Malcolm Turnbull has refused to support Labor's pledge to legislate 10 days of paid domestic violence leave if it wins government.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten made the announcement at a White Ribbon Day breakfast at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday.
The prime minister was also at the breakfast.
Mr Shorten said the combined stress of seeking legal advice, accessing counselling and medical treatment should not be compounded by fear of losing your job.
Mr Turnbull refused to back Labor's plan when Mr Shorten used question time in parliament to seek his support.
The prime minister noted the Fair Work Commission recently rejected a trade union claim to introduce 10 days of paid leave into all modern awards but was still considering unpaid leave.
The government would await that decision and consider it carefully, he said.
Labor argues the change will prevent loss of productivity and increase employee retention.
The Australian Industry Group says employers had different capacities to support employees in that situation.
"While many large employers have flexible policies to assist affected employees, one size fits all would be extremely problematic for many businesses, especially small ones," chief executive Innes Willox said.
Smaller employers often did not have formal policies but they typically adopted a reasonable and compassionate approach when their employees suffered genuine hardships, he said.
National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero.
