AN MP has urged Government to give expectant parents who suffer a miscarriage before 24 weeks paid bereavement leave – as backbenchers prepare legislation to go before Parliament.
The Miscarriage Leave Bill would ensure those who suffer a miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies or molar pregnancies paid leave from work.
Shipley MP Philip Davies, along with more than 50 cross party MPs has written to the Prime Minister calling for Government to change the current law, which only entitles people to paid leave if a child is stillborn after 24 weeks.
Mr Davies said: “Parents should not have to worry about work at such a devastating time or think about taking sick leave. They need time to grieve following such a loss and I fully support this Bill and hope Government will do so too.”
The Private Member’s Bill, introduced by Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley would ensure a minimum of three paid days off work and is expected to be debated by MPs in December.
The letter from MPs said: “Workers who experience miscarriage are at the mercy of their employers. This often means workers must take sick leave or annual leave to cover a period of grief. Miscarriage, however, is not an illness, it is a loss and it should be treated as such by employers.
“While an increasing number of good employers are putting miscarriage leave into company policy, many more will not take such action. Therefore, legislation is required to cover all workers.”
The letter to Liz Truss is also signed by various miscarriage and stillbirth charities and organisations.