BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
British parents are set to gain the right to two weeks of bereavement leave after experiencing a miscarriage, thanks to a significant amendment in Labour’s employment rights bill. The new law, which extends to England, Wales, and Scotland, will cover parents who suffer pregnancy loss before 24 weeks of gestation. Previously, bereavement leave was only guaranteed for those who experienced a stillbirth or the loss of a child after 24 weeks.
This extension of bereavement leave has been hailed as a victory for Labour MP Sarah Owen, who has been a vocal advocate for the change. Owen, who chairs the women and equalities select committee, described the move as “overwhelmingly” necessary, citing the profound emotional and physical toll of miscarriage. About 250,000 women in the UK experience a miscarriage every year, with between 10 percent and 20 percent of pregnancies ending in miscarriage within the first 12 weeks.
A personal fight for recognition
The emotional impact of pregnancy loss is not just a political talking point. Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, who has personally experienced pregnancy loss, voiced his support for the campaign earlier this year. “I know how important it is,” he said. “Like a lot of people, I’ve had some experience of this myself—it’s very, very difficult.”
Although a growing number of employers already offer bereavement leave for miscarriage as a discretionary benefit, the new law will make it a universal right. Supporters argue that this change is not only compassionate but also essential for acknowledging the often overlooked grief of early pregnancy loss.
Broader protections for workers
The bereavement leave amendment is part of a broader package of workers’ rights reforms included in the employment rights bill. Among the proposed changes are enhanced protections for trade unions, a ban on exploitative zero-hours contracts, and restrictions on the controversial practice of fire-and-rehire.
Trade unions are set to benefit from faster decision-making processes and digital access to employees, which is expected to improve their reach, particularly to gig-economy workers. Additionally, an amendment will prevent employers from manipulating bargaining units to influence recognition ballots unfairly.
The bill also proposes a new statutory maximum period of probation, allowing for “lighter touch” dismissals. This is seen as a compromise with businesses that have lobbied for longer probation periods to mitigate the impact of stronger protections against unfair dismissal.
A step forward, but challenges remain
While the new bereavement leave rights represent a significant step forward, critics argue that more is needed to address the broader inequalities facing working parents in the UK. Labour leader Keir Starmer has been vocal about his support for the bill, using recent speeches to call out opposition parties for voting against key provisions.
As the employment rights bill prepares to clear its final hurdles in the House of Commons, the focus now shifts to how effectively these new rights will be implemented and enforced.
