Job Security for Crime Victims
Victims of crime in Kentucky should not be punished on the job for seeking justice. HB 122 would protect employees who are victims of a crime from being disciplined or fired for taking leave to attend a court ordered appearance related to a crime. Employees would be required to provide reasonable notice to employers. This bill would ensure crime victims are treated fairly and can continue to earn a paycheck, often a critical lifeline for victims.
Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Affect Thousands of Kentuckians Each Year
· Domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking are widespread in Kentucky and across the United States
· 37.5% of Kentucky women and 31% of Kentucky men experience intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner rape and/or rape in their lifetimes[1]
· Kentucky programs sheltered 3,295 vicitms of abuse between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014[2]
Victims Need Job Security
· Studies indicate that one of the best predictors of whether a victim will stay away from his or her abuser is the victim’s degree of economic independence.[3]
· Violence often jeopardizes victims’ ability to keep a job, whether because of the need for time off for court appearances or medical attention, or abusers’ active interference or sabotage, i.e. preventing victims from going to work, harassment at work, limiting access to cash and transportation, and manipulating child-care arrangements.[4]
States are Stepping Up
· 33 states have laws that protect an employee who is a victim of a crime from punishment at work for taking time off to attend court, at least under certain circumstances, such as responding to a subpoena, responding to a request from the prosecutor, or serving as a witness.[5]
[1] National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence in Kentucky. Accessed https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2497/kentucky_2019.pdf on 1/23/2020.
[2] National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence in Kentucky. Accessed https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2497/kentucky_2019.pdf on 1/23/2020.
[3] Legal Momentum: The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, Employment and Victims of Violence. Accessed https://www.legalmomentum.org/employment-and-victims-violence on 1/23/2020.
[4] Legal Momentum: The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, Employment and Victims of Violence. Accessed https://www.legalmomentum.org/employment-and-victims-violence on 1/23/2020.
[5] Legal Momentum: The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, State Law Guide: Employment Rights for Victims of Domestic or Sexual Violence. Accessed https://www.legalmomentum.org/sites/default/files/reports/employment-rights.pdf on 1/23/2020.
