December 19, 2025
As part of the suite of law reforms introduced by the Albanese Government, all workers covered by the national system in Australia – whether full-time, part-time or casual – gained a new right that could make a life-changing difference. Under the amended Fair Work Act 2009 (following the Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave Act 2022), employees now have access to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave every 12-month period.
This crucial new right recognises the impact that family and domestic violence is having across Australia, and the difficulty that victims face in maintaining employment while trying to keep themselves and their families safe. Importantly, the law acknowledges that family violence can come from various people in a worker’s life – a close relative, a household member, or a current or former intimate partner – and not just a spouse or partner.
The new Leave can be taken when it is needed to deal with the impacts of violence – for example: seeking support services, attending appointments for counselling, seeking legal or police assistance, caring for children or other dependents, relocating to safety or attending court.
What does this mean in practice? As soon as you begin employment, the full 10-day entitlement is available – you don’t need to wait for an anniversary or accrue leave over time. The leave resets each year.
Importantly, this leave is paid at your full ordinary rate of pay. For casual employees, that means the rate you ordinarily would have earned for the shifts rostered – including allowances, loadings or penalty rates, where applicable.
It’s also worth noting that employers cannot record “Family & Domestic Violence Leave” on your payslip. That helps protect confidentiality and safety – the leave may instead appear as “special leave,” “miscellaneous leave” or simply “leave – other.”
If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to use this leave – or you know a colleague who does – you don’t have to fight for it alone. The entitlement is part of the minimum legal standard, and employers can not discriminate or take adverse action against someone for accessing it.
In short: Australia has changed the rules so that people experiencing domestic or family violence don’t have to choose between safety and their job. The union will continue working to make sure that every worker knows their rights, and that employers uphold them.