NORTHERN IRELAND will introduce paid ‘safe leave’ for domestic abuse victims by early 2027.
The entitlement, which will provide 10 days’ paid leave each year for workers experiencing domestic abuse, is intended to help victims access support services, attend appointments and take steps to secure their safety.
The proposed legislation is part of Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald ‘s wider Good Jobs agenda.
“Domestic abuse is a workplace issue, and paid safe leave will provide vital support to workers at an extremely difficult time in their lives,” she said this week.
“I am committed to delivering the necessary secondary legislation to operationalise safe leave before the end of this Assembly mandate,” she added in a statement issued after meeting members of her department’s Domestic Abuse Safe Leave Working Group.
The group is helping to develop practical guidance for employers and workers ahead of the introduction of the new entitlement.
“No-one should have to choose between their safety and their job.,” Dr Archibald explained.
“It is important that this new right is supported by clear, practical and sensitive guidance.”
She added: “I want to thank the Working Group members for their expertise and for helping us ensure that the legislation and guidance work effectively for those who need to rely on them, while also supporting employers to understand and fulfil their obligations.”
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