New Zealand: New law entitles domestic abuse victims to extra 10 days’ leave

The bill passed on Wednesday night by 63 votes to 57 and is the result of seven years of work by Jan Logie, a Green MP who previously worked in a women’s refuge.

While National MPs had initially supported the private members’ bill, the party withdrew its support at the final reading, citing concerns over the cost of the scheme to small and medium-sized businesses and the fact it could dissuade employers from hiring people suspected of being domestic abuse victims.

Ms Logie said: “Part of this initiative is getting a whole-of-society response. We don’t just leave it to police but realise we all have a role in helping victims. It is also about changing the cultural norms and saying ‘we all have a stake in this and it is not OK’.”

The legislation will come into force next April and provides that domestic abuse victims will be entitled to the 10 days of leave in addition to other leave entitlements.

“Domestic violence doesn’t respect that split between work and life. A huge amount of research tells us a large number of abusive partners bring the violence into the workplace,” said Ms Logie.

“Be that by stalking their partner, by constant emails or phone calls or threatening them or their workmates. And some of that is about trying to break their attachment to their job to get them fired or get them to quit so they are more dependent on their partner. It is very common.”