When we think about family-friendly workplace policies, we often picture flexible schedules, paid parental leave, or child care stipends. But there’s one life-saving policy most people have never heard of — safe leave.
Safe leave is a workplace policy that allows survivors of domestic or sexual violence—or their family members—to take time off for critical needs such as medical care, legal proceedings, or child-related appointments without having to disclose their situation or provide documentation. It may sound simple, but for many survivors, it can mean the difference between danger and safety, despair and healing, job loss and stability.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In 2024, North Carolina reported 155 domestic violence–related homicides—the highest number since 2008. Nearly four in ten North Carolinians will experience intimate partner violence, sexual violence, or stalking in their lifetime. Behind every statistic is a story of survival—and often, a workplace that can make all the difference.
Creating Safe Spaces at Work
We spoke with Molly McCambridge, Director of Prevention and Abuse Intervention at the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCCADV), safe leave policies are both effective and transformative.
“The workplace is a huge area where the impacts of domestic violence show up,” McCambridge explains. “Employers can create a protective environment for survivors. Safe leave allows employees to take time off anonymously, without disclosing abuse to their employer. Abusive partners often use tactics to prevent survivors from going to work. Having a leave option that doesn’t require proof or disclosure changes lives and helps survivors access resources and heal.”
At NCCADV, the organization integrated safe leave into its existing sick leave policy, creating a combined sick/safe leave option. Employees can simply tell their supervisor they are taking “sick/safe leave”—no questions asked.
“Our policy states that it can be used for illness, injury, or appointments, as well as if the employee or a family member is a victim of stalking, domestic violence, trafficking, or sexual abuse,” McCambridge says. “It explicitly includes those impacts, and no documentation is required.”
Why It Matters for Families
By offering flexible policies, employers ensure that parents can meet their families’ needs without fear of job loss or retaliation. And safe leave doesn’t just protect survivors.“Preventing violence includes helping people meet basic needs like child care,” McCambridge notes. “Safe leave allows employees to use it on behalf of family members, including children. Parents often need time for therapy sessions, advocacy center visits, or medical appointments. Safe leave helps parents meet those needs during work hours.”
Addressing Employer Concerns
Employers sometimes express concern that a policy without required documentation could be misused. But McCambridge emphasizes that those fears rarely materialize, and the benefits far outweigh the risks.
“One in four people experience domestic violence—and those are your employees,” she says. “Without safe leave, survivors may miss so much work that they’re forced to quit or are terminated, even though they are strong, capable employees. At NCCADV, we built in a safeguard: if someone needs more than 10 consecutive days, it transitions into extended leave with additional documentation. Employers can balance flexibility with accountability.”
A Common-Sense Policy for a Growing Crisis
Experts cite several factors behind North Carolina’s rising domestic violence rates, including increased gun ownership, economic instability, and the growing difficulty for victims to safely leave abusive situations. In that context, safe leave becomes not just a compassionate policy—but a preventive one.
McCambridge hopes that more organizations will recognize its importance. “My hope is that society will start to see survivors not as burdens, but as people we should support without judgment,” she says. “Policies like safe leave show that nothing bad happens to employers when they implement them. They become common sense.”
A Call to Action for North Carolina Workplaces
As North Carolina employers continue to explore family-friendly workplace practices through initiatives like Family Forward NC®, safe leave stands out as a policy that promotes both safety and stability. It protects employees, strengthens families, and fosters trust in the workplace.
Employers who adopt safe leave send a clear message:
Your safety matters. Your family matters. You matter.
Because when employees are safe, families are stronger. And when families are stronger, communities thrive.