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Northern Ireland: Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Bill – Committee Stage

Consultation opens
5 July - 16 August 2021
Deadline to submit comments to Together for Short Lives
9 August 2021
Deadline to submit comments to Northern Ireland Committee for the Economy
16 August 2021

The Committee for the Economy is seeking your views on the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Bill. The Bill focuses on three key areas:

  • the definition of a bereaved parent
  • how and when to take the leave
  • notice and evidence requirements.

This Bill will, if passed, require the Minister for the Economy to introduce regulations creating a legal requirement for all employers to grant a period of a minimum of 2 weeks of Parental Bereavement Leave, with pay (if eligible) at the statutory flat rate. This would give parents the opportunity to grieve without feeling the pressure of having to be at work at such a challenging time.

Please email any comments you would like to raise in response to the consultation to james.cooper@togetherforshortlives.org.uk by Monday 9 August.

The consultation can be found here.

Informing our consultation responses