Beacon Hill took a significant step Friday toward fixing a gap in Massachusetts law that has left some domestic violence survivors exposed at work. The Senate folded new language into its fiscal year budget that would extend the state’s existing 15-day domestic violence leave to workers hired through staffing agencies and other contract arrangements. The move follows years of lobbying by the Dabrowski family, who say their daughter Amanda lost her temporary job after a 2019 assault and was later killed by her attacker.
As reported by Boston 25 News, the Senate approved the amendment and inserted it into the chamber’s budget, but the change must still survive budget reconciliation with the House before it becomes law. That outlet also notes former Lt. Gov. Tim Murray publicly urged House lawmakers to act and called for the “loophole” to be closed. Advocates and family members say the language would plug a narrow technical gap that has left contract and temporary employees unprotected.
What the amendment would do
The proposal would extend the 15-day domestic violence leave now available to eligible employees to people placed through temporary hiring agencies or working under short-term contracts. Advocates say it would finally bring job protections in line with the way many people actually work. Jane Doe Inc. reported that sponsors first filed legislation after the Dabrowski case highlighted how contract hires can fall through statutory cracks. Supporters frame the change as an equality fix, arguing that workers facing the same danger should have the same protections regardless of how they are paid or staffed.
Where state law stands now
Under current Massachusetts guidance, eligible employees may take up to 15 days in a 12-month period for needs related to domestic violence, but the protections have generally tracked thresholds that leave many temporary and short-term workers without guaranteed job protection. The state’s summary of domestic violence employment leave explains who qualifies and what uses are permitted, including medical care, counseling and court appearances. Advocates say the amendment would clarify that staffing arrangements cannot be used to sidestep those protections.
How the Senate moved it forward
The Senate added the language during debate over its FY26 budget, a move backers say increases the measure’s chances of reaching the governor’s desk this year. Spectrum News reported the amendment was approved unanimously and will be negotiated in conference committee talks between House and Senate leaders. Proponents say hitching the measure to the budget is a practical way to force a final vote, even though the House has blocked similar standalone bills in past sessions.
“The law needs to be rectified, and the loophole closed,” former Lt. Gov. Tim Murray told Boston 25 News, urging House lawmakers to move the proposal. Murray’s intervention reflects months of advocacy by survivors’ families and service providers who say contract workers routinely face barriers to leave and supports. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have signaled support for the principle, even as negotiators haggle over the precise language.
The case behind the push
The push for the change stems from the 2019 attack on Amanda Dabrowski, who was working as a contract employee and, according to advocates, lost her temporary assignment after missing shifts to recover from an earlier assault. Reporting by Boston.com reviewed trial records showing the man who later killed Dabrowski was convicted in 2023. The Dabrowski family’s campaign, which began publicly in 2020, frames the change as a way to prevent survivors from losing wages or jobs while they seek medical care, housing and legal protection.
What happens next
Because the language is currently part of the Senate’s budget, House and Senate negotiators must reconcile their versions before a final bill is sent to the governor, and similar measures have stalled in the House previously. Jane Doe Inc. has tracked the measure’s progress and warns advocates will need to maintain pressure if the House balks. If conference committee members keep the amendment intact and both chambers approve the final budget, the change could become law this session.
Survivors and employers looking for clear guidance can consult the state’s page on domestic violence employment leave for details about eligibility and acceptable documentation, and local service organizations such as the YWCA offer help navigating safety planning, legal options and benefits.
