Let's use the Employment Rights Bill to protect domestic abuse survivors at work
Apsana Begum (Credit: Mark Kerrison/Alamy Live News)
3 min read
Domestic abuse impacts every aspect of a survivor’s life. It is relentless. Perpetrators use any mechanism available to them, including post-separation harassment, in their determination to enact punishment and control. It is clear to me that, just as the impact of domestic abuse is wide-ranging and far-reaching, so must be the response.
As a survivor myself, I am determined to tackle the injustice of domestic abuse and have long sought to change the law to protect survivors’ rights in the workplace. As such, soon after the general election, the APPG on Domestic Abuse and Violence, which I chair, met to discuss how parliamentarians can advocate for survivors at work.
The Employment Rights Bill currently before Parliament presents a key opportunity to improve the rights of survivors. I am tabling cross-party amendments to ensure paid leave; protections from discrimination; and a duty of care on all employers. These are measures already offered in many countries around the world and long called for by domestic abuse organisations and trade unions here in the UK.
There is no doubt that what happens at work can be critical, given that it is very likely that in any workplace there are employees who will be personally affected by domestic abuse. Many live in fear of revealing what they are experiencing, and would have confidence knowing there is a workplace policy in place that can offer confidential support.
However, too many employers are ill-equipped to deal with the problem. A trade union equality audit for 2024 found that only 36 per cent of reps surveyed said their workplace had a domestic abuse policy in place. We urgently need domestic abuse policies, ensuring that risk assessments are done for every worker who discloses domestic abuse.
This should include policies on the role of security staff in preventing abusive partners from entering the workplace or loitering outside, and on the use of IT equipment as perpetrators may well be using their work computer or phone to send abusive messages.
There must be a duty of care on employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent their workers from experiencing domestic abuse. This is something I have been advocating for a long time.
Being able to take time off work without facing disciplinary action or losing out on pay is also crucial for those trying to flee an abusive relationship. Finding a new home, getting a place at a refuge, securing school places for kids, seeking legal advice and medical help – all these things take time. The right of survivors to take leave should be enshrined into law.
Stable employment and job security help provide survivors the economic freedom that they need to flee abuse and rebuild their lives in safety. However, domestic abuse can hinder a survivor’s economic capacity and independence. Some are even forced by perpetrators to give up training, education or voluntary work experience. I also know, from experience, that domestic abuse has lasting impacts on health. And research has found that 56 per cent of abused women arrive late for work at least five times a month.
There must be protections so that no one should lose their job or income because of experiencing domestic abuse. Likewise, no one should face discrimination for experiencing domestic abuse, yet we know that it happens. The discrimination can be direct or indirect, such as treating someone unfairly if their experience of domestic abuse means they cannot meet the same requirements as others.
Bold action is needed to empower survivors and ensure that workplaces are safe. Ultimately, tackling domestic abuse is about the hope of a future where everyone can live freely, in dignity, and with joy and pride.
Apsana Begum is the MP for Poplar and Limehouse
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