New Jersey Bill Would Help Victims with Employment Leave

New legislation was introduced in the legislature of New Jersey that will provide employment support for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault. The New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act or NJ SAFE would allow them to take up to 20 unpaid days off from work to meet legal or counseling needs , such as attending court, medical or counseling services. Joan Voss (D-Bergen), a co-sponsor of the legislation, states, "One key to being free from an abuser is economic independence. Ensuring that victims will not lose their jobs because of necessary treatment and court hearings can mean the difference between being liberated from their abusers or sliding back into their menacing grips." Under the legislation, an employer can require a worker who was a victim of domestic or sexual violence to use all of the individual's sick days before permitting the unpaid leave. An employer may also require proof the time off is needed for legal matters or counseling but would have to keep the information confidential.