Domestic Violence Policy

Rubix Studios provides employees who are a victim of violence perpetrated by a family member, spouse, or other intimate partner leave from work to manage the impact of that violence and ensure their physical, mental or economic safety and well-being. This paid family and domestic violence leave is provided in line with the National Employment Standards or applicable industrial instrument.

All employees, including casual and fixed-term employees, are entitled to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave each year. This leave does not accumulate from year to year.

However, if more than 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave are needed, please advise HR (hello@rubixstudios.com.au) to see what we can do to reasonably assist you.

Family and domestic violence refers to violent, threatening or other abusive behaviour by an employee’s close relative that:

Seeks to coerce or control the employee;
Causes them harm or fear.

A close relative is an employee’s:

Spouse or former spouse;
De facto or former de facto partner;
A current or former spouse or current or former de facto partner’s child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling;
Child or grandchild;
Parent or grandparent;
Sibling; or
A person related to the employee according to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander kinship rules.

Entitlement

You may take paid family and domestic violence leave if:

You are experiencing family and domestic violence;
You need to do something to deal with the impact of the violence;
It is impractical for you to do that thing outside your ordinary work hours.

You may need to take certain actions to deal with the impact of the violence, such as making arrangements for your own or another close relative’s safety (including relocation), attending urgent court hearings or accessing police services.

You may take paid family or domestic violence leave as:

A single continuous 10-day period;
Separate periods of one or more days each;
Any separate periods to which the employee and the employer agree, including periods of less than one day.

Procedure

If you need to take leave under this policy, don’t hesitate to contact HR (hello@rubixstudios.com.au) as soon as reasonably possible (which, in certain circumstances, may be after the leave has started) and advise of the period or expected leave period.

To be eligible for leave under this policy, employees may be required to provide reasonable evidence to verify why domestic and family violence leave is being taken.

Rubix Studios will take all reasonable steps to ensure any information you provide to us regarding your need to take or potentially take paid family and domestic violence leave is treated confidentially, other than where disclosure is required under law or to protect the life, health or safety of the employee or another person.

Rubix Studios will do its best to support you if you are experiencing circumstances relating to this policy.

Additional support may also be available through external services such as the 1800 RESPECT website, which is the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.

Additional options available

In addition to the paid family and domestic violence leave available to employees under this policy, if you are dealing with the impact of family and domestic violence, you may also:

Take paid or unpaid personal/carers leave to manage family and domestic violence-related issues where they impact you or a close relative;
Request flexible working arrangements if you are eligible.

The eligibility criteria and procedure for making requests for flexible working arrangements are outlined in our policy.

If you have any questions about this policy or want to discuss your circumstances confidentially, please get in touch with HR (hello@rubixstudios.com.au).

This policy is effective from 3rd April 2024.