Ontario Labour Minister Kevin Flynn was in Hamilton Thursday to highlight a section of the proposed Fair Workplace legislation that would allow victims of domestic or sexual abuse to take time off work without fear of losing their jobs.

"The last thing victims and their families need to worry about is whether they can take time off" to deal with such "tremendously difficult circumstances," Flynn said in a news conference at the Hamilton YWCA.

The leave, part of the Liberal government's amendments introduced in August to Bill 148 — the proposed Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs Act — is a direct result of public feedback, Flynn said.

If the amendment passes, it would make Ontario the second province to adopt such a leave, he said.

In Manitoba, the Domestic Violence and Stalking Act — which includes sexual assault — went into effect on June 1, 2016. It gives job protection, with pay for up to five days, to victims of domestic violence.

In Ontario, the domestic or sexual violence leave would be unpaid, but Flynn said the province would work with the federal government to try to make it, or parts of it, qualify as paid leave.

"We believe that those people who experience domestic or sexual violence simply shouldn't have to worry about how they are going to pay the rent or buy groceries or all the necessities of life that most of us just take for granted."

While Manitoba spells out the terms of leave under employment standards, Flynn said some of the Ontario regulations would still need to be worked out.

The leave would allow up to 17 weeks off, with 10 days that can be taken one day at a time for things like medical appointments, or up to 15 weeks intermittently for things like moving.

Lia Grimanis, a survivor of sexual and physical abuse, spoke after Flynn about "how dramatically our lives can come to a screeching halt" when victims experience such violence.