Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) Introduces the SAFE Act to Help Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Maintain Employment and Economic Stability
Measure would help employers retain good employees and avoid recruiting and training costs associated with domestic violence
Washington,
Jan 28 -
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA, 34) and Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX, 2) today introduced the Security and Financial Empowerment Act (SAFE – HR 739) to ensure that victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking have the financial independence they need to break free from their abusers.
“While physical and psychological consequences are the most obvious results of domestic violence, victims also suffer economically,” Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard said. “One of the key reasons victims stay with or return to their abusers is because they are financially dependent upon them. In order to break this cycle of dependence and abuse, I have introduced the SAFE Act to provide victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking with greater employment protections and increased economic stability. This legislation takes on a new level of urgency in our current economic situation, considering that abuse tends to increase in tough economic times.”
Congressman Ted Poe (TX-02) said, "Victims of domestic violence have already suffered enough abuse at the hands of their batterers. They should not be victimized by their employers as well. The SAFE Act institutes policies and provisions that allow domestic violence victims to seek the help they need to end the abuse without fear of losing their jobs or fear of being denied employment. This is an essential piece of legislation that needs to be enacted swiftly for the sake of all domestic violence victims and survivors."
Under the SAFE Act, victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking who are forced to leave a job because of the abuse would be eligible for unemployment benefits. They would also be able to take unpaid leave from work without the fear of being fired to address immediate needs such as obtaining legal assistance, medical care or to find a safe place to live.
More than half the states in the country – including California – already have state laws that extend unemployment compensation to victims of domestic violence in certain circumstances. Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard said, “The SAFE Act would replace the uneven and often insufficient protections offered by existing state laws with a federal standard that would apply uniformly throughout the nation.”
More specifically, the SAFE Act would do the following:
- Allow eligible employees to take up to 30 days of unpaid leave to handle domestic violence-related priorities such as finding a new place to live, obtaining medical care, seeking counseling and attending court appearances related to restraining orders and divorce and child custody proceedings.
- Allow victims who are forced to leave their jobs because of domestic violence to qualify for unemployment benefits.
- Prohibit employers from discriminating against victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in areas such as hiring, compensation and other conditions of employment.
- Prohibit insurance providers from dropping insurance coverage of victims of domestic and sexual violence because of a fear of abuse-related insurance claims. The bill would also establish confidentiality guidelines regarding a victim’s past injuries and treatment.
“Domestic and sexual violence is not only a personal tragedy, it negatively impacts employers as well, costing them significantly every year in sick leave, absenteeism, and loss of productivity,” Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said. “The SAFE Act is good for businesses because it reduces domestic violence-related absenteeism and lost productivity, saving businesses money. After all, when employers are able to retain staff, they improve morale and avoid recruitment and training costs.”
Legal Momentum, the nation's oldest legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing women's rights, commended Congresswoman Roybal-Allard's leadership on the issue of the workplace effects of domestic and sexual violence with her reintroduction of the SAFE Act.
Irasema Garza, president of Legal Momentum, said: "The SAFE Act is absolutely critical to ensuring that victims can leave violent relationships without worrying that they will also lose their jobs and their means of supporting their families – an especially pressing concern in this difficult economic climate. Studies show that financial stress tends to increase incidents of domestic and sexual violence. Victims shouldn't have to choose between keeping a job and staying safe."
A longtime advocate on behalf of victims of domestic and sexual violence, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard has introduced this legislation in every Congress since 1996. An earlier provision of the SAFE Act creating an electronic National Resource Center on Workplace Responses to Domestic Violence was enacted into law as part of the Violence Against Women Act of 2005. Following the authorization of the web-based clearinghouse, the congresswoman secured $900,000 in federal funds for its creation. The web site – expected to be available online later this year – will provide employers with a one-stop resource for information and expertise needed to help their employees address the violence in their lives.
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