Grieving parents could receive statutory paid bereavement leave if a new law introduced to Parliament gets the green light.
The Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Bill will provide working parents with paid time off from work to grieve for the loss of their child. The government says the new Bill delivers on its pledge to “enhance rights and protections in the workplace”.
Under the Employment Rights Act, employees are entitled to a day-one right to a reasonable amount of time off to care for a dependant. This could include making necessary arrangements following the death of a dependent, but it is unpaid, and currently there is no statutory entitlement to paid bereavement leave.
Supporting grieving parents
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy plans to work with campaigners, employee representatives and employers to get a better understanding of the wishes and needs of bereaved working parents and their employers. The Bill is expected to have its second reading this autumn.
Kevin Hollinrake MP, who introduced the Private Member’s Bill into Parliament, explained that employees should be given the time to grieve away from work after the death of a child.
