The government has confirmed that women and their partners in the UK who suffer a miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy are to be granted a right to bereavement leave of two weeks.
Under existing law, bereavement leave only applies where parents have suffered a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy, or the loss of a child. The new measures, brought in under the Employment Rights Bill, ensure that both parents are entitled to two weeks’ bereavement leave following miscarriage, regardless of the stage of pregnancy.
Approximately 250,000 pregnant women in the UK suffer a miscarriage every year. This long-awaited change in the law acknowledges the far-reaching physical and emotional impacts of baby loss and provides parents some time to recover without the further pressure of returning to work.
Employers are advised to update family-friendly policies so they are legally compliant, and train managers to provide additional support and ensure bereavement leave requests are handled appropriately, sensitively and compassionately.
For more information, please contact our Employment Team on 0345 646 0406 or fill in our online enquiry form and a member of our Team will be in touch.