- Applies to all employees, permanent and casual.
- Close relatives include a spouse, partner, former partner, child, grandchild, parent, grandparent or sibling; or the child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of a current or former spouse or partner. Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal kinship relatives are also included.
- The leave is available as soon as an employee starts with an employer.
- Employees must inform the employer as soon as possible about the need for FDVL and the expected length of leave.
- The employer can ask for evidence such as police, court, or support service documents, or a statutory declaration, even if the leave period is less than a day.

Employees have had an entitlement to unpaid family and domestic violence leave (FDVL) for some time as part of the National Employment Standards (NES). This converts to a paid leave entitlement from 1 February 2023 for larger employers and 1 August 2023 for small employers (fewer than 15 employees).The new law allows ten days of paid leave every 12 months, but the leave does not roll over and accumulate.The full pay rate will apply as if the employee had worked as usual on the day of the leave.The NES will include the paid leave and will be revised by February. All employees will be eligible for the entitlement.The new FDVL means employees can take time off to deal with the impacts of domestic violence or abuse if they need to take care of things during working hours. This includes attending court, accessing police or support services, or making arrangements for the safety of oneself or close relatives.FDV Leave Eligibility and Proof