Call for paid leave for all miscarriages
Parents should receive three days’ paid leave after suffering a miscarriage before 24 weeks, a new Bill introduced to Parliament says.
Currently, parents are only entitled to paid parental leave - £151.97 a week or 90% of the parent’s weekly earnings – if they lose the baby after 24 weeks. As a result, many women are resorting to taking unpaid or sick leave if they lose their child before 24 weeks. Men often do not feel they can ask to take paid leave.
SNP MP Angela Crawley has reiterated to Government the need to support both parents through law and company policy, stating:
“I think often, sadly, [miscarriage] is seen as a women’s issue and there’s stigma and shame attached to the experience of miscarriage and I do not believe that should be the case in this day and age. This is an issue that affects both parents when they undergo that loss and to have the right to grieve and the right to have that paid and recognised by their employer is an important milestone.”
Earlier this month, The Miscarriage Association (MA) launched a campaign designed to encourage businesses and organisations to take the Pregnancy Loss Pledge to ensure that staff experiencing pregnancy loss get the support and time off they need.
By taking the pledge, organisations agree to meet the MA’s standard, which asks that employers endeavour to create a supportive work environment, understand and implement the rules around pregnancy-related leave, have a policy or guidance in place and support people and their partners back to work.
Ruth Bender Atik, the National Director of the Miscarriage Association, said:
“Miscarriage is horribly common and far more common than people expect so when it happens to them it’s usually a shock. The rights aren’t many. They are basically that they are entitled to pregnancy-related leave, not necessarily paid leave, that depends on their terms and conditions. Everyone’s particular circumstances and needs can differ. For some women they may need just a few days off work. Others may need many weeks.”
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