25 Apr 2022

Westminster event with MPs and Lords: backing the Bill for Bereavement Leave and Pay

CIPD’s Claire McCartney discusses our recent Parliamentary event, supported by Lucy Herd, Patricia Gibson MP and Lord Knight of Weymouth, looking at the issue of extending bereavement leave and pay. 

CIPD Voice: Issue 34

On Wednesday 4th March, we held an event in Westminster asking MP’s and Lords to pledge their support to our campaign to extend bereavement leave and pay and to sign Patricia Gibson MP’s Bill on bereavement leave and pay which was introduced to the House of Commons on 29th June 2021 and had its Second Reading on the 6th May 2022. 
 
It was great to work alongside Patricia Gibson MP, Lucy Herd, the Grief Educator and Lord Knight of Weymouth on this important area and we were excited to provide a photo opportunity with our CIPD designed heart placards.
We were overwhelmed by the response and the number of cross-party MP’s who pledged their support for the extension of bereavement leave and pay. Below is just a selection of the photos, with supportive MP’s sending a press release to their local media after the event. 
Context
 
On 6th April 2020, legislation known as ‘Jack’s Law’ came into effect. It entitles all employees who lose a child under the age of 18, or whose child is stillborn from 24 weeks of pregnancy, to a statutory minimum of two weeks’ leave. The law is named after Lucy Herd’s son Jack, who has campaigned tirelessly on this issue and always envisaged the provision being extended more widely, so that many more employees could benefit from the support.
 
The CIPD launched guidance for organisations and separate guidance for line managers on the importance of compassionate workplace bereavement support, in July 2020.  At the same time, along with Lucy Herd, The Grief Educator, and other companies such as Cruse Bereavement, we also called on the Government to extend parental bereavement leave and pay to employees experiencing the bereavement of a close family member.  
 
We very much welcome Patricia Gibson MP’s Bill in this area and hopefully moving one step closer to introducing much needed statutory support for employees experiencing a close family bereavement. 
 
Claire McCartney

Claire McCartney: Senior Policy Adviser, Resourcing and Inclusion 

Claire is the Resourcing and Inclusion Policy Adviser at the CIPD. For the last two years she has been running her own research and consultancy organisation.

Claire specialises in the areas of diversity & inclusion, flexible working, resourcing and talent management. She has also conducted research into meaning and trust at work, age diversity, workplace carers and enterprise and has worked on a number of international projects. She is the author of several reports and articles and regularly presents at seminars and conferences.

Prior to her roles at the CIPD, Claire was Principal Researcher at Roffey Park where she conducted research projects into a variety of topics including Roffey Park’s annual Management Agenda survey, work-life balance, flexible working, employee volunteering, talent management, and diversity. Claire has also worked with a range of clients on tailored research needs.

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