Paid Leave for Domestic or Sexual Violence

Engagement Summary

We asked for your thoughts on changes to employment standards to support people who need time away from work after facing domestic or sexual violence. This builds on the unpaid, job-protected leave government brought in spring, 2019.

Before, workers trying to escape domestic or sexual violence had no job protections under the employment standards.

In Canada, in addition to providing unpaid job-protected leave, most provinces and the federal government require employers to provide paid leave for victims of domestic or sexual violence ranging from two to five days.

The engagement involved a short on-line survey, in-person consultation sessions, and written submissions.

Engagement Timeframe

August 30 to October 8, 2019

Input received

• From August 30 to October 8, 2019, 6,261 surveys were completed and 32 written submissions.
• 77% of survey respondents were full- or part-time employees, 4% were employers.
• Women respondents comprised 81%, men 14% and gender diverse populations 5%.
• 7% of respondents identified as Indigenous.
• 30 of 32 submissions were supportive of paid leave, one opposed, the other mixed.
• The majority of people (employers and workers) supported paid leave of up to 5 days:
  • 96% believed paid leave is important.
  • 94% of employees and 83% of employers supported paid leave.
  • On the number of days, 67% supported five days and 12% favoured up to ten days.

Input leads to action:

In summer 2020, government passed legislative amendments that provides up to five days of paid leave, and five more days of unpaid leave, for people who need time away from work after facing domestic or sexual violence. For more about this new leave, visit the Gov BC leaves of absence page

Read the What We Heard Summary Report for public feedback received throughout this engagement.