The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre was commissioned to undertake an independent economic analysis of the cost of providing paid family and domestic violence leave to workers on the modern award wage by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), as part of the ACTU’s submission to the Fair Work Commission’s 2021 review of family and domestic violence leave.

This report estimates the following:

• Costs of providing 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave
• Costs of not providing 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave
• Benefits of providing 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave.

The report estimates that:

• Entitlement to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave to award-covered employees is estimated to incur a total annual cost to employers of between $13.1 million and $34.3 million
• The estimated cost to employers from the time lost due to absenteeism of award-covered employees because of family and domestic violence is estimated at $14.3 million