AFCA expands support policies for employees affected by DV

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has expanded its support policies to help employees affected by family and domestic violence, with significant improvements made to increase “flexibility, confidentiality and access to vital resources”.

The new policies revolve around leave from work, the introduction of ‘safe spaces’, internal training, educational materials and dedicated ‘confidential contacts’ within the People and Culture team.

Employees of AFCA who are experiencing domestic violence will now have 20 days of paid leave and additional unlimited unpaid leave added to their accrual balance. The ‘safe spaces’ are also able to be accessed by both employees and their families 24/7, including outside of normal work hours and on weekends.

Similarly, the People and Culture contacts have received training to be a “trusted contact point for information” and to provide the tools and resources for employees affected by domestic violence to access the support they need.

AFCA also said it would host training sessions to promote a “culture” of understanding and ensure all employees are aware of the resources available.

“These aren’t just policies on paper – they are meaningful changes designed to support our people when they need it most,” Mathew Paine, Executive General Manager People and Culture, said.

“We are committed to ensuring we do what we can to support any of our people who might experience the serious and significant impacts of family violence.

“We are striving to ensure AFCA is not just a great place to work but also offers genuine support to our people when they need it.

“We are proud to join other organisation who have taken these sorts of steps, and we hope our action provides an example for others.”