Safe Leave Policies: The Benefits of a Supportive Workplace

The chances are strong that your workforce includes survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and individuals connected to survivors — even if you’re unaware of their stories. 

The prevalence is staggering. In the United States:

• Approximately 41% of women and 26% of men experience sexual violence, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime — an average of 24 people per minute.
• Every 74 seconds, someone is sexually assaulted.

“Given what we know about the prevalence of domestic, sexual and other forms of violence, all employers are employing survivors, whether they know it or not,” said Molly Weston Williamson, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a nonpartisan policy, research and advocacy organization. “All employers are employing people who are friends or loved ones of survivors.”

Access bonus Workspan Daily Plus+ articles on this subject:

• 7 Action Steps to Support Workers Affected by Violence, Aggression
• Supporting Survivors: 3 Models of Safe Leave in Action
• Sample Document: Organizational Paid Safe Leave Policy

Even when that violence occurs outside of the workplace, its effects are likely to show up at work. As many as 96% of individuals who have experienced violence encounter various problems at work — and they miss a total of 8 million days of paid work each year.

While Domestic Violence Awareness Month has ended (it is annually observed in October), the clock doesn’t run out on the impacts of violence and assault on employees — or the ways employers can help. Safety and economic security are inextricably connected, and abusers often interfere with survivors’ job stability, Williamson said — so supportive policies such as safe leave or safe time lead the pack when it comes to workplace supports that survivors have shared are most helpful.

“Whether they need time to recover from abuse, seek medical or legal help, find new housing, or take other actions to protect their safety, most of those needs must be met during the traditional workday,” said Marianne Bellesorte, the director of programs and advocacy at Family Values @ Work, a network of coalitions advocating for workplace policies such as paid leave. “Additionally, when survivors leave their abusers, they often need to go to a safe place where they can’t be found — but if they return to work immediately, they might be found there. Access to safe time gives survivors the economic stability to protect themselves and their families from abuse.”

The Patchwork of Safe Leave Protections

There are no federal protections in the U.S. for safe time off — although there is a policy for federal government workers. But on a local level, a widening cohort of states, as well as individual counties and cities, offer some form of safe leave, such as:

• Unpaid time off for legal proceedings for individuals who are victims of, or witnesses to, a crime.
• Protected unpaid time off for a broader range of needs related to experiencing domestic or sexual violence.
• Explicitly outlined paid safe leave for individuals experiencing violence.
• Paid sick and safe leave allowing workers to use the time not only for general health-related needs but for any needs stemming from violence or abuse.
• Paid family and medical leave laws that provide access to cash benefits through insurance systems for longer-term leave; several of these have explicit safe-leave protections, but broader policies would cover similar leave needs in certain situations, such as when the time off is directly medical-related.

Laws and policies spell out a variety of needs for which leave would apply, including seeking out medical treatment, mental healthcare or victim services; securing a home or seeking a new residence; accessing legal proceedings or services; transitioning childcare or school enrollment; or engaging in other forms of safety planning. Domestic violence response policies are sometimes folded into broader workplace violence prevention programs.

A growing number of policies also allow employees to use safe leave to support a loved one who has experienced violence — and in some cases, they include broad definitions of relationships those policies apply to, acknowledging that chosen family does not always include biological or legal relatives, Williamson said.

Importantly, many workplace policies go beyond the provisions spelled out by their local or state laws.

“The laws are intended to be floors, not ceilings,” Williamson said. “Alongside offering whatever is required in a particular jurisdiction, there’s a real opportunity for employers to say, ‘We think this is really valuable. This is important.’ It helps employers hold on to the employees they care about and have invested in — both because it’s the right thing to do for their employees and because it supports the bottom line to hold on to those employees who are delivering for the business.”

Additional Workplace Supports

While paid leave is a key resource that helps workers mitigate safety risks and seek support for recovery, there are other services and programs employers often offer workers experiencing violence. These can include:

• Remote work options and flexible schedules;
• Workplace accommodations that take into account how survivors may need to work differently;
• Employee assistance programs or peer groups;
• Childcare assistance;
• Access to advocacy organizations or safety resources;
• Flexible savings accounts to help pay for support services;
• Employer contributions or matches to emergency savings, health savings accounts or 401(k)s;
• Emergency grants or loans; and,
• Flexibility in how pay is delivered.

“In addition to needing leave, survivors also need workplaces where they won’t face discrimination after experiencing domestic violence,” Bellesorte said. “Workers also need reasonable accommodations in the workplace, including the ability to change their online contact information or hide it from the public, or to work flexibly.”

Editor’s Note: Additional Content

For more information and resources related to this article, see the pages below, which offer quick access to all WorldatWork content on these topics:

• Equitable and Diverse Workplaces
• Employee Benefits
• Well-Being