Belfast City Council is to give two weeks statutory bereavement leave and pay to all its workers.
At the council’s recent meeting of its Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, councillors gave unanimous support to give 10 consecutive work days leave on a variety of bereavements. The matter will firstly be consulted with trade unions. Council workers currently have three days leave.
The council agreed to award 10 consecutive working days’ bereavement leave, not solely in the case of a child under 18, but for the death of any close relative. It involves 10 consecutive working days’ full pay, not statutory pay, as a day one right with no qualifying service required. It also will award one day’s paid leave to attend the funeral of an extended family member.
Read more: Belfast landlord agent says people “in tears” over lack of student houses in south of city
The council also agreed to treat miscarriage as a bereavement and offer 10 day’s bereavement leave on full pay to employees who suffer a miscarriage, again as a day one right. It further agreed to award 10 days full paid leave following any unsuccessful IVF treatment to employees who have undergone IVF treatment, as a day one right, in addition to the paid time off for medical appointments that already exists.
The decision followed motions from People Before Profit on parental bereavement pay, Alliance on paid leave for miscarriage, and Sinn Féin on fertility treament leave. The new rules will be ratified by the full council at the beginning of next month.
People Before Profit Councillor Matt Collins, who put forward the original motion for bereavement pay, said: “I am delighted that council workers will now be given some more time to grieve. Belfast City Council staff were previously allowed just three days leave when they lost a close relative - this was callous in the extreme.
“This new policy is a step forward in helping workers find the space and financial security they need to deal with bereavement and grief. The absence of proper bereavement leave had previously forced many workers to use sickness absence to take time off. This falsely equated the loss of a loved one with illness.
He added: “This type of protection should be enshrined in law for all workers.”
Alliance Councillor Michelle Kelly, who forwarded the original motion on miscarriage leave, said: “I think this report is imcredibly important, and I want to thank the officer for they work they have undertaken on all three of the motions and the recognition that current leave arrangements just don’t reflect the very traumatic circumstances that people unfortunately have to go through.”
She added: “The treatment of miscarriage as a bereavement is really such a massive step forward and will be welcomed by so many. There is undoubtedly a stigma around it, and in many cases, sadly a rather blasé attitude, with no thought given to the impact that it can have.”
READ NEXT:
-
Ormeau residents victory as council rejects 1am license for new £8m hotel on site of church
-
Belfast City Council looks into big investment plan for city parks
-
Belfast Bright Lights festival cancelled after public outcry
- Belfast Council warned of "crisis of confidence" in cleansing services as city labelled "dirty"
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
