New Zealand passes law to pay maternal leave, bereavement allowances
New Zealand has passed legislation granting paid leave to mothers and their partners after a miscarriage or still birth.
The bereavement allowance, passed in parliament on Wednesday, gives employees three days leave when a pregnancy ends with a stillbirth without them having to take sick leave.
“The passing of this bill shows that once again New Zealand is leading the way for progressive and compassionate legislation, becoming only the second country in the world to provide leave for miscarriage and stillbirth,” Labour Party MP Ginny Andersen said to Reuters. “The bill will give women and their partners time to come to terms with their loss without having to tap into sick leave. Because their grief is not a sickness, it is a loss. And loss takes time.”
Ms. Andersen had tweeted on Wednesday, about the final reading of Bereavement Leave for Miscarriage Bill, saying she hoped it would give people time to grieve and promotes the greater openness about miscarriage, which is still considered a taboo topic.
The new law makes provisions for mothers and their partners as well as parents planning to adopt or have a child via surrogacy.
The country becomes the second in the world to grant these rights after India, whose laws provide women with a six weeks leave period if they miscarry a baby.
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