Tesco is first supermarket to offer paid ‘safe leave’ for victims of domestic abuse

Tesco has become the first supermarket to introduce paid "safe leave" for victims of domestic abuse, providing staff with dedicated time to access support, secure their safety, and take steps to move on with their lives. This initiative by the UK’s largest private-sector employer allows employees to take up to three days of paid leave, which can be used flexibly for activities such as attending court hearings, arranging emergency accommodation, changing locks, securing childcare, or separating finances.

In addition to the leave policy, managers across Tesco, which employs 300,000 people, have been trained to recognize the signs of domestic abuse and to support affected employees by connecting them with specialist services. Under this new policy, developed in partnership with the shopworkers’ union Usdaw, Tesco will not require victims to provide formal evidence to access the special leave.

Tesco is believed to be the first major British retailer to implement such a policy. However, similar initiatives, including protected paid leave and emergency accommodation, have been adopted by other UK companies like BP and Vodafone, as well as some local councils.