Parents in Britain will soon have the right to take bereavement leave if they suffer a miscarriage, thanks to Labour’s new workers’ rights reforms. The new law, part of the employment rights bill, will give mothers and their partners two weeks of leave if they lose a pregnancy before 24 weeks.
This bill, which will bring Labour’s key workers’ rights changes to England, Wales, and Scotland, is expected to pass its final stages in the House of Commons next week.
Currently, parents can take bereavement leave if they lose a child or have a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Extending this right to those who have a miscarriage before 24 weeks is a win for Labour MP Sarah Owen, who has pushed for this change. The women and equalities select committee, led by Owen, said in a January report that the need for this change was “overwhelming.” While some employers already offer this leave as an extra benefit, the committee believes it should be a universal right due to the significant physical and emotional impact of losing a baby.
Each year, about 250,000 expectant mothers in the UK experience a miscarriage. Between 10% and 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage within the first 12 weeks. The bill also gives bereavement leave to parents whose partner dies in childbirth but the baby survives.
