By Suzanne Pender
TESCO Ireland is to immediately introduce five days’ paid leave for victims of domestic abuse, making it the first major Irish grocery retailer to roll-out this important support for its 13,000 employees.
From this week, Tesco has updated its current ‘time off policy’ to reflect the new provision for victims of domestic abuse. According to this policy, there will be no minimum service requirements for colleagues who need to avail of this leave, and it can be taken retrospectively or in advance, and in full days or half-days, depending on their specific needs.
The new provision is already contained in the ***Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, 2022***, which was first introduced by government last year and which is now in the process of being finalised as it passes through the Oireachtas.
While the Bill is expected to be enacted into law later this year, Tesco Ireland has taken the pre-emptive step to roll-out the domestic abuse leave provision without delay.
A key feature of this paid leave is that it will be recorded with a specific absence code to safeguard the privacy of the employee and, if taken, it will not be included in their overall absence percentage as it is treated separately to sick leave.
Arguably one of the most important features of Tesco’s new leave policy is that it recognises the difficulty and trauma associated with making a disclosure about domestic abuse and therefore employees are not required to submit proof of domestic abuse to avail of this leave.
“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,” said Natasha Adams CEO, Tesco Ireland.
“These preparations cannot always be carried out during working hours. During this extremely difficult process, it is vital that victims feel certain that their employment and financial independence are protected.
“While launched ahead of International Women’s Day, we are fully aware that this isn’t a female-centric issue; it affects all forms of relationships. We are committed to supporting our colleagues, reflecting their individual circumstances and challenges,” she concluded.
Tesco is also improving its current bereavement leave policy to include early pregnancy loss leave; this will be available to employees, their partner and those involved in surrogacy.
