Domestic Violence Leave

An employee who has been working for three months or more is entitled to take up to:

  • 5 days of paid leave, and

  • 15 weeks of unpaid leave per year for reasons related to domestic or sexualized violence.

The employee can take leave in order to:

  • seek medical attention,

  • obtain counselling,

  • relocate,

  • seek legal assistance or

  • support an eligible person experiencing domestic or sexualized violence.

Domestic violence occurs if the person experiences:

  • any intentional or reckless act or omission that causes bodily harm to the person, or damage to their property,

  • any act or threatened act that causes a reasonable fear of bodily harm to the person, or damage to their property,

  • any conduct that, considered reasonably in the context of all relevant circumstances of the relationship, constitutes psychological or emotional abuse of the person,

  • forced confinement,

  • any conduct that deprives the person of food, clothing, medical attention, shelter, transportation, or other necessaries of life; or

An individual is considered to have experienced sexual violence if:

  • the person is subjected to sexualized violence; or

  • the person witnesses their family member or intimate partner being subjected to sexualized violence.

YK ESA s.60.03.01