Parental bereavement: Proposed new law 'does not go far enough'

The legislation is being introduced to bring Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK

Plans to introduce laws on parental bereavement leave and pay in Northern Ireland are welcome but do not go far enough, a committee has heard.

Last year Westminster brought in new rules so parents in Great Britain get bereavement leave up to two weeks.

Stormont's economy department is introducing legislation to bring Northern Ireland in line.

But the Coalition for Bereaved Workers has said it is concerned the bill is a "missed opportunity".

Employment law is devolved and any changes in Northern Ireland must be approved by legislation brought to the Stormont assembly.

'Uneven playing field'

Craig Harrison from the cancer charity Marie Curie told Stormont's Economy Committee that while he welcomed the bill he wanted to see its scope widened.

"It is an important step towards fixing Northern Ireland's outdated protections for workers... but we are concerned that the playing field will continue to be uneven for everyone who falls outside of it," he said.

"The goal of the coalition is to see the introduction of two weeks' statutory bereavement leave and pay for everyone who is bereaved of a close relative or partner in Northern Ireland."

He told the committee that he recognised delivering that may not be possible in the current bill.

"We would plead with members to consider stretching the scope as far as possible so that as many bereaved workers can avail of the support the bill will provide," he said.

"Currently it runs the risk of creating a hierarchy of bereavement that will leave the majority of people without support they need."

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Under the planned rules, people who lose a child aged under 18 and have been employed for at least 26 weeks will be entitled to a minimum payment of up to £148 a week during their bereavement leave, depending on the level of their salary.

They will also be able to use the two weeks at any stage for up to 56 weeks after the loss of their child.

The bill is at its committee stage and it is envisaged it could take until April 2022 for the regulations to be in force.

Bereavement leave and NI law

As the law stands, there is no automatic right to paid time off for the bereavement of a child but parents of stillborn children are entitled to maternity and paternity leave.

Anyone classed as an employee has the right to time off for a "dependant".

That time off is for dealing with unexpected issues and emergencies involving the dependant, including leave to arrange or attend a funeral.

The law does not say how much time off can be taken. It simply says the amount should be "reasonable".

Employers can treat time off for bereavement as sick leave or holiday leave, depending on their workplace policy and the individual circumstances.

If the employee takes the time off as sick leave or holiday leave, their normal sick or holiday pay will apply.