O-381 Building Safe Spaces: Domestic Violence and the Workplace – Recommenations Actions and Workplace Practices in Response to Ilo Convention 190 (On Eliminating Violence and Harassment in the World of Work)

Introduction Domestic violence was recognised as a workplace issue in 2019 in ILO Convention 190 ‘Eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work’. ILO Recommendation 205 states that appropriate measures to take include including domestic violence in workplace risk assessment. Materials and methods Good practice guidance, employer, government action, and social partner actions were identified through internet searches of grey material, for example from public administrations, employer/trade union organisations and NGOs, and analysed. Result-Discussions How domestic violence is approached as a work issue varies across countries and sectors. Legislation may require paid leave or be framed within employers’ duty of care. In the workplace domestic violence policies often feature as part of company equality, diversity and inclusion programmes, human resources policies, and/or occupational health and wellness at work programmes. Actions can include paid leave, workplace support, awareness raising and training. Measures to reduce risks are comparable and compatible with measures to prevent work-related violence from the public. For example, a policy could include procedures for handling an incident at work, e.g. when doors should be locked, involving the police, and staff training. A support measure for the victim could be changing their work location. Additional advice includes ways to keep in touch with teleworkers who are or may be suffering abuse. Companies may establish workplace advocates, company networks, partner with NGOs, provide access to counselling or address perpetrators Conclusions Good practices exist that governments and workplaces can use and adapt to their own requirements, including small businesses. Actions and implementation experiences need sharing.