Paid domestic/family violence leave

[SomeRandom]

From tomorrow a new law in Australia will come into affect.
Employees (including even Casuals if I’m not mistaken) will be able to access 10 days paid leave within a 12 month period if they experience domestic or family violence.
Previously in such circumstances such leave was usually unpaid or the employee would use another benefit (annual leave, long service, sick pay etc.)
The law is aimed at giving some relief to victims, so that they are able to not have to worry about a paycheck.
Obviously hotlines and other support services remain open to help victims in other ways.

Paid family and domestic violence leave: How does it work and how to apply, explained

So what do you guys think?

I welcome it. Anything to help out a domestic abuse survivor or make things a tiny bit easier for people in such circumstances is a plus in my book.

 

[Viker]

Not an Aussie but I like it.

 

[Secret Chief]

From tomorrow a new law in Australia will come into affect.
Employees (including even Casuals if I’m not mistaken) will be able to access 10 days paid leave within a 12 month period if they experience domestic or family violence.
Previously in such circumstances such leave was usually unpaid or the employee would use another benefit (annual leave, long service, sick pay etc.)
The law is aimed at giving some relief to victims, so that they are able to not have to worry about a paycheck.
Obviously hotlines and other support services remain open to help victims in other ways.

Paid family and domestic violence leave: How does it work and how to apply, explained

So what do you guys think?

I welcome it. Anything to help out a domestic abuse survivor or make things a tiny bit easier for people in such circumstances is a plus in my book.

That's good. In the UK one can apply for a catchall thing called Special Leave. It's discretionary, so depends on the humanity of the boss. My partner and I have both taken it in the past (for various reasons - eg a funeral or to deal with pressing family matters).

 

[Twilight Hue]

From tomorrow a new law in Australia will come into affect.
Employees (including even Casuals if I’m not mistaken) will be able to access 10 days paid leave within a 12 month period if they experience domestic or family violence.
Previously in such circumstances such leave was usually unpaid or the employee would use another benefit (annual leave, long service, sick pay etc.)
The law is aimed at giving some relief to victims, so that they are able to not have to worry about a paycheck.
Obviously hotlines and other support services remain open to help victims in other ways.

Paid family and domestic violence leave: How does it work and how to apply, explained

So what do you guys think?

I welcome it. Anything to help out a domestic abuse survivor or make things a tiny bit easier for people in such circumstances is a plus in my book.

Should go the route of many companies now. Just have a pto bank.

 

[PureX]

American republicans: "if we worked them harder and longer hours, they wouldn't have the time or energy to beat each other up ... problem solved".

 

[Soandso]

Should go the route of many companies now. Just have a pto bank.

Depends on the company and how they honor your reasons for why you call out, as far as I'm aware. I know many co-workers who use the "I'm sick" excuse to call out when they are unable to get a babysitter for their kids or are having problems with their vehicle or transportation

In my state, people are guaranteed the ability to call out sick as long as they have PTO. The company still tries to threaten them for habitually calling out, even if their threats have no actual merit behind them

 

[JustGeorge]

From tomorrow a new law in Australia will come into affect.
Employees (including even Casuals if I’m not mistaken) will be able to access 10 days paid leave within a 12 month period if they experience domestic or family violence.
Previously in such circumstances such leave was usually unpaid or the employee would use another benefit (annual leave, long service, sick pay etc.)
The law is aimed at giving some relief to victims, so that they are able to not have to worry about a paycheck.
Obviously hotlines and other support services remain open to help victims in other ways.

Paid family and domestic violence leave: How does it work and how to apply, explained

So what do you guys think?

I welcome it. Anything to help out a domestic abuse survivor or make things a tiny bit easier for people in such circumstances is a plus in my book.

I love that! As a victim myself, that would have been so helpful, especially when the situation was an attack from an outsider(rather than from a SO) and it resulted in an immediate move. It was so hard to find time and money to move when you hadn't planned on it(but its what we were told by law enforcement to do).

Depends on the company and how they honor your reasons for why you call out, as far as I'm aware. I know many co-workers who use the "I'm sick" excuse to call out when they are unable to get a babysitter for their kids or are having problems with their vehicle or transportation

In my state, people are guaranteed the ability to call out sick as long as they have PTO. The company still tries to threaten them for habitually calling out, even if their threats have no actual merit behind them

We were always allowed to call in sick with an excuse... but who could afford to go to the doctor? We didn't have insurance offered, and we certainly didn't make enough to pay on our own. The better bosses never asked for such if the employee wasn't prone to abuse such things, but you never knew if you'd call and get one of the troublesome ones, and either have to pay a doctor bill or just go in sick. (There was no sick pay either way.)

I do remember calling in because my cat died. The boss(who I was quite fond of) said quietly "I'm not allowed to give you time off for a pet's death." So, I said "Well, I'm sick. I've got a major headache, and I threw up twice." She said "Ok, see you tomorrow!" She knew I wasn't sick, but she'd get in trouble if she wrote down 'dead cat' as an excuse.

 

[Revoltingest]

From tomorrow a new law in Australia will come into affect.
Employees (including even Casuals if I’m not mistaken) will be able to access 10 days paid leave within a 12 month period if they experience domestic or family violence.
Previously in such circumstances such leave was usually unpaid or the employee would use another benefit (annual leave, long service, sick pay etc.)
The law is aimed at giving some relief to victims, so that they are able to not have to worry about a paycheck.
Obviously hotlines and other support services remain open to help victims in other ways.

Paid family and domestic violence leave: How does it work and how to apply, explained

So what do you guys think?

I welcome it. Anything to help out a domestic abuse survivor or make things a tiny bit easier for people in such circumstances is a plus in my book.

It sounds OK to me, but with one condition...
If government wants people paid to not work,
then let government pay the tab, thereby
spreading the burden among all taxpayers.

 

[Kathryn]

It sounds OK to me, but with one condition...
If government wants people paid to not work,
then let government pay the tab, thereby
spreading the burden among all taxpayers.

Now, now, you know they won't do that. The bad companies will have to do it and foot the bill. Which means all Aussies eventually but in a different way.

 

[Revoltingest]

Now, now, you know they won't do that. The bad companies will have to do it and foot the bill. Which means all Aussies eventually but in a different way.

One problem is that such requirements to pay
people to not work is that small companies
would suffer disproportionately. So they're
typically exempt from such laws. The net
result is that many people are denied that
particular benefit.
Of course, the primary goal of any legislator
is to win elections. Letting unfortunate souls
fall thru the cracks causes no problem.

 

[PureX]

One problem is that such requirements to pay
people to not work is that small companies
would suffer disproportionately. So they're
typically exempt from such laws. The net
result is that many people are denied that
particular benefit.
Of course, the primary goal of any legislator
is to win elections. Letting unfortunate souls
fall thru the cracks causes no problem.

Politicians are very good at creating tax write-offs and exemptions for exactly these kinds of situations, so I doubt that would be a problem.

My question is why are the employers paying for it at all? Why not just make it part of a federal (un)employment insurance plan? Or better still part of a national healthcare plan. That way illness, injury, victimization, and other causes of temporary unemployment don't result in people becoming homeless and permanently unemployable.

 

[Revoltingest]

Politicians are very good at creating tax write-offs and exemptions for exactly these kinds of situations, so I doubt that would be a problem.

Oh, dear....non-business people so mis-understand
taxation. A "write-off" is simply a deduction to reduce
net income. Say you spend $1.00....it reduces your
income by $1.00. But your taxes might be reduced
only $0.25. So you didn't break even...you lost money.

Is that you, Kramer?

 

[Quintessence]

Devil's in the details.

For example, to qualify for this leave, what sort of documentation (if any) is required? This is a really sensitive topic, so obstacles like this could end up nullifying the intended effect of the bill. Seen this happen in in the States with legislature intending to carve out accommodations for rape/violence victims - good idea but then bogged down with bureaucratic red tape (like needing to file a police report within X time frame or something). I wager Aussies are smarter than that unlike Americans, but I hesitate to assume.

 

[SomeRandom]

It sounds OK to me, but with one condition...
If government wants people paid to not work,
then let government pay the tab, thereby
spreading the burden among all taxpayers.

I think that’s the idea. I’m fairly certain that Australia has like minimum leave requirements by law (sick pay, annual leave, long service leave.)
Anything longer is usually at the discretion of the business. This falls under that minimum.
At least that’s how I think it works

Honestly employers seemingly prefer their employees to use up their leave benefits. Because if said employee quits, any accumulated leave is paid to them on top of any severance packet. Even when I worked part time in the supermarket, my boss always nagged me to take leave

 

[SomeRandom]

Devil's in the details.

For example, to qualify for this leave, what sort of documentation (if any) is required? This is a really sensitive topic, so obstacles like this could end up nullifying the intended effect of the bill. Seen this happen in in the States with legislature intending to carve out accommodations for rape/violence victims - good idea but then bogged down with bureaucratic red tape (like needing to file a police report within X time frame or something). I wager Aussies are smarter than that unlike Americans, but I hesitate to assume.

Well these are the requirements. It is a new law so I’m assuming they’re going to “iron out the kinks” going forward but idk
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/f...for-unpaid-family-and-domestic-violence-leave

 

[SomeRandom]

Should go the route of many companies now. Just have a pto bank.

Depends on the company and how they honor your reasons for why you call out, as far as I'm aware. I know many co-workers who use the "I'm sick" excuse to call out when they are unable to get a babysitter for their kids or are having problems with their vehicle or transportation

In my state, people are guaranteed the ability to call out sick as long as they have PTO. The company still tries to threaten them for habitually calling out, even if their threats have no actual merit behind them

What’s a PTO?

 

[Soandso]

What’s a PTO?

Paid time off. You accrue it as you work

 

[SomeRandom]

Now, now, you know they won't do that. The bad companies will have to do it and foot the bill. Which means all Aussies eventually but in a different way.

I’m fairly certain that most if not all of our legally mandatory minimum leave (even paid paternity and maternity leave) is through state/national government. Been that way for decades.
Granted small businesses may have to apply for either exemptions or get a rebate through local government to compensate. I’m not entirely sure what happens in those scenarios. Typically rely on casual staff is my guess
This new leave is the only one that is fully payable to casual employees. (Casual employees are allowed to have unpaid leave, otherwise though.)
Leave entitlements.

 

[Revoltingest]

Honestly employers seemingly prefer their employees to use up their leave benefits. Because if said employee quits, any accumulated leave is paid to them on top of any severance packet. Even when I worked part time in the supermarket, my boss always nagged me to take leave

Here, depending each company's
policy, it's use-it-or-lose-it.

 

[SomeRandom]

Here, depending each company's
policy, it's use-it-or-lose-it.

Wow. That’s awful
They’re not allowed to take any leave away from you here
You can choose to portion out your benefits to a certain degree. But it all accumulates until it reaches either the legal minimum threshold or whatever maximum the company has in place