Galway Bay fm newsroom - NUI Galway will this week become the first higher education institution in Ireland to launch a new Domestic Violence Leave Policy.
The policy will be officially launched on Wednesday afternoon by Higher Education Minister Simon Harris.
The new policy will provide a period of paid time off for staff who are victims of domestic abuse.
It's as new research carried out at NUI Galway has quantified the impact of domestic violence on productivity in the workplace.
Researchers at the Centre for Global Women's Studies found on average, women affected by the issue miss between 7 to 15 days of work.
It was further found that they're also less productive for an additional five to ten days.
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris will officially launch the new Domestic Violence Leave Policy on Wednesday afternoon.
NUI Galway says it's proud to introduce the new policy, to help ensure that higher education institutions are safe and supportive workplaces that align with its vision and values.
It says it'll allow victims of domestic violence to take the time they need to get help in a structured and supported environment.