Australia affirms commitment to improve FDV leave implementation

Government 'agrees' to recommendations to improve Australia's paid lead for family and domestic violence

BY Dexter Tilo 26 Feb 2025

The Australian government has unveiled the steps it is taking to improve the implementation of its paid family and domestic violence (FDV) leave after a review last year.

The report, conducted independently by Flinders University, found that the FDV leave entitlement is operating as intended. It also outlined five recommendations:

Ongoing evaluation and stakeholder consultation are needed to develop the evidence base on paid FDV leave
Existing resources should be improved and promoted, with a particular focus on small business and resources that speak to employees
Harness the intelligence and advocacy of unions, employer representatives, and small business peak bodies to continue training and awareness-raising initiatives
Any response by the Government to enhance resources should tap into existing distribution networks and focus on priority groups of employees
Initiatives to improve awareness of and access to paid FDV leave must be integrated with broader community efforts to address FDV and gender inequality.

The government said in a response released on Tuesday that it agrees to all recommendations made by the review.

"The government is committed to ensuring any employee who needs this entitlement knows about it, and workplaces can confidently respond to and handle requests," the response read.

Work underway to improve FDV

According to the government, work is now underway to address the recommendations, including through:

Continued focus on raising awareness to integrate the leave as an ordinary workplace practice across Australian workplaces
Tailored guidance for priority cohorts, such as First Nations, culturally and linguistically diverse, and casual employees
Training programs for first responders, health, allied health, and community frontline workers who commonly interact with victim-survivors on the entitlement
Additional strategies to improve awareness and access to the entitlement, opportunities to better understand usage of the leave, and further evaluation of the leave through the upcoming statutory review of Closing Loopholes reforms.

"It's vital that first responders and frontline workers have the right training and education about paid family and domestic leave, so that they can best support victim-survivors of family and domestic violence," said Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth in a statement.

Australia's FDV Leave

The Australian government introduced 10 days of paid FDV leave to around 12.4 million workers, including casuals, in February 2023.

It aims to ensure that "no worker ever has to choose between their safety and their income."

The independent review from Flinders University last year found that 91% of Australians who used the leave said it helped them maintain their income. Another 89% said it assisted them in retaining their jobs.

Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt described the FDV leave as "life changing" for Australians so far.

"The Albanese Labor Government is committed to raising awareness, understanding, and uptake, so that anyone who would benefit from this leave can access it," he said.