Employment Rights for Survivors of Abuse: Domestic Violence & Work Referral Checklist

Do you know someone who:

• Is afraid of losing a job due to domestic violence?
• Is being harassed at work by a current or former partner?
• Is having problems at work due to domestic violence and is curious about her employment rights?
• Needs assistance in approaching an employer to ask for changes at work that could reduce an abuser's ability to harm or harass her during the workday?
• Needs time off to go to court because of domestic violence, but is afraid to ask for the time from work?
• Needs time off to take care of injuries caused by domestic violence, but does not know her rights?
• Lost a job due to domestic violence?

If the answer to any of these questions is "YES" please contact the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund at: (212) 925-6635 or ersa@nowldef.org

Employment Rights for Survivors of Abuse (ERSA) is a nationwide project of NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund that provides free legal advice, information, and counseling for individuals who need assistance with domestic violence-related work issues. ERSA works with individuals experiencing domestic violence to help them keep their jobs or seek available remedies if they have already lost their jobs. ERSA trainers are available to train advocates, attorneys, social workers, employers, and union representatives on enforcing domestic violence survivors' employment rights. ERSA also publishes fact sheets on employment rights for domestic violence survivors. To order, contact the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund Publications Department at (212) 925-6635 or publications@nowldef.org.

NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund is the oldest and largest national legal advocacy organization dedicated to women's rights. NOW Legal Defense was instrumental in crafting the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and the Family Violence Option, which allows states to temporarily exempt women who are coping with violence from certain welfare program requirements (Source: ERSA brochure). ¨