While certain provisions of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 (“the Act”) came into effect in July 2023, further provisions remained to be commenced by way of Commencement Order before they would take effect.

The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (“the Minister”) announced recently that a further provision under the Act, domestic violence leave, is to commence on Monday, 27th November 2023. The Act inserts domestic violence leave as a new section 13AA of the Parental Leave Act 1998 as amended.

Once commenced, any employee who has experienced in the past, or is currently experiencing, domestic violence will have an entitlement to take paid leave for the following purposes:

• to seek medical attention;

• to