New Zealand government introduces bereavement leave for parents after miscarriage or stillbirth

New Zealand is the second country in the world to offer paid time off for grieving parents

New Zealand government introduces bereavement leave for parents after miscarriage or stillbirth

New Zealand has passed a bill offering paid bereavement leave for couples who have a miscarriage or a stillborn child.

It’s the second country in the world to offer paid leave, and the bill also applies to parents having a child through adoption or surrogacy.

The bill was put forward by Labour-Hutt South MP Ginny Anderson and unanimously passed in Parliament yesterday.

The new law gives employees three days of paid leave, enabling them to take time off without using their sick leave allowance.

Anderson posted on Twitter: “This is a Bill about workers’ rights and fairness. I hope it gives people time to grieve and promotes greater openness about miscarriage. We should not be fearful of our bodies.”