Ireland Provides Paid Domestic Violence Leave

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and most people began working from home, issues that had been hidden came to the fore. In Ireland, one issue was the prevalence of domestic violence. 

“It shone a light on how prevalent it was in Ireland,” said Maeve Griffin, an attorney with William Fry in Dublin. “People just realized that something has to be done to support those who are experiencing domestic violence, and this was just one of the measures that they introduced.”

What Is Domestic Violence Leave?

The measure was the Work Life Balance Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, which provides paid domestic violence leave to workers in Ireland. The leave applies to all employees from the first day of employment and offers five days per year of paid leave. Australia and New Zealand have instituted similar leave policies.

An important aspect of the leave is that it can apply not just to employees experiencing domestic violence directly, but also to a category of people who may need to take the leave to assist someone experiencing domestic violence. The leave also may be accessed retroactively. 

The leave is designed to give victims or those supporting victims time off work to access services. “They’re entitled to take time off work to do certain things that are prescribed by legislation,” Griffin said, “and that could be to seek medical attention, to attend counseling, to attend court, obtain a court order or take legal advice.”

Confidentiality 

An important aspect for companies to keep in mind with the new leave is setting up proper ways to handle the confidentiality and sensitive nature of domestic violence leave.

The government commissioned the organization Women’s Aid, which was integral in lobbying for the leave, to create policy documents that can guide companies through both what is required by law and what might not be required but still would be recommended.

In order to maintain confidentiality, certain policies can be set in place, though some might not wind up straying too far from what is already established at a company. “We do stress that employers need to draw on existing practice and existing knowledge,” said Sarah Benson, CEO of Women’s Aid in Dublin.

Companies can choose a designated person to handle domestic violence leave requests; that person might need additional training for interacting with people experiencing domestic violence. Requests for the leave should be handled delicately, with employers refraining from asking probing questions and allowing the employee to lead the conversation, keeping knowledge of reasons for the leave on a need-to-know basis.

Katie Nadworny is a freelance writer in Istanbul.