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Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave starts Today

With effect from 1 February 2023, full-time, part-time and casual employees can access 10 days of paid “family and domestic violence leave” (FDV Leave) each year.

Key points:

FDV Leave commences today, other than for employees of small business employers (employers with less than 15 employees) who receive the entitlement from 1 August 2023.
FDV Leave is available upfront and won’t accumulate from year to year if unused.
FDV Leave renews every year on an employee’s start date anniversary.
Employees may access FDV Leave where experiencing “family and domestic violence” and need to do something to deal with the impact of that violence.
“Family and domestic violence” is violent, threatening or other abusive behaviour by an employee’s close relative, a current or former intimate partner, or a member of their household that both:
- seeks to coerce or control the employee; and
- causes them harm or fear.
Examples include the employee needing time off work to attend court hearings, access police services or make accommodation arrangements for their safety.
Payment for FDV is at the employee’s full-rate of pay (for casuals, payment only for their rostered hours).
To reduce the risk to the employee’s safety, employee pay slips must not mention family and domestic violence leave.
Employers can request evidence that would satisfy a reasonable person that the leave is for FDV (e.g. a statutory declaration or letter from a lawyer).