Soon, millions of Australian employees will be eligible for 10 paid days of domestic abuse leave every year.
The majority of employees will have access to the benefits beginning in February, while small enterprises will have an additional six months to prepare.
Thursday, both chambers of the federal parliament approved the amendments with backing from all parties.
Employment Minister Tony Burke told the legislature, “To all those who have endured or are experiencing family and domestic abuse, you have asked us to take action, and we are.”
This law will not cure the problem of family and domestic violence on its own, but it will ensure that no employee in Australia will ever again have to choose between earning a wage and protecting themselves and their families.
Union leader Michele O’Neil described the new laws as a historic victory.
She remarked, “The importance of securing paid family and domestic violence leave in the national employment standard cannot be overstated.”
Australia has a major problem with women’s safety and gender equality due to the fact that one in four women have suffered some type of intimate partner abuse since the age of 15.
Ms. O’Neil stated that unions would push to increase the leave duration, but that ten days is a crucial beginning.
Casual employees will be eligible for the leave, but perpetrators will not.
Next year, a review will be done to confirm that the benefit was implemented correctly.
Sam Parker, a frontline domestic abuse worker, stated that the benefits will save lives.
“Females should not be forced to choose between job and safety.” She stated that ten days of paid vacation affords individuals the ability to have financial security when they need it most.
We recognize that access to this leave helps remove some of the obstacles women face when attempting to leave an abusive relationship, and we are confident that this will save lives.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the first budget of his administration featured many measures to advance gender equality and increase women’s involvement.
It contained $1.7 billion over six years for women’s safety and an expansion of paid parental leave to encourage parents to share caregiving responsibilities more evenly.
Women’s economic participation is something that benefits society as a whole. It doesn’t simply benefit families. It benefits the entire country,’ added Mr. Albanese.