London West NDP MPP Peggy Sattler is re-introducing her Private Member’s Bill on sexual and domestic violence.
The bill would provide survivors with up to 10 days of paid leave, as well as reasonable unpaid leave.
Sattler, who is the NDP’s women’s issues critic, received unanimous support for her bill when it passed second reading on March 10. The bill is being introduced again because Premier Kathleen Wynne prorogued the legislature earlier this month.
The paid leave would allow survivors to obtain specific services related to the violence such as:
• Medical attention
• Obtaining support from a victim services organization, women’s shelter, rape crisis centre, sexual assault centre, or other community agency
• Accessing psychological or other professional counselling
• Arranging temporary or permanent relocation
• Dealing with legal or law enforcement matters or participating in civil or criminal proceedings.
The bill also calls for workplace accommodations and requires all employers to provide mandatory workplace training on domestic and sexual violence.
Barb MacQuarrie from London’s Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children worked with the Canadian Labour Congress on a national study in 2014 and says it showed the need for the legislation.
“Economic security is often the primary factor that influences a survivor’s decision to leave an abuser and/or to not return to an abusive situation,” MacQuarrie said in a news release. “Giving workers access to paid leave can help them to maintain their employment while they deal with situations of abuse.”
