Domestic abuse in the workplace

Domestic abuse is a hugely destructive problem and we have a collective responsibility to tackle it.

Employers have an important role to play in society’s response to domestic abuse. Employers owe a duty of care to employees and have a legal responsibility to provide a safe and effective work environment.

Domestic abuse workplace guidance

• Managing and Supporting Employees Experiencing Domestic Abuse: A guide for employers (CIPD/EHRC - This guidance encourages more employers to take an active role in supporting employees experiencing domestic abuse, with practical recommendations of how to do that.
• Domestic Abuse: a toolkit for employers (PDF, 3MB) - Employers have a duty of care and a legal responsibility to provide a safe and effective work environment. Preventing and tackling domestic abuse is an integral part of this. This toolkit will help your organisation to support your employees and contribute to tackling domestic abuse.
• Responding to colleagues experiencing domestic abuse (SafeLives/DoH) (PDF, 808 KB) - A Practical guidance for employers to provide to employees experiencing domestic abuse.
• Model Employment Policy: Domestic Abuse (LGA) (PDF, 155 KB) - When employers demonstrate that they are aware of domestic abuse and make staff aware of the services that are available, this can help to reduce the wall of silence about domestic abuse that prevents many from seeking help. All employers should consider and implement their own workplace policy and guidance to support their employees - the Model Employment Policy: Domestic Abuse, is an example to start from.
• Support in the workplace for victims of domestic abuse (ACAS) - This is the ACAS Council response to the government consultation on support in the workplace for victims of domestic abuse which aims to give survivors of domestic abuse the support they deserve in the workplace.
• Advice to help employers deal with domestic abuse and stigma (HMG) - Public Health England (PHE) and Business in the Community publish new toolkit to help employers support workers affected by domestic abuse.
• DBEIS (2021) Workplace support for Victims of Domestic Abuse (PDF, 352 KB) - Between June and November 2020, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) undertook a review to examine how victims of domestic abuse can be supported in the workplace and how to give employers confidence and knowledge to do so. This report sets out the key findings from that review, alongside with the areas of work which Government will take forward as a result.

Networks for Employers

• Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) - A free-to-join members' network of employers, the Employers' Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) supports over 1,900 large and small businesses, collectively comprising over 25% of the UK workforce, to take effective action on domestic abuse.
• Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant (EDAC) - The Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant is a pledge by businesses to support women affected by abuse to enter or re-enter the workplace.