Government proposes paid leave for bereaved parents

When an employee suffers the loss of child, as an employer you will help as much as you can during this traumatic time by providing support, being understanding and being more flexible than usual.

However, a new bill has been propsed which, if accepted, will mean that as an employer you will have a legal obligation to allow parents who lose a child under the age of 18, time off work.

Employers will be required by law to provide the bereaved parent with two weeks paid leave. This is regardless of the length of the employee’s service.

If an employee has been continuously employed for 26 weeks’ or more  they would have the right to statutory parental bereavement pay for two weeks, which employers would be entitled to claim back from the government.

We will keep you updated as things develop.