Family and Domestic Violence Leave is a workplace entitlement that provides employees with paid time off to deal with the impact of domestic violence situations. Under Australian law, all employees are entitled to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave each year, including full-time, part-time, and casual workers . This leave can be used to attend urgent matters such as legal proceedings, counseling, medical appointments, or making safety arrangements related to experiences of family or domestic violence.
It was initially introduced as unpaid leave in the National Employment Standards and was strengthened in 2023 to a paid entitlement (replacing the former 5 days unpaid leave) to ensure employees do not suffer financially while seeking help and protection. Employers have a clear HR compliance obligation to provide this leave and handle all related information sensitively and confidentially, so that affected employees can take the necessary time off without fear of penalty or stigma in the workplace.
