Women who suffer a miscarriage should be given two weeks of paid leave from work so they can grieve the loss of their baby, an influential group of MPs said today.
The government is under increasing pressure to introduce a new right to bereavement leave for women across the UK who lose their babies before 24 weeks’ gestation. That happens 250,000 times a year.
While a growing number of employers already offer the leave as a discretionary extra benefit, the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee said it should become a universal right – and for female partners too – given the far-reaching physical and emotional consequences of losing work. a baby.
It would be an act of compassion and give those who have suffered a miscarriage “time to grieve,” they say.
More than one in five pregnancies ends in a miscarriage. Most occur in the first 12 weeks and are classified as early miscarriages, while much fewer miscarriages occur between weeks 13 and 24. About one in five women will have a miscarriage at some point.
If ministers accept amendments to the Employment Rights Act that speed up the change, women who suffer a miscarriage will no longer have to take sick leave afterwards.
“I wasn’t prepared for the shock of a miscarriage at work during my first pregnancy. Like many women, I was legally required to take sick leave,” said Sarah Owen, the Labor MP and chair of the committee.
“But I was sad, not sick, and harbored a deep sense of loss. Miscarriage and pregnancy loss can be devastating for women and their families, with both emotional and physical consequences. Such experiences are unfortunately not uncommon and yet current legislation has not caught up to this grim reality.”
The change would give women who have a miscarriage the same rights as those who have a stillbirth – the loss of a baby after 24 weeks of pregnancy but before birth – already have.
Since 2020, employees have been eligible for statutory parental leave and benefits if they or their partner have suffered a stillbirth. That is paid at £184.03 per week or 90% of their average weekly earnings, whichever is lower – the same rate as maternity, paternity and shared parental leave.
Owen plans to introduce amendments to the bill to implement the change. She appealed to ministers to support her proposals, which will be tabled on behalf of the committee, or to put forward their own provisions to ensure that the law is changed so that “all those who suffer physical and emotional pain and experiencing the grief of pregnancy and infant loss can get the support they need.”
Vicki Robinson, the chief executive of the Miscarriage Association, said: ‘Pregnancy loss in any pregnancy can be truly devastating, and for most who experience it, it represents the death of their baby, no matter how early it happens.
“Those who are grieving deserve the time and support to begin healing, without the added pressure of financial or workplace insecurity.
‘Requiring someone to take sick leave after a miscarriage reinforces harmful feelings of failure or self-blame. While there are physical symptoms, miscarriage is not just an illness and it is time the law reflected this.”
Polling conducted for the charity last year found that nine in ten (89%) people believe losing a baby at any stage of pregnancy is seen as a grieving process.
Clea Harmer, director of baby loss charity Sands, said: “Sands is supporting grieving parents who tell us it is unfair to have to rely on the goodwill of their employer for time off following a pregnancy loss. We agree.
“It is very important for those affected to provide staff with paid time to recover after a pregnancy loss, so that they can be treated with compassion and given time to grieve, and return to work as soon as their physical and mental well-being has improved.”
The cross-party committee of MPs has made its case in a new report published today. Although many private sector companies and NHS England already offer bereavement leave in the event of a miscarriage, many still do not, the report said.
The existing lottery of benefits should be replaced with a new right that everyone can enjoy, Owen said, adding: “The case for a minimum standard in the law is overwhelming.”
Angela McConville, the chief executive of parenting charity NCT, said: “Every parent should have the space to grieve, with the support of a fair, compassionate and flexible workplace bereavement policy.”
Bereavement leave for miscarriage is “desperately needed and long overdue,” the GMB union added.
The Department for Work and Pensions has been approached for comment.