Tesco Ireland has introduced paid leave for workers suffering domestic violence in a landmark measure.
The retailer will allocate colleagues, regardless of their time spent with the company, five days leave under the discretionary policy. Tesco has launched the paid leave with immediate effect in its Irish stores, which can be used as half or full days depending on individual needs.
The policy is separate to the company's sick leave, meaning it won't affect a person's overall time off. Additionally, people availing of this leave can maintain privacy as their absence will be recorded with a discretionary code.
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Tesco Ireland's CEO Natasha Adams said: "Paid leave is an essential factor in escaping domestic abuse as victims sometimes need to prepare to leave the abusive relationship through attending support services, legal services, and counselling; looking for a new place to live and making necessary childcare arrangements. These preparations cannot always be carried out during working hours."
The government is already set to allocate paid leave for domestic violence victims through its Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, introduced in 2022. However, Tesco has now granted domestic abuse leave to its workforce ahead of the bill's enactment.
The leave will be on offer to Tesco's 13,000 employees nationwide. Workers will not need to show proof of domestic abuse in order to avail of the time off.
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