The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Housing Industry Association, Australia Industry Group and National Farmers Federation have lodged detailed submissions with the Fair Work Commission to dismiss an ACTU claim for the new protections on technical legal grounds.

The ACTU has lodged a modern award review claim at the Fair Work Commission requiring employers to provide domestic violence leave and to consider family friendly work arrangements.

ACTU President Ged Kearney accused the employer groups of using "tricky legal tactics" to reject the ACTU request for domestic violence leave in all workplaces and a requirement for employers to consider requests by full time employers wanting to return to work part-time.

She said employer groups had failed to recognise that family friendly work arrangements and domestic violence are "whole of community" problems.

"The return to work clause simply requires that employers genuinely consider requests for part time or reduced hours when an employee returns to work – it starts the conversation," Ms Kearney said.

"If an employer can't reasonably accommodate the request, they can still say no, but these are the conversations that we need to have in workplaces if we are serious about increasing women's participation in the work force.

"It's disappointing employers are burying their head in the sand and making these issues a worker's problem; it's a national economic issue and they should support our claim which will help address it."

Ms Kearney urged employers to support the ACTU claim to ensure women remain economically independent as they attempt to navigate the legal and justice system to keep their families safe.

"Having the right to access domestic violence leave can mean the difference between escaping or remaining trapped in an unacceptable situation. These are some of the most vulnerable people and they are essentially experiencing a double barrel of discrimination," Ms Kearney said.

The Australian Industry Group made a detailed submission outlining how it believes the ACTU proposals are in conflict with the Fair Work Act.

For example, it says the protection for employers under section 44 of the act would be lost because employers would be exposed to actions under section 45 for breaches of the union proposal.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry also presents a technical legal argument against the ACTU in its submission. It says some of the ACTU clauses "fail for want of jurisdiction".

The National Farmers Federation submission says that the ACTU claim requires employers to approve any reasonable request from an employee but argues this is inconsistent with section 65 subsection 5 of the Fair Work Act.

"In our submission, the ACTU claim is impermissible to the extent that it seeks to exclude the right of employers to refuse a request for flexible working arrangements on reasonable business grounds. The claim should be refused to that extent," the NFF submission says.

Kate Carnell, the chief executive officer of ACCI, said a union push to require businesses to offer flexible part-time job opportunities "ignores the realities of small businesses".

"We all want more women to stay in the workforce after they take a break to have children, but the way to do it is through encouraging employers and employees to work together for arrangements that suit them both," she said

"In relation to the ACTU claims for domestic violence leave, domestic violence is abhorrent and an issue the entire community must take very seriously. It not just an employment issue.

"ACCI and its members are opposing the claims for an additional 10 days' paid leave on top of existing paid leave entitlements because of the cost this will impose on business."