A NEW bill which will allow parents to take paid leave following the death of a child has won the support of Evesham’s MP.
Proposals in the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Bill will give a right to parental bereavement leave and ensure employees with a minimum of 26 weeks’ continuous service will be eligible for statutory parental bereavement pay.
For the first time, employed parents who lose a child under the age of 18 will have the right to two weeks’ paid leave to allow them time to grieve.
The debate focused on proposed amendments to the bill which covered issues such as the period in which the leave could be taken and the age of the children covered by the legislation.
During the debate, Mr Huddleston said flexibility on when the leave could be taken was crucial.
“Grief affects all of us differently and while it may suit some bereaved parents to take two weeks off work in one go, this will not be true of them all,” he said.
He expressed sympathy for those who were calling for the definition of children to be broadened so that parents mourning the loss of a child over the age of 18 would be covered by the legislation.
However if it was determined a maximum age should be set in the legislation, the Mid Worcestershire MP said 18-years-old was the right age at which to draw the line.
“I hope I never have to go through the anguish and pain that far too many of my colleagues and constituents have had to go through by losing a child,” he said.
“I think it is absolutely right we pass this law to show that we stand with them and with anybody who suffers this huge pain in the future and that the Government is on their side.”
