The unpaid leave policy allows workers to take up to five days off every year and follows up on a Fair Work Commission decision. The Commission notes on its website that "family and domestic violence means violent, threatening or other abusive behaviour by an employee's family member that seeks to coerce or control the employee or causes them harm or fear."
"In the #metoo era with an increased public awareness of sexual harassment and domestic violence, employers need to recognise that allegations of domestic violence, inappropriate workplace behaviour, sexual harassment in and outside the workplace should be taken very seriously," says Nicholas Hackenberg, senior employment advisor at workplace specialist firm Employsure.
"If requests for support are not adequately responded to, they may instead be played out in the media or through litigation against the employer for its lack of support," Hackenberg added. "Rather than refusing the request it is sometimes, in the employer's best interest to allow the employee the time off that they need in order to seek the support they need."