Ending the hidden costs of intimate partner violence requires leadership. C-Suite buy-in ensures your workplace IPV program is implemented effectively, upstream interventions are possible, and losses are minimized.

Supporting survivors of IPV at work can be emotionally taxing. Organizations need to provide managers and HR staff with the training, debriefing, and mental health supports required to sustain an effective program.

Effective workplace IPV programs address both survivors and the people causing harm, balancing empathetic accountability with safety and risk management.

Accommodation for IPV survivors isn’t just procedural — it requires understanding barriers, creating cultural safety, and building on employee strengths to be effective.

Even without explicit Canadian case law, framing IPV as a human rights issue strengthens trust, supports survivors, and promotes the success of intersecting accommodations for disability, substance use, and other factors.

16 Tips in 16 Days to Launch Your Workplace Domestic Violence Program Day 11 of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000  (ESA) recognizes that advance notice of domestic violence leave isn't always possible: Advising employer 49.7 (10) An employee who wishes to take leave under clause (4) (a) shall advise the employer that the employee will be doing so. (11) If an employee must begin a leave under clause (4) (a) before a

Ontario’s ESA allows employers to request evidence for domestic violence leave, but strict proof requirements can undermine trust and safety. Day 10 of the 16 Days of Activism explores why lenience supports trauma-informed practice, risk assessment, and safer workplaces for employees and their colleagues.

Building organizational readiness, legal compliance, and meaningful support for employees facing intimate partner violence (IPV) Domestic violence is not a private issue — it’s a workplace safety issue, a legal compliance issue, and a risk management issue. Yet most employers are not equipped to respond. Programs fail because they lack structure, internal capability, or a cohesive plan for safety, accommodation, and culture change. I provide an integrated, end-to-end suite of

Day 9 of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Welcome to Day 9  of my 16 tips in 16 days  series for employers building workplace programs that respond effectively to intimate partner violence. If you missed the beginning, you can go back to Day 1 here . So far, we’ve talked about intake, trust-building, IPV dynamics, risk assessment, and safety planning. Today’s message continues that safety planning discussion. Most workplaces focus their domestic violence

A strong workplace IPV policy isn’t enough. Real safety requires readiness — defined roles, processes, and systems in place before a disclosure occurs.

Domestic violence disclosures require a timely workplace response. This post explains why employers can’t rely solely on external assessors and how to begin handling preliminary IPV risk assessments internally.

A meaningful workplace response to domestic violence starts with how the first conversation is handled. This guide outlines how to conduct a trauma- and violence-informed intake meeting that creates safety, trust, and collaboration.

A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work in workplace domestic violence programs. Understanding your workplace’s unique IPV risk profile helps ensure disclosures, accommodations, and safety plans are meaningful and effective.

Domestic violence often shows up at work long before a survivor speaks up. When employees are trained to check in with colleagues safely and respectfully, workplaces become safer and more supportive.

Talking about intimate partner violence at work isn’t invasive — it’s necessary. When employers normalize discussion the way the Bell Let’s Talk campaign did for mental health, employees are far more likely to disclose.

Many workplace violence policies only copy statutory text, without addressing stigma, trust, or trauma. A strong domestic violence policy makes employees feel safe to come forward — not afraid to. Here’s how to write one that works.

Many employers assume responding to employee domestic violence is an HR issue—but most programs fail when HR operates alone. Building a cross-functional IPV response team ensures policies are actionable, coordinated, and safe. Here’s how to form one.

On December 9, I’ll be presenting a webinar with the Learning Network, Knowledge Hub, and Respect at Work on how trauma- and violence-informed (TVI) approaches can transform workplace responses to intimate partner violence. This is a topic deeply personal to me, and I’ll also be sharing daily LinkedIn videos for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence with practical tips for employers and HR professionals.

Ontario’s new 211 support line for men who cause harm is a promising early intervention. But for real progress, we must include survivors in design, embed accountability, and move prevention further upstream—with education that redefines what healthy relationships look like.

Many employers assume domestic violence doesn’t touch their workplace — but the truth is, one in ten employees are affected right now. Here’s why leaders must stop looking away and start addressing intimate partner violence as a workplace issue.