Washington Supreme Court: Domestic Violence Victims’ Job Rights Are Protected
A divided Washington State Supreme Court ruled that victims of domestic violence will have certain job protections if they’re forced to take time off work to look after themselves or their families.
The case at hand involved a federal lawsuit filed by a woman against her employer. She alleged that in 2003, her company demoted her after she returned from taking two weeks off to deal with issues relating to domestic violence.
She said she was forced to take the time off because her then-husband beat her and her child so badly that the child had to be hospitalized and she had to attend court proceedings and move her family into a protective shelter.
Her personal injury lawyer said she was later fired because she protested her demotion. The company said they fired her for falsifying her timecard.
The Supreme Court justices ruled that “the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government have repeatedly declared that it is the public policy of this state to prevent domestic violence by encouraging … victims to escape violent situations, protect children from abuse, report domestic violence to law enforcement, and assist efforts to hold their abusers accountable.”
Last year when the case was pending, the state passed a law that provides “reasonable leave” for domestic violence victims (and victims of sexual assault and stalking) so they can seek medical treatment, social services, shelter and help from the police.
