Domestic and Family Violence Leave
Responsible government
- New South Wales
Fourth Action Plan actions
- Improve support and service system responses
- 16 Enable workforces to provide trauma-informed support with a focus on safety and recovery to victims and survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence.
- 17 Collaborate across services, sectors and workforces to ensure responses to women affected by domestic, family and sexual violence are coordinated, meet women’s needs, avoid women having to retell their story and promote their recovery.
What are we doing?
The NSW Government provides ten days of paid domestic and family violence leave per year for public sector employees experiencing domestic and family violence. This supports employees experiencing domestic and family violence to take time off to seek safe accommodation and attend legal and health appointments for themselves and/or their children, while maintaining their employment and income.
What have we achieved so far?
Since 1 January 2019, all NSW Government sector employees have had access to 10 days of paid domestic and family violence leave per year.
The NSW Government has released a policy to support the provision of domestic and family violence leave. This policy outlines measures such as providing flexible start times, increasing workplace security and facilitating access to support services.
What is next?
The NSW Government will collect data on the initiative through existing mechanisms, such as NSW Public Service Commission reporting.
What difference will we make?
Domestic and family violence impacts the lives of victim-survivors in many ways, including emotionally, physically, financially and legally. Domestic and family violence leave assists victim-survivors and their families in accessing supports, such as counselling, meeting police, attending court and moving house, without affecting their employment or income.
Further, providing domestic and family violence leave raises awareness of domestic and family violence and its impacts, and demonstrates supports and care for staff that are victim-survivors.