The Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Bill was introduced by Kevin Hollinrake (MP), and will allow parents who have suffered the death of a child to be given paid leave to grieve.
Currently there is no legal requirement for employers in the UK to provide paid leave for grieving parents.
“This is such an important Bill for parents going through the most terrible of times. There is little any of us can do to help, but at least we can make sure that every employer will give them time to grieve,” said Hollinrake.
“I have represented a number of constituents who have had to deal with the tragedy of losing a child and I am honoured to be able to do something to help parents in these desperate circumstances.”
Francine Bates, CEO of The Lullaby Trust says: “We warmly welcome the introduction of this new bill. We know many bereaved parents who have campaigned tirelessly for paid compassionate leave after the death of a child. We hope this bill will help parents who have lost their baby suddenly and unexpectedly and need time away from work to grieve for their child.”
During the summer, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will work with businesses, employee representatives and campaigners to learn more about the needs of bereaved parents.
The Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Bill is set to have its second reading this autumn.
