Workers being able to access their full pay rate while on domestic and family violence leave is being touted as a game-changer.
The new laws come into effect on Wednesday and give full-time, part-time and casual workers up to 10 days of paid leave.
The new arrangements will cover at least seven million workers, expanding the five days of unpaid domestic violence leave they’re currently entitled to.
Tess Oxley, a paramedic in southwest Sydney, said the leave applying to millions of workers meant she no longer has to ask women what their entitlements are when they’re at one of their lowest moments.
“When I go to women, I go to them at one of the most frightening, disempowering moments of their life,” she said.
“Now I can start to give back the power to them. I can let them know that every single woman can make the decision to get help, to get help for their children.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was remarkable that people suffering domestic violence had to choose between financial security and physical safety.
“This is a day, frankly, which we wish we didn’t have to have, but we do,” Mr Albanese told a meeting of union workers and advocates on Tuesday.
“Let us hope that in putting in place this measure it’s used less and less in the future.”
The prime minister said tackling domestic violence required bringing the topic out into the open and breaking the cycle.
“It’s about changing behaviours.”
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke said the measures needed to include casuals and loading rates to ensure the safety of workers.
“Normally we don’t give leave entitlements to casuals, but if you don’t on this, then a whole portion of the workforce is going to have to choose between their safety and their pay,” he said.
Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said the reforms were fundamental in reducing violence against women.
“Many people in this country don’t realise how difficult the lives of women are. We bear the brunt of the violence,” she said.
“It is the beginning of turning that back and saying to victim-survivors, ‘you deserve your pay when you’re making these big choices’.”
Small businesses have been given a grace period until August 1 to enact the changes.
The leave will not appear on the workers’ payslip for privacy reasons.
One woman in Australia dies at the hands of a former or current partner every 10 days, and police deal with an average of 5000 domestic violence incidents each week.
It’s estimated one in five women have taken time off due to violence from a previous partner, and one in 11 due to a current one.
Opposition employment spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said it was an important step, coming in the wake of the coalition’s 2018 laws to enshrine five days of unpaid leave in national employment standards.
But she noted the Labor laws went further than what was recommended by the Fair Work Commission and it was appropriate they be reviewed after 12 months.
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