New consultation: Government publishes report following 2020 review of workplace support for victims of domestic abuse

The report ‘Workplace support for victims of domestic abuse: Report from review’ published in January 2021 focuses on:

• Raising awareness and understanding.
• Creating and sharing best practice for employers, so employers can play a positive role.
• How employment rights can help, including delivering on the government’s manifesto commitment to ‘encourage flexible working and consult on making it the default unless employers have good reasons not to’.

As well as employers across the UK, the government consulted with a range of stakeholders before publishing the report, including the Designate Domestic Abuse Commissioner, the Victims Commissioner and trade unions.

Employers should also make sure they are aware of recent guidance from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD - the professional body for HR and people development) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, ‘Managing and supporting employees experiencing domestic abuse. A guide for employers’ which provides practical ‘key recommendations’ to help employers manage and actively support such employees.

Operative date

• Now

Recommendation

• Employers can read the government report on the GOV.UK website and the guidance for employers on the CIPD website.