Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave Bill 2022

The union movement has also pursued the introduction of an industrial entitlement to 10 days’ paid FDV leave across two Fair Work Commission (FWC) award variation cases.7 Following the first of these, the FWC determined in 2017 to vary modern awards to include an entitlement to 5 days’ unpaid FDV Leave, on the grounds that the entitlement was still largely untested but committed to reviewing this. [...] For example, the Bill’s application of paid FDV leave to workers outside of the “national system” (on ratification of the relevant international treaty) will mean that a broader range of workers have access to this important entitlement. [...] Identifying the workplace dimensions of family and domestic violence, - as the Paid FDV Leave Bill will help to do, - is an important precursor to creating supportive working environments to assist those who are experiencing family and domestic violence.16 Economic studies of family and domestic violence have shown that women with greater access to resources and better access to external options a. [...] The true cost of family and domestic violence is felt beyond the affected individuals and their workplace and is distributed (both directly and indirectly) across society.21 This includes the social cost to the community, particularly the increased demand for social, health and emergency services. [...] Whereas the FWC’s decision may have proportionately affected more small to medium- sized businesses, on the basis that they are more likely to set wages and conditions according to the award, the across-the-board statutory solution presented by the Paid FDV Leave Bill provides a fair and level playing field.32 Finally, we note that the Government is providing two ways to support small businesses w.