Workplace entitlement would be available to all employees and doubles Labor’s previous commitment of five days

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Labor has joined calls for all employees to get 10 days paid domestic violence leave, in line with a campaign from the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

Bill Shorten will announce on Tuesday that, if elected, Labor will legislate for 10 days paid domestic and family violence leave in the national employment standards.

Paid leave gives employees time off to meet legal, medical, counselling, relocation and other administrative commitments to deal with or exit abusive or violent relationships.

The workplace entitlement would be available to all employees if they or an immediate family member experience family or domestic violence.

At the 2016 election Labor promised five days’ of paid leave, but the commitment to 10 days brings it in line with the ACTU and the Greens, who promised last week to introduce a bill for 10 days.

Greens to introduce bill to legislate paid family and domestic violence leave Read more

Shorten said Labor had upped its commitment because “we recognise the need to improve workplace support for survivors of family violence”.

“We’ve listened to victims, frontline workers, business, and organisations that deal daily with domestic violence,” he said.

“Their clear message is that people who have experienced domestic violence need more support in the workplace.”

In 2017, 45 women have been killed through domestic violence and it is the leading cause of death, disability and illness among women aged 15 to 44 years of age.



The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that around two out of every three women who experience domestic violence are in the workforce.

In a joint statement with the shadow minister for women, Tanya Plibersek, and shadow employment minister, Brendan O’Connor, Shorten said that workers should not have the stress of seeking legal advice and medical treatment “compounded by fear of losing your job or the financial disadvantage of going without pay”.

Labor accused the Turnbull government of “vacating the field” because they do not support paid domestic violence leave.

“They see domestic violence leave as a cost to business and, in a terrifying display of how out of touch they are, argue that it will make women less attractive to employers,” they said.

In July the Fair Work Commission rejected the ACTU’s bid for 10 days’ paid domestic violence leave to be included in all modern awards but left the door open to the possibility of unpaid leave.



Employer organisations opposed the new entitlement. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry claimed it could cost employers as much as $205m to create just one day of domestic violence leave per worker per year.

Unions dispute the figure and suggest the cost would be closer to $11.8m, based on estimates that 2% of female workers and less than 1% of male workers take the leave each year when it is available to them.

Labor said domestic violence leave would help businesses prevent loss of productivity, and increases employee retention and reduces unpredictable absenteeism.

About 1.6m workers currently have access to paid family and domestic violence leave through enterprise bargaining or company policy.

Labor acknowledged the many employers that already provide family violence leave, including Medicare, CUB, Telstra, NAB, Virgin Australia, IKEA and Qantas.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000