MP Will calls for new law to entitle bereaved parents to paid leave

Parents of children up to six months old are entitled to paid leave under the maternity and paternity leave rules.

But if a child dies when they are older than six months, no law is in place to protect the parents’ need for extended time off.

Mr Quince, whose son was stillborn in 2014, will launch his bid in the House of Commons tomorrow.

The dad-of-two will tell Parliament: “At present, there is no statutory right to take time off on compassionate or bereavement grounds.

“However, all employees have the right to take immediate time off for dependents under the Employment Rights Act 1996.

“In effect, it is a legal right to time off unpaid to deal with family emergencies.

“Yet there is no set limit of how many days can be taken as leave and a rather vague definition of a ‘reasonable amount of time’.

“Further there is no statutory right to be paid during this reasonable amount of time.

“Most employers are excellent and act with compassion and kindness, offering their bereaved staff the time they need to come to terms with their loss. However, some do not.

“They behave in a manner which falls well short of what we would expect of them.”

The former solicitor is asking for two weeks paid leave for bereaved parents to become a statutory entitlement.

He said: “My proposal would give UK workers some of the best bereavement rights in the world in terms of the length of leave possible.

“Whilst other countries, such as Israel, offer leave with full salary, I believe that longer leave at a lower statutory rate is a good starting point.”

Two petitions on the matter have garnered about 190,000 signatures.

Mr Quince’s proposals are supported by Child Bereavement UK, the Lullaby Trust, Working Families, Cruse Bereavement and Dying Matters.

Mr Quince has also campaigned for better bereavement suites in maternity units, saying some care was fantastic but some was shockingly bad.

Health Minister Ben Gummer vowed to take action on the issue.