monash expert: Small business employees in Australia now entitled to family and domestic violence leave
Small business employees across Australia will have a new right to access up to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave annually under Federal Government changes taking effect from today. This brings them into line with the same entitlement in place since 1 February 2023 for employees in Australia who work for large or medium businesses – including casuals.
A Monash University expert is available to comment on the implications of today’s changes.
Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor and Director, Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts
Contact details: +61 412 339 243 or [email protected]
Read more of Professor Fitz-Gibbon’s commentary at https://lens.monash.edu/@kate-fitz-gibbon
The following can be attributed to Professor Fitz-Gibbon:
“Today's legislation represents a key step in building more expansive, effective and accessible workplace supports for domestic and family violence victim-survivors across Australia.
“Access to 10 days paid leave for all employees - regardless of the business size - provides important recognition that employers have a responsibility to support victim-survivors during and in their recovery from violence.
"As always, implementation and monitoring will be key to the success of this legislation. It is imperative that paid domestic violence leave is embedded alongside a suite of workplace supports to ensure that victim-survivors are supported to maintain paid employment during and following their experience of domestic violence.
"The continued implementation of this legislation is a key component of the important role that Australian workplaces can play in addressing the national crisis of violence against women.”