Should Bosses Offer Miscarriage Leave?

New Zealand is considering changing the law to allow parents who are faced with the emotional trauma of a miscarriage to take bereavement leave.

It is a painful reality that 1 in 4 pregnancies will end in miscarriage. Most women have experienced the emotional trauma of losing a baby first hand or have a friend or family member who has gone through it.

Since last year, New Zealand has been considering changing the law to allow bereaved parents to take leave from work following a miscarriage. While the changes are aimed at reducing the taboo around miscarriage, some have pointed out the potential complications for employers.

Not Uncommon

Speaking about the proposed changes, panelists on British show Loose Women shared their own experiences of miscarriage and feelings about going back to work.

“When I lost it, it was absolutely devastating,” actress Nadia Sawalha told the panel. “With all my miscarriages I went straight back to work because work is my medicine and that’s what is right for me. For an awful lot of people though, that may not be the case.”

“If there’s nothing in place for a woman to take leave, I think that needs to change, but to protect employers from people abusing that leave, there would need to be some kind of doctors or counselors note.”

“I don’t think you can make it law,” panelist Gloria Hunniford said. “I think it gets tricky when you start making it law. I like to think an employer would offer it, but I don’t think it can be mandatory.”

Whether the changes will be passed remains to be seen, but any opportunity to talk about miscarriage and reduce the stigma surrounding it can only be a good thing.

Did you take time off work after your miscarriage? Share your story in the comments.