Maitland MP and Shadow Minister for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Jenny Aitchison, is calling for the NSW Government to extend existing paid domestic leave entitlements to 10 days.
Five days paid domestic violence leave was introduced by the Kristina Keneally Labor government in 2011, but not all public servants are eligible for the leave. Employees must also exhaust all paid leave before accessing domestic violence leave.
The Council of Australian Governments in December 2016 expressed the importance of encouraging employers to provide workplace support for employees experiencing domestic violence. This leave can be used to seek counselling and attend court appearances.
The Berejiklian Government at this stage has no plans on extending the leave to 10 days. This follows the Fair Work Commission's decision to dismiss an application from the Australian Council of Trade Unions to include an entitlement of 10 days paid domestic violence leave in all modern awards at this time.
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| Jenny Aitchison |
