FROM TODAY, anyone experiencing or at risk of domestic violence will be entitled to take five days leave from work in order to access supports. 

The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 has come into effect today. 

Under the Act, people will also be entitled to full pay during the period of leave. 

To facilitate implementation of the new leave, Women’s Aid was commissioned to develop supports for employers to implement the leave. The organisation has established a dedicated website www.DVatWork.ie.

A series of webinars will be held by Women’s Aid which will provide advice and information to employers on domestic violence policies. These sessions are open to all employers and registration is now open.

“No one experiencing domestic violence should have to risk poverty or unemployment in order to seek support,” Minister for Equality Roderic O’Gorman said.

“From today, all employees will be entitled to five days leave on full pay so that they can access the supports they may need. This will make Ireland one of the first countries in the European Union to introduce this right,” O’Gorman said. 

He added: “Domestic violence leave is not just about the leave. It can start conversations in workplaces and society around domestic violence and raise awareness.

“Employers have a crucial role to play and I would encourage them to use the supports which have been developed to create a safe space for employees experiencing domestic violence.”

Women’s Aid CEO Sarah Benson said that “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,” Benson said. 

“There are simple ways employers can do this through training, awareness-raising, and policy development and integration.”

Need help? Support is available:

• Women’s Aid – 1800 341 900
• Men’s Aid – 01 554 3811
• Samaritans – 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie
• Pieta House – 1800 247 247 or email mary@pieta.ie (suicide, self-harm)
• Aware – 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety)
• Teen-Line Ireland – 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 18)
• Childline – 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)
• SpunOut – text SPUNOUT to 50808 or visit spunout.ie