Overview

This bill establishes a new statutory right to parental bereavement leave and pay for employees whose child has died. It provides a minimum of two weeks' leave and pay, and allows for leave to be taken within 56 days of the child's death. The bill also makes several amendments to existing legislation to ensure consistency and smooth integration of this new right.

Description

The Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Bill introduces two key entitlements:

Parental Bereavement Leave:

This grants employees a minimum of two weeks' leave following the death of a child under 18 (including stillbirths after 24 weeks of pregnancy). The leave must be taken within 56 days of the child's death. Employees retain most employment rights during this leave, except for remuneration (pay).

Parental Bereavement Pay:

This provides eligible employees with a payment during their parental bereavement leave. Eligibility requires at least 26 weeks of continuous employment before the child's death and earnings above a specified threshold. The exact rate and duration of pay will be determined by regulations.

The bill also contains numerous amendments to existing legislation, including the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, to ensure the new entitlements are incorporated consistently and effectively into existing legal frameworks relating to other forms of parental leave and pay.

Government Spending

The bill will lead to increased government spending as a result of the introduction of parental bereavement pay. The exact cost is not specified in the bill itself, but it will depend on the number of eligible claimants and the level of pay set in future regulations.

Groups Affected

• Employees: Those who have experienced the death of a child will be directly affected, gaining access to leave and potentially pay.
• Employers: Employers will need to comply with the new entitlements, potentially incurring costs related to leave and pay.
• Government: Will incur costs associated with the parental bereavement pay scheme.

Powered by nyModel