Lucas Restaurants HR director says domestic violence leave should be government subsidised
Small businesses are worried about the costs of the Albanese government’s domestic violence legislation that would see them shoulder the cost of 10 days’ paid leave.
The legislation encompasses around 11 million workers including casuals.
While the legislation is welcome, businesses that are still recuperating COVID-led losses have told an inquiry that they should not be the ones to fund the scheme.
Lucas Restaurants human resources director Shaun McDonald gave evidence to a Senate Inquiry into the bill and addressed his concerns, particularly with paying casuals who are on higher base rates.
“If business has to pay for that 10 days, you then also have to pay another casual employee to cover that time off, which again is another 10 days of paying the base rate plus the loadings and the other provisions,” McDonald told the inquiry.
“The hospitality industry and small businesses in general we can’t afford … to pay that.”
McDonald has suggested the scheme be subsidised by the government in a similar fashion to paid parental leave.
“I think we all agree that paid family and domestic violence is what we need to do to support the community,” he told the inquiry.
“The question really comes down to: from a business perspective, how is it sustainable for small businesses to accommodate that cost?”
Lucas Restaurants are the brains behind Chin Chin and other well-known restaurants.
Irit Jackson, 23rd August 2022
