What is paid family and domestic violence leave and how does it work?
Paid family and domestic violence (FDV) leave will be available to any employee who experiences violent, threatening or other abusive behaviour by a close relative, a current or former intimate partner, or a member of their household that seeks to coerce or control them or causes them harm or fear.
A close relative is defined as a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of a current or former spouse or de facto partner, or a person related to the employee according to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander kinship rules.
Who is eligible?
Full-time, part-time and casual employees will all have the right to access 10 days of paid FDV leave in a 12-month period. The leave renews every year on each employee’s work anniversary. It doesn’t accumulate from year to year if it isn’t used.
Paid family and domestic violence leave is available for employees of non-small business employers, from 1 February 2023. Employees employed by small business employers (employers with less than 15 employees) can access this paid leave from 1 August 2023. Until then, they can continue to take unpaid family and domestic violence leave.
You can read more about the new entitlement rules here.