New Right To Parental Bereavement Leave: Key Elements Published

Many employers already offer employees compassionate leave on a discretionary basis at very difficult times, such as after the loss of a child or another close relative.  The government has recognised that not all employers respond in this way and that the loss of a child can have a devastating impact on parents. Currently employees only have a right to take reasonable time off where it is necessary to deal with an emergency, such as the death of a dependent, but there is no right to pay. The government now considers that it is important to protect all employees by ensuring that those who need the time away to grieve have a statutory right to do so, and that provided they have at least 26 weeks' continuous service, they should receive, as a minimum, statutory rate of pay.