[Ireland] Paid leave and time off for victims of domestic violence

Ireland’s children’s minister Roderic O’Gorman is set to introduce paid work leave for victims of domestic violence to allow them time to restructure their lives after leaving an abusive partner, The Times reports.

The Green Party TD is to bring legislation to the cabinet next month that is expected to create the five-day statutory leave entitlement, with the intention that it would also give domestic violence victims a degree of financial independence.

The measure is reportedly being added to a new Work-Life Balance Bill that will transpose an EU directive into Irish law by the summer.

It is intended to coincide with the publication in March of a wider government strategy on gender-based violence that is being finalised in the wake of widespread public fury and debate at the killing of Ashling Murphy in Co Offaly on January 12.

Mr O’Gorman told The Sunday Times: “We have to ensure that victims of domestic violence are supported to leave violent, controlling and abusive relationships.

“This entitlement will support those in abusive relationships to take time away from work in order to leave their abusive partner, without fear of income loss or risk of disciplinary sanctions from their employer for missed work.”

The minister said financial dependency could be a deterring factor for those seeking support from domestic violence services. He added that the leave would be designed in a way that respected the privacy of those taking it.

The Work-Life Balance Bill will also allow breastfeeding mothers to take one-hour daily work breaks to feed their babies for up to two years after birth. Currently, women who are breastfeeding are entitled to an hour off per day for up to 26 weeks after birth but because this often overlaps with maternity leave, it is a rarely used provision.

The bill will also create a new entitlement to five days of unpaid caring leave a year for people with a family member who needs support for medical reasons, such as attending hospital appointments. Both measures are already included in the EU work-life balance directive, which Ireland is obliged to enshrine in domestic law by August.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) would not confirm the expected length of the work leave for domestic violence victims but said Mr O’Gorman would bring proposals to the government ahead of draft legislation with the intention of steering the bill through Oireachtas in the first half of the year.

“DCEDIY has engaged in a targeted consultation process with relevant stakeholders ... to examine how a scheme of paid leave should operate to address the needs of victims most effectively,” a spokesman said.

The consultation involved government officials, NGOs working with domestic violence victims, employers’ groups and trade unions.

The bill is listed today in the spring legislative programme published by Jack Chambers, the government chief whip. Chambers said the government was prioritising legislation to enable the country to continue overcoming the challenges of the pandemic. It would also deliver new housing, protect workers and ensure the economy and society could thrive again.

He added that the Gambling Regulation Bill would “overhaul the gambling sector in Ireland with a new regulator set up to hold betting companies to account and ensure more safeguards to better assist problem gamblers”.

Other justice reforms include the Garda Siochana (Digital Recording) Bill and the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill to give gardai the “resources and powers to tackle crime”.

Source: The Times

(Quotes via original reporting)

Ireland’s children’s minister Roderic O’Gorman is set to introduce paid work leave for victims of domestic violence to allow them time to restructure their lives after leaving an abusive partner, The Times reports.

The Green Party TD is to bring legislation to the cabinet next month that is expected to create the five-day statutory leave entitlement, with the intention that it would also give domestic violence victims a degree of financial independence.

The measure is reportedly being added to a new Work-Life Balance Bill that will transpose an EU directive into Irish law by the summer.

It is intended to coincide with the publication in March of a wider government strategy on gender-based violence that is being finalised in the wake of widespread public fury and debate at the killing of Ashling Murphy in Co Offaly on January 12.

Mr O’Gorman told The Sunday Times: “We have to ensure that victims of domestic violence are supported to leave violent, controlling and abusive relationships.

“This entitlement will support those in abusive relationships to take time away from work in order to leave their abusive partner, without fear of income loss or risk of disciplinary sanctions from their employer for missed work.”

The minister said financial dependency could be a deterring factor for those seeking support from domestic violence services. He added that the leave would be designed in a way that respected the privacy of those taking it.

The Work-Life Balance Bill will also allow breastfeeding mothers to take one-hour daily work breaks to feed their babies for up to two years after birth. Currently, women who are breastfeeding are entitled to an hour off per day for up to 26 weeks after birth but because this often overlaps with maternity leave, it is a rarely used provision.

The bill will also create a new entitlement to five days of unpaid caring leave a year for people with a family member who needs support for medical reasons, such as attending hospital appointments. Both measures are already included in the EU work-life balance directive, which Ireland is obliged to enshrine in domestic law by August.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) would not confirm the expected length of the work leave for domestic violence victims but said Mr O’Gorman would bring proposals to the government ahead of draft legislation with the intention of steering the bill through Oireachtas in the first half of the year.

“DCEDIY has engaged in a targeted consultation process with relevant stakeholders ... to examine how a scheme of paid leave should operate to address the needs of victims most effectively,” a spokesman said.

The consultation involved government officials, NGOs working with domestic violence victims, employers’ groups and trade unions.

The bill is listed today in the spring legislative programme published by Jack Chambers, the government chief whip. Chambers said the government was prioritising legislation to enable the country to continue overcoming the challenges of the pandemic. It would also deliver new housing, protect workers and ensure the economy and society could thrive again.

He added that the Gambling Regulation Bill would “overhaul the gambling sector in Ireland with a new regulator set up to hold betting companies to account and ensure more safeguards to better assist problem gamblers”.

Other justice reforms include the Garda Siochana (Digital Recording) Bill and the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill to give gardai the “resources and powers to tackle crime”.

Source: The Times

(Quotes via original reporting)