皇冠体育app

• Bill delivers on government鈥檚 promise to ensure 鈥榖ereavement support鈥� for employees
• Kevin Hollinrake MP, introduces government-supported Bill in Parliament today

For the first time, parents who are employed and have suffered the death of a child would receive statutory paid leave to grieve, under a new law being supported by the government and introduced to Parliament today (19 July).

皇冠体育app government expects employers to be compassionate and flexible at such a difficult time, but not all employers will respond in this way. This can have a devastating impact on parents, especially those who need time away to grieve.

皇冠体育app Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Bill will seek to ensure grieving parents in employment receive paid leave to grieve away from the workplace, delivering on the government鈥檚 pledge to 鈥渆nhance rights and protections in the workplace鈥�. Currently there is no legal requirement for employers to provide paid leave for grieving parents.

Today Kevin Hollinrake MP introduced the Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Bill into Parliament.

Kevin Hollinrake MP sponsor said:

This is such an important Bill for parents going through the most terrible of times. 皇冠体育appre is little any of us can do to help, but at least we can make sure that every employer will give them time to grieve.

I have represented a number of constituents who have had to deal with the tragedy of losing a child and I am honoured to be able to do something to help parents in these desperate circumstances.

Business Minister Margot James said:

皇冠体育app loss of a child is a traumatic experience for any parent. For parents holding down a job at the same time as dealing with their grief it can be doubly stressful.

We want parents to get the support they need at this deeply upsetting time that is why government is supporting this Private Members Bill which will introduce statutory paid bereavement leave for employed parents.

Over the summer, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will be working with employers, employee representatives and campaigners on behalf of working families to understand better the needs of bereaved parents and employers.

皇冠体育app Bill is expected to have its second reading in the autumn.

Notes to editors

1. Currently under the Employment Rights Act, employees have a day-one right to take a 鈥榬easonable鈥� amount of unpaid time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant, including making arrangements following the death of a dependant. What is 鈥渞easonable鈥� depends on the circumstances but in practice the length of time off will be agreed between the employer and their employee.
2. In the unlikely event that employee and employer can鈥檛 agree what is 鈥榬easonable鈥�, this can be resolved through Acas or an employment tribunal.
3. Acas has also published for employers on managing bereavement in the workplace.