A new bill that would give victims of domestic violence 10 days off work on abuse-related leave a year would help abused women keep their jobs, a Tauranga Women's Refuge manager says.
Green Party women's spokeswoman Jan Logie last week launched The Domestic Violence - Victims' Protection Bill alongside Public Service Association (PSA) research showing domestic violence costs Kiwi businesses $368 million a year.
The bill would introduce workplace protections for victims of domestic abuse to help reduce this cost.
"Victims of domestic violence often lose their jobs because they may not be able to focus on their work, are unable to show up to work, or are stalked by their abusers while at work," Ms Logie said.
According to Women's Refuge, one in three Kiwi women are victims of domestic abuse in her lifetime.
The new bill would give victims flexibility in their working arrangements, protect them from workplace discrimination, and grant sufferers up to 10 days' leave.
Manager of Tauranga Moana Women's Refuge, Angela Warren-Clark, said Tauranga women suffering abuse at home often struggled to keep their jobs.
"When [victims] are in paid employment ... they need to talk with their employer and have their employer onside and understanding."
Many Tauranga women had lost their jobs because their bosses had become "sick and tired" of how domestic abuse affected their ability to work.
"Women feel tremendous shame about what's happening and a lot of their partners try to sabotage their work."
This included calling 20-30 times a day to check on their partner, making unreasonable childcare demands, and inflicting visible wounds.
The bill would give these women the space they needed to work on solving their problems, she said.
"[Women] have to come to work having experienced the most appalling abuse and have to put on a professional face. Sometimes we have women living here in our safehouse and they put on their makeup, drop their children to daycare and they go off to work pretending the world is okay."
The PSA said proper workplace support for victims could mean "significant savings" for businesses.
But Business New Zealand chief executive Phil O'Reilly said domestic violence required a "societal response" rather than a workplace solution.
"[Domestic violence] is only one of a number of these things that happen domestically or in society that have an impact on the workplace, so it's not unique in that sense."
The bill had "enormous goodwill" but legislation would end up being a compliance issue for businesses, rather than a support issue.
"We should encourage open debate - not just at workplaces but at the football club, and the Rotary club, and down at the pub, and the community groups and at church.
"We don't need laws for that. They get in the way, in fact."
Flexible work arrangements for domestic violence victims were already "pretty much covered" by existing law and most employers were supportive, Mr O'Reilly said.
An extra 10 days could prove expensive for businesses.
"If you're going to say that, then what else?
"Is it now drug and alcohol abuse as well?"