Legislation to provide victim-survivors with 15-days of paid family and domestic violence leave will this week pass the South Australian Parliament.

The legislation amends the Fair Work Act 1994 to create a new minimum standard for family and domestic violence leave for workers in the state industrial relations system and will allow public sector and local government employees to take paid leave to attend medical appointments, legal proceedings, counselling, relocation and to other matters related to family and domestic violence.

Statistics released last week show that 23% of women have experienced violence from an intimate partner.

The legislation, an election commitment of the Malinauskas Government, will pass the Legislative Council this week after previously passing the House of Assembly in the last sitting week.

Quotes

Attributable to Katrine Hildyard

It is crucial that we empower those experiencing domestic violence to keep connected to their workplace as they contemplate leaving these awful situation and as they traverse the difficult journey toward recovery and healing.

These laws are about doing just that; they will enable brave victim-survivors who are employed to not be financially burdened in their efforts to remove themselves from dangerous situations.

More than three quarters of domestic violence victim-survivors are women. This legislation is a key part of the Malinauskas Government’s comprehensive commitments to improve women’s safety and advance toward gender equality.

Attributable to Kyam Maher

This is an important step to support people escaping from these terrible circumstances.

These laws will insert a new minimum standard for paid leave to support public sector and local government employees who are experiencing family and domestic violence in their lives.