The Manitoba Federation of Labour has launched a new social media campaign to raise awareness about the rights Manitoba workers have to take paid leave from work when experiencing domestic violence, MFL President Kevin Rebeck announced today. 

“Domestic violence affects too many Manitobans, and we’re finding that many workers do not know that they have the right to take paid leave from work to get the help they need,” said Rebeck. “So we’re doing our part to raise awareness about this important right workers have in Manitoba.”

One in three working Canadians have experienced domestic violence. Due to changes to provincial legislation made in 2016, any Manitoban who is experiencing domestic violence now has the right to take paid leave from work and get help, without fear of losing their job.

Domestic violence employment leave can be used for one or more of the following purposes:

• to seek medical attention for the worker or her/his children related to domestic violence;
• to obtain services from a victim services organization (e.g. abuse shelter);
• to obtain psychological or other professional counselling;
• to relocate (either temporarily or permanently);
• to get help from law enforcement or to seek legal assistance (including preparing for, or participating in, related civil or criminal proceedings); or
• for other purposes that may be prescribed in Regulation.

“The Manitoba Federation of Labour Women’s Committee, along with Manitoba’s labour movement, pushed hard to make this right a reality,” said Deb Jones, Co-Chair of the MFL Women’s Committee. “We wanted to time the launch of this awareness campaign with the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre because women still face appalling levels of violence, often at the hands of intimate partners.”

To find out more about the right to paid leave from work when experiencing domestic violence, Manitobans can visit mfl.ca.