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Contents
Overview ................................................................................................................................. 3
Purpose ................................................................................................................................... 3
Scope ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Contacts .................................................................................................................................. 3
Immediate danger situations .................................................................................................... 3
Objectives ................................................................................................................................ 4
Gender Equality ....................................................................................................................... 4
Guiding Principles .................................................................................................................... 4
Roles and responsibilities ......................................................................................................... 5
Available support ..................................................................................................................... 6
Confidentiality and privacy ....................................................................................................... 8
Culture, education and awareness within Treasury ................................................................... 9
Unacceptable behaviours in the workplace ............................................................................... 9
Related documents .................................................................................................................. 9
Version control ...................................................................................................................... 11
Treasury policy/procedure – Family and Domestic Violence Policy
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Overview
The Family and Domestic Violence Policy (the policy) sets out Treasury’s commitment to supporting all
employees who may be impacted by family and domestic violence (FDV).
Purpose
The policy sets out Treasury’s commitment to supporting all employees who may be impacted by FDV.
It is important to ensure that employees who have been exposed to FDV feel confident and safe in seeking
access to support in the workplace. The Treasury in turn, aims to create a supportive workplace culture
which promotes flexibility in times of need.
This guide also assists managers and colleagues to support employees whose work life is affected by FDV.
Everyone should be proactive in creating a culture that understands the issues and support available to
those exposed to FDV.
Scope
This policy applies to all Treasury staff.
This includes non-ongoing employees, individuals on temporary transfer to Treasury, and employees
deployed overseas or attached to Australian diplomatic missions. In most circumstances it will also apply to
employees on secondment to other agencies and the private sector.
Contacts
For advice on the type of support that can provided under these guidelines, please contact the
Performance and Wellbeing Team on s 22
, who are also responsible for maintaining the policy
and these guidelines. To provide feedback on this policy, please email s 22
@treasury.gov.au
Immediate danger situations
For situations where staff feel they are in immediate danger, please contact the Security Team on s 22
or call 000.
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Objectives
The objectives of this policy are to:
• Provide employees affected by FDV with immediate, practical, and meaningful support and referral to
professional services.
• Support employees to access leave, so they can access support to manage FDV issues.
• Ensure that employees feel safe at work and in and around Treasury buildings.
• Create a workplace culture that encourages those impacted by FDV to access support and assistance,
including providing flexibility in times of need.
• Ensure all employees have access to information on support services and options
• Ensure managers and employees assisting someone impacted by FDV are supported with both
professional advice and counselling.
• Reaffirm the Treasury’s commitment to prevention and awareness of FDV.
• Support a culture free of discrimination, harassment, and violence,
Gender Equality
Treasury is committed to supporting all employees who may be impacted by domestic or family violence;
regardless of their gender or the type of relationship in which violence occurs.
The Treasury’s commitment to the prevention and awareness of FDV through the policy will be highlighted
through related events such as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Employees are also encouraged to consider what personal contributions they may wish to make to this
important issue, including volunteering opportunities or the donation of funds to the many charities that
provide support services.
If there is a particular charity an employee would like to be added to the list payroll maintains for tax
deductible salary contributions, the Payroll Team can be contacted via Delphi so the request can be
considered.
Guiding Principles
This policy is based on the following guiding principles where Treasury:
• is committed to providing a safe, flexible, and rewarding workplace for all staff.
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To respect the employee’s right to privacy and confidentiality.
To respect the employee’s decision not to take any further action
Performance and
Provide advice to employees and managers about the FDV policy,
Wellbeing Team
guidelines, and related procedures.
Provide case management support to employees, including advising
and/or liaising with the employee’s line manager and coordinating IT
security.
Provide guidance and support to managers and other employees, including
encouraging them to seek support for themselves within or outside of the
workplace, including through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or
an external support service.
Design, maintain and implement the Treasury’s FDV support resources.
All Treasury employees
peak to the Performance and Wellbeing Team or to their manager.
Treat others in a respectful and non-discriminatory manner.
Available support
Employees
For employees (regardless of gender) who experiences domestic and family violence support includes:
• Funded access to specialised counselling services with a domestic and family violence clinician through
EAP.
• Access to dedicated wellbeing case management professionals within POSB.
• Access to 10 days of paid leave per year (in accordance with the Family and Domestic Violence Leave and
Miscellaneous Leave provisions of the Leave Guidelines). Further details of how to access paid or unpaid
leave detailed below
• Access to flexible work arrangements
• Provision of short term, emergency accommodation for Treasury employees and their immediate
dependent family members (under age 18) who are victims of FDV, where other support services are not
available.
• utilisation of IT security options such as phone and email blocking
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• utilisation of physical security options such as escort to their vehicle and other security measures as
required
• provision of alternative work locations where possible
• access dedicated rooms within the Treasury offices where staff can meet privately with external contacts
Managers and colleagues
For managers and colleagues who are supporting an employee who has disclosed they are impacted by
family and domestic violence, support includes:
• funded access to specialised counselling services with a FDV clinician through EAP
• support and guidance provided by the Performance and Wellbeing Team as required.
Leave
Family and Domestic Violence leave is intended for where the employee is experiencing FDV and needs to
do something to deal with the impact of the FDV, and it is impractical for the employee to do this outside
the employee’s ordinary hours of work.
The leave may be taken in single days, or for a shorter period where agreed. In line with the requirements
for personal/carer’s leave, documentary evidence is required for absences of three or more consecutive
days, noting all evidence will be treated confidentially. This leave does not accumulate from year to year.
Access to FDV leave maybe for reasons such as:
• attending medical or counselling appointments.
• moving into emergency accommodation and seeking more permanent safe housing
• attending court hearings
• attending police appointments
• accessing legal advice
• organising alternative care or educational arrangements for their children
• reasonable recovery periods.
In addition to any paid entitlement to family and domestic violence leave, and consistent with Section 106A
of the Fair Work Act, an employee (regardless of their employment type or attendance pattern) may access
up to five days’ unpaid family and domestic violence leave per year if they do not wish to access personal or
other paid leave.
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Safety planning
Domestic and family violence is a pattern of behaviours (if it has happened once, it may occur again). It is
therefore important prepare for personal safety and protection. A safety plan is a personalised, practical
plan that includes ways to remain safe while in an abusive relationship and/or while planning to leave and
after leaving.
When developing a safety plan, it is important to think about what resources are available in the context of
your unique situation.
Further information on developing an appropriate safety plan, further assistance can be sought within the
Performance and Wellbeing Team or found externally with:
• 1800Respect – National sexual assault, domestic family violence counselling service
• Domestic Violence Crisis Service – Safety Plan checklist
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline – Safety Planning
External support services
Several external support services within Australia can be found in the Family and Domestic Violence
Information Support Sheet (Attachment A).
Managers and colleagues
Support available to managers and colleagues who are supporting an employee who is impacted by FDV
includes:
• funded access to specialised counselling services with a FDV clinician through EAP
• access to dedicated wellbeing case management professionals within POSB who can provide support
and guidance.
Confidentiality and privacy
Any information related to family and domestic violence must be handled with the same privacy and
confidentiality as other personnel and health information.
Employees and managers who are informed of family and domestic violence information must handle this
personal information sensitively and discretely while only sharing details on a strictly need-to-know basis.
The family and domestic violence information must not be used or disclosed without obtaining prior
consent from the employee, unless an exception in the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act 1988
applies. The exceptions permit the use and disclosure of personal information without the employee’s
consent in certain circumstances. including These include lessening or preventing a serious threat to life,
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health or safety where obtaining the employee’s consent is unreasonable or impractical, or taking
appropriate action in relation to suspected unlawful activity or serious misconduct, or where the disclosure
is required or authorised by law.
Culture, education and awareness within Treasury
This policy highlights the role all employees have in raising awareness and driving the necessary societal
change. The Treasury aims to continue to affirm Treasury’s commitment to prevention and awareness of
FDV through education, recognition of events and mechanisms for employee donations to charities.
To ensure all employees in the Treasury are aware of the impact of FDV and options for support the
Treasury will support organisational capability by:
• Providing education and awareness campaigns to the department and highlight specific events related to
preventing FDV and promoting personal safety
• Providing a central online repository of tools, resources and referral services staff can access if they are
impacted by FDV
• Including access to wellbeing case managers
• Including information on this policy, guidelines and external support in employee Induction packs.
Unacceptable behaviours in the workplace
The Australian Public Service Code of Conduct requires public service employees, when acting in
connection with their employment, to treat people with respect and courtesy and without harassment.
Any employee who threatens, harasses, or abuses a partner, ex-partner, family or household member at, or
from, the workplace may be investigated for a potential breach of the APS Code of Conduct and subject to
disciplinary action. This includes employees who use workplace resources such as phones, email, mail or
other means to threaten, harass or abuse a family or household member.
Related documents
Preventing and managing bullying, harassment and discrimination in the workplace policy
First Aid Policy
Flexible Work Policy
Leave Guidelines
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Family and Domestic Violence Information Sheet
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FOI 4140
Document 3
