Workers in Ireland experiencing domestic abuse, including coercive control, are now legally entitled to take up to five days’ leave on full pay to seek support. No prior notice needs to be given.
Equality minister Roderic O’Gorman said the new legislation makes Ireland one of the first EU countries to introduce the right.
Deirdre Malone, partner and head of employment law at EY Law Ireland, was quoted in media reports as saying: “It may be challenging for employees to discuss domestic violence with their employer, so it will be really important for employers to sensitively manage requests for domestic violence leave.”
The CEO of Women’s Aid in Ireland, Sarah Benson, commented: “Addressing domestic violence as a workplace issue is not about taking on the role of a counsellor or support worker. Rather, it is about creating a safe, supportive environment for victim-survivors to disclose what they are experiencing by reducing the stigma surrounding the issue and offering targeted support.”
