Bereavement Leave Update

4th February 2020

The government has published the statutory instruments which implement two weeks’ paid bereavement leave for parents upon the death of a child aged under 18.

The parental bereavement leave and pay regulations, which will also be known as ‘Jack’s Law’ in memory of a child whose mother campaigned on the issue, will implement a statutory right to a minimum of two weeks’ leave for all employed parents if they lose a child who is under the age of 18 or if a baby is stillborn from 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The law, which will come into effect on 6 April 2020, will cover any working parent no matter how long they have worked for their employer. Parents employed for six months or longer will also be able to claim statutory pay for their bereavement period in line with the approach for other entitlements such as parental leave.

Bereaved parents will be able to take leave in either a single block of two weeks or as separate blocks of one week across the first year after their child’s death.

For further information or for support to update your associated policies, please contact your Heads HR consultant on 0161 850 4343.