Domestic Violence Entitlements: Safe at Home and at Work Tashina Orchiston Project Officer

1.Domestic violence: a labour market issue? 2.Agenda for change: enterprise level and national workplace policy reform 3.Challenges and strategies 4.Progress to date and the next phase

1.Context

Domestic violence is a workplace issue... 2/3 Australian women who report violence by a current partner are in paid employment (ABS 2005, Personal Safety Survey) 10% of employees in large US study reported some violence from a partner within the past 12 months (A O’Leary-Kelly, C Reeves & E Lean 2008, Coming into the light: intimate partner violence and its effects at work) Most common form of DV experienced at work: abusive calls, s (ABS 2005) –Occasionally workplace death, serious injury

Domestic violence is a workplace issue... Impacts: work performance, morale, productivity Increased absenteeism? (CA Reeves, C Bates & A O’Leary-Kelly 2006 cf. JE Swanberg & TK Logan 2005) Between ¼ and ½ of women with history of DV report losing a job, at least in part, due to DV (US Govt 1998) Poverty trap: more likely to have disrupted work history, be in casual or part time work than women with no experience of DV (S Franzway, C Zufferey & D Chung 2007) Affects children: parental job loss = relocation, changing schools

Domestic violence is a workplace issue... Costs of lost productivity associated with domestic violence estimated at $484m in (Access Economics 2004, The cost of domestic violence to the Australian economy: part I) Set to rise to $609m in (National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women 2009, The cost of violence against women and their children)

Conclusion Being in employment is a key pathway to leaving a violent relationship Financial security = –Maintain home and standard of living –Avoid becoming trapped, financially dependent on abusive partner

2.Reform

Workplace Rights & Entitlements Project Partnerships Entitlements Safety plans Training

Changes to labour laws? Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) –Paid leave –Right to request flexible working arrangements Protection from discrimination –State and federal level, underpin Fair Work Act protections National OHS harmonisation (2012) –Guidance material to recognise DV

3.Challenges

Barriers to acting... A personal matter Too big, too hard Resentment towards underperforming worker Both partners in same workplace

4.Progress

Achievements so far Public sector –18 NSW state industrial awards now contain DV clauses Private sector –TransGrid enterprise agreement Adopted by ACTU Women’s Committee, National Labor Women’s Conference International interest: –ILO, ITUC, Canada, US, New Zealand...

The next chapter Funding proposal for 2012: monitoring, evaluation and empirical research Supporting organisations introducing the clauses with a particular focus on small business

Information and resources available at: rights_entitlements_project.htm