A bill to provide survivors of domestic or sexual violence with up to 10 days of paid leave passed second reading with unanimous support in the Ontario legislature yesterday.
“This bill allows women who have experienced domestic violence or sexual violence to deal with the violence without jeopardizing their jobs,” said NDP Women’s Issues critic Peggy Sattler. “It will let them get the supports they need to heal from the trauma and return to work as productive employees.”
Bill 26, the Domestic and Sexual Violence Workplace Leave, Accommodation and Training Act will entitle survivors to up to 10 days of paid leave to obtain specific services related to the violence, such as seeing a doctor, talking to a counsellor, finding a new place to live, and meeting with lawyers or police. The bill also provides for additional unpaid leave if necessary, workplace accommodations such as changes to hours and location of work, and mandatory workplace training on domestic and sexual violence.
“Too often the violence that women experience at home follows them to work,” said Sattler. “The violence can become lethal, as we know when we remember the tragic and horrific deaths of Theresa Vince and Lori Dupont, women who were murdered at their workplaces by their abusers.
