Earlier this month, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick passed a law giving a range of protections to victims of domestic violence and changing the way the state’s justice system deals with certain aspects of this problem. Part of “An Act relative to domestic violence” covers employers with 50 or more employees, requiring them to grant workers who are victims of domestic violence or have family members who are victimized up to 15 days of unpaid leave in the course of a 12-month period to deal with abuse-related matters.
With its new law, Massachusetts joins around 20 other states and numerous municipalities that will require employers to give those workers dealing with the trauma of domestic violence time away from work. Complying with the new leave laws proliferating throughout the U.S. takes thoughtfulness on the part of companies—but considerations for employees who have suffered or are suffering domestic abuse go beyond just leave.
