Biglaw

Magic Circle Firm Provides Domestic Violence Assistance For Employees

The first such program in the legal industry.

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Well, this is encouraging.

Magic Circle firm Linklaters has launched a new program for its U.K. employees to support those who are living in abusive situations. And the firm is backing up that commitment to its employees with cold, hard cash. As reported by Law.com, employees will have access to emergency accommodations, additional funds, and they’ll get up to 10 days paid leave, as well as access to services from U.K. charity Surviving Economic Abuse.

Linklaters will offer support to employees, and their children, who need to flee their home in an emergency, including funding three nights’ accommodation in a hotel and providing a daily living expenses allowance, the firm announced.

Additionally, Linklaters will offer affected employees access to a one-off payment of up to $6,500 to support an individual in becoming financially and physically independent from their abuser.

There will be no requirement to repay the firm and the money can be paid in a variety of means to ensure that the individual has full control of it, the firm added.

This program is launched against a backdrop of increased incidences of domestic violence. There’s reportedly been a spike in domestic violence since the onset of COVID-19 work from home policies. Linklaters global diversity and inclusion partner David Martin said of the new program:

“The future of how and where we work remains uncertain. For now, our homes are now our workplaces and it is clearer than ever that domestic abuse is a workplace issue.

“We have introduced this comprehensive package of support because we want to send a clear message to any of our people living with abuse that they are not alone, we care, and the help they need is available to them.”

Let’s hope other firms take notice and start their own programs to address domestic violence.

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headshotKathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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