Mother who suffered three miscarriages calls for ‘life-changing’ paid leave in employment rights bill

21 October 2024, 07:16

A mother who suffered three miscarriages has urged the government to introduce paid miscarriage leave in the Employment Rights Bill.

Anna Malnutt, 33, lost three pregnancies in 2018 and returned to work quickly after each of them.

Speaking of her miscarriages, she said: “It felt lonely and scary. To us, we lost a baby and all three of them, they were our babies. They will always be our babies that we never met.”

The mum of two, who lives in Rochdale, now wishes she had taken more time off to recover and is calling for paid miscarriage leave saying it would be “life-changing”.

Despite her boss at the time being supportive, she thinks having set rules around what employees are entitled to would have meant she took the time off she needed to care for herself.

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But Anna also wants to see leave for partners or co-parents introduced too – her husband felt he couldn’t miss work during his probation period.

She said: “He dropped me off at hospital and then went to a meeting and then came back and picked me up later.

“And again, looking back, it was the stupidest thing to do. Why would you do that? What would make you think that was a good idea?

“What would make you think that somebody was going to tell you off for going to support your wife who is having miscarriage surgery? It's crazy, but there's no guidance, there's no handbook.”

Politicians will be debating the Employment Rights Bill in Parliament on Monday – it includes measures to ban zero-hours contracts, establish a new right to bereavement leave and improve job security for pregnant women.

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As part of the new legislation, campaigners are now calling for workers who miscarry a child to receive two weeks paid leave and partners, or co-parents, to be entitled to a week.

This would close a gap in UK law as there is currently no statutory leave for employees who lose a baby within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.

A Sunderland-based baby loss charity has warned the government this could be a missed opportunity if it doesn’t act.

4Louis offers its employees at least four weeks paid leave if they miscarry.

Chief executive Bob McGurrell said: “It’s got to be available to all and it shouldn’t be a lottery to which company you’re working for and who is supporting you. If there was a minimum then everybody would get that opportunity.

And speaking of the Employment Rights Bill, he added: “I don’t think we should miss this opportunity because we don’t discriminate between any gestation.

“So the families are going through a loss regardless, so we need to support them on that.”

A spokesperson from the Department for Business and Trade said: “Losing a child at any stage is incredibly difficult and we know many employers already show compassion and understanding in these circumstances.

“Our Employment Rights Bill will establish a new right to bereavement leave, make paternity and parental leave a day one right, and strengthen protections for pregnant women and new mothers returning to work.”