LEGAL OBLIGATIONS OF AN EMPLOYER
You should review any potential legal obligations to address domestic abuse in the workplace that might exist in your region or country.
There are four main areas of health and safety law, relevant to violence and domestic abuse at work in the U.K.
1. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
2. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992.
3. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995.
4. The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996.
An effective work place policy on domestic abuse can ensure that employers are complying with these laws.
Whilst women remain the majority victims of domestic abuse, DABS believe in supporting all victims in the workplace, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or ethnic background.
Situations can change quickly and there may be little or no warning about an employee’s violent partner or family member. It helps to have policies and procedures in place to address domestic abuse before it touches your workplace.
We would urge businesses to reject offers of support from organisations that only concentrate on supporting one gender within the workplace, as this is not in the spirit of the Equality Act 2010, which legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.
Why wait until you learn about a threat before you take action?