A Nottingham MP has backed a new law that will give parents the right to time off work after a miscarriage.
Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood has backed a new law that will give parents the right to days off work after suffering a miscarriage.
The new bill has been put forward to parliament by Angela Crawley MP for the second reading in the House of Commons.
It will allow grieving parents up to three days leave after experiencing a miscarriage as at the current there is no paid leave for parents who have gone through a miscarriage before 24 weeks.
From 24 weeks, the loss of a baby is legally a stillbirth and women and their partners are entitled to full maternity or paternity leave and both parents are entitled to two weeks of Parental Bereavement Leave.
Lilian Greenwood MP for Nottingham South said: “I sympathise profoundly with anyone who has experienced miscarriage.
“The Bill is an important acknowledgement of the need to better support all parents and a step in the right direction to fully equalising bereavement leave, which the Labour Party and I support, to protect all parents from being forced to go into work when dealing with the devastating loss of their child.”
The bill is going through its second reading on March 24, with hopes it will progress through parliament and made an official law.
Miscarriage Association Deputy Director Vicki Robinson said: “Around one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage. It’s terribly common but that doesn’t mean it can’t be extremely difficult and distressing for those experiencing it.”
The Miscarriage Association’s research has shown that almost half felt they had to return to work before they were ready, with many not knowing or not being told about their right to pregnancy-related leave.
The bill hopes to bring awareness to the devastating impact that miscarriages have on individuals and their families as both Angela Crawley and the Miscarriage Association acknowledge that three days is not long enough for grieving families but it is a step in the right direction.
Miscarriage Association started a pledge in September 2021 which more than 200 organisations and companies have signed the pledge, developing their own policies and guidance along the way to better support their staff through the distress of pregnancy loss.
This has led to around 550,000 employees are covered by the pledge and all it represents.
Vicki Robinson added: “We are extremely encouraged by the number of businesses who are putting in place considered and thoughtful policies and signing our Pregnancy Loss Pledge.
“But we know there is more to be done and our aim is that every workplace acknowledges the impact of pregnancy loss and treats their staff with empathy and understanding.”
The support from MPs in the second reading of the bill will helps push it further and help more people when grieving miscarriages and allow time to heal their minds and bodies.
