On Thursday, February 18, 2016, President Michelle Gawronsky spoke at a legislative committee in strong support of Bill 8, which would establish guaranteed paid job leave protection for victims of domestic violence who need to take time off from work to deal with their situations.
“The proposed legislation embodies a key factor that is so desperately missing in a respectful and compassionate workplace. Victims of domestic violence struggle with its effects in every aspect of their life and those issues follow victims to their jobs every single day. We all need to be part of the solution in helping victims,” Gawronsky said.
Gawronsky also spoke of how domestic violence affects MGEU members in their workplaces, and shared personal stories of the effects of domestic violence on a working parent. She encouraged all MLA’s to vote for the new legislation unanimously in order to send a powerful message to all victims of domestic violence that they are supported.
Bill 8 (The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act (Leave for Victims of Domestic Violence, Leave for Serious Injury or Illness and Extension of Compassionate Care Leave) proposes changes to the Employment Standards Code that would give victims of domestic violence the right to time off work without fear of job loss under a broad range of circumstances would include access of up to 10 days to use intermittently or in consecutive days, as needed, and an additional continuous period of leave of up to 17 weeks.