On 27^th November 2023, paid domestic violence leave came into effect in Ireland. The leave is provided for by the new section 13AA in the Parental Leave Acts 1998 – 2003, inserted by the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 2023.

Key Provisions of the Act:

• Entitlement of employees to take a statutory minimum of five days of domestic violence leave in any 12-month period.
• There is no minimum service required to qualify for statutory domestic violence leave and no eligibility criteria applies.
• No requirement for employee to give prior notice of the leave.
• The purpose of the leave is, inter alia, to facilitate an employee who is experiencing domestic violence to seek medical attention, to relocate, to seek legal advice, or obtain any other relevant services.
• The leave does not need to be taken in consecutive days by the employee.
• The employee’s employment rights should not be affected by taking domestic violence leave. The employee continues to accrue annual leave, and public holiday leave is not impacted.

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