New workplace rights to paid leave for bereaved parents came into effect on 6 April 2020. The new law has been welcomed by charities helping bereaved parents to cope with losing a child.
The new allowance gives employed parents the right to claim statutory parental bereavement pay and/or parental bereavement leave. Bereaved parents can only claim if they are employed in England, Scotland or Wales and the death or stillbirth of their child happened on or after 6 April 2020.
This change gives all qualifying employed parents a day-one right to 2 weeks’ leave if they lose a child under the age of 18 or suffer a stillbirth from 24 weeks of pregnancy. Employed parents can take the 2 weeks together or as 2 separate weeks of leave.
The leave can start on or after the date of the death or stillbirth and must finish within 56 weeks of the date of the death or stillbirth.
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