- Conference
- 2024 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 11 October 2023
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, which gives parents the right to take up to two weeks’ time off work to deal with the death of a child, if the child has died under the age of 18 or is stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy, as well as gives the right to Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay to eligible employees.
Conference also notes the consultation ran by the Department for the Economy in 2022 which sought the public’s views on proposals to make Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay a “day one right” as well as introducing the same right to leave and pay for parents who experience miscarriage.
Conference notes with concern that this consultation and legislative changes have not been progressed due to the absence of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive.
Conference believes that Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay should fully include anyone who may experience the loss of a child or the pregnancy loss at any stage of the pregnancy.
Conference supports the proposed changes to the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 that would include pay as a day one right that creates provision for people who experience miscarriage.
Conference is concerned that for the purpose of the consultation, the term ‘miscarriage’ refers to unintentional miscarriage. This definition excludes anyone who ends their pregnancy via medical intervention including ectopic and non-viable pregnancies that require termination to save the life of the pregnant person, as well as abortion for non-medical reasons.
Conference is further concerned that the consultation does not create provision for people going through IVF who experience pregnancy loss through failed implantation of the embryo.
Conference instructs the National Women’s Committee to campaign and oppose any attempts to exclude intentional miscarriage from bereavement leave legislation and to support the campaign that any changes must include all miscarriages and pregnancy loss whether intentional or otherwise.