Family & Domestic Violence Leave – It’s here…

From 1 February 2023 the family and domestic violence leave has become available for employees of non-small businesses (employers with 15+ employees) and from 1 August 2023 the same would be available to all including employees of small businesses (employers with less than 15 employees).

All employees would be entitled to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave in a 12-month period. Employees including full-time, part-time and casual employees would be entitled to the leave and the leave won’t be pro-rated for casual and part-time employees.

The 10 days of paid family and domestic leave would be available upfront and renews every year on each employee’s work anniversary. It doesn’t accumulate from year to year if it isn’t used.

To access paid family and domestic violence leave, the individual could be:

• an employee’s close relative
• a member of an employee’s household, or
• a current or former intimate partner of an employee.

Records must be kept showing the leave balance and leave taken but the pay slips must NOT mention family and domestic violence leave.

Full-time and part-time employees can take paid family and domestic violence leave at their full pay rate for the hours they would have worked if they weren’t on leave. Casual employees will be paid at their full pay rate for the hours they were rostered to work in the period they took leave.