Jordan Jeter, Attorney
The impacts of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking reach far beyond a person’s home life.
Added to that stress may be concerns about your job. Can you take time off to go to the doctor, attend court hearings, or simply heal? Are there ways to help you feel safer at work?
Both Washington and Oregon provide workplace protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Under those laws, survivors are eligible to take reasonable leave to deal with a myriad of domestic violence-related issues. Survivors and their family members can use such leave to attend court proceedings, get legal or law enforcement help, seek medical or psychological help, access social service programs, or relocate.
You also have the right to feel safe at work. Washington and Oregon require employees to provide reasonable safety accommodations to survivors. Examples of accommodations you can request include a reassignment, modified schedule, changed work telephone number, or implementation of other safety procedures. Your employer must provide reasonable safety accommodations unless doing so would create an undue hardship.
One way that the laws differ in Washington and Oregon is who they protect. In Washington, if your employer employs one or more employees, they must provide survivors leave. In Oregon, however, your employer must employ at least six employees. Further, in Oregon, you must have worked for your employer for more than 25 hours per week for the last six months.
Find more information about survivor leave in Washington here and in Oregon here. If you have questions about your employment rights or want advice from an attorney, please contact our office today to set up a phone consultation or video conference.
