What the miscarriage leave changes mean for HR

The Employment Rights Bill is going to mean a lot of changes, but one area that has been overlooked concerns miscarriage leave.

If the bill becomes law, workers who lose a baby before the 24-week stage of pregnancy will be entitled to at least a week of statutory bereavement leave. So how should HR prepare?

Revise existing policies

Most companies should already have bereavement leave policies, but HR will need to work on revising and expanding them. They will have to work out who is eligible, how long the leave should last and what those applying for it should be paid.

Set up training for managers

The change would come into effect in 2027, so HR should be setting up training programmes for managers before then. They need to be able to deal with requests for bereavement leave due to miscarriage with tact, sensitivity and confidentiality.

Develop a strategy for communication

HR should communicate the changes clearly to employees and foster an environment where they feel comfortable discussing the issue. That is all about workplace culture, so working with culture change consulting services could help ensure success.

Ensure accurate record-keeping and confidentiality

Accurate records of bereavement leave requests will need to be kept and all such requests will have to be treated with complete confidentiality. This is necessary both for the dignity and privacy of employees, but also to guarantee data protection for them and the company.

At FiveRivers Consulting, we offer HR change management services to help with the implementation of new policies. Call now for details.