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Our Parental Bereavement Leave Policy Template offers compassionate support, helping employees cope with loss while maintaining work-life balance.
1 Overview
1.1 Our commitment to helping grieving parents by enabling them to take parental bereavement leave is outlined in this policy.
2 Scope
2.1 Employees of [Company] who experience the death of a child under the age of 18 or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy are covered by the policy.
3 General principles
3.1 We acknowledge that while grieving is never easy, losing a child is one of the most traumatic experiences a person can ever go through.
3.1 Who is eligible for parental bereavement leave?
3.1.1 Whatever your length of service, you can take this type of leave if you are the parent of the child who has passed away, or the partner of the child's parent, or have parental responsibility for the child.
3.2 What leave a bereaved parent can take
3.2.1 You can take two weeks of parental bereavement leave, either as a single block of two weeks or two separate blocks of one week at different times.
3.2.2 You can take the leave at the time(s) you choose within the 56 weeks after your bereavement.
3.3 Notice to take parental bereavement leave
If you
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A parental bereavement leave policy is a set of guidelines and procedures that an employer has in place to manage employee entitlement to time off work following the death of a child or a stillbirth.
The parental bereavement leave policy outlines the amount of time an employee is entitled to take off work, the eligibility criteria for the entitlement, and any other conditions for taking leave. The policy may also specify the pay and benefits an employee is entitled to during the leave period.
The purpose of a parental bereavement leave policy is to provide support and flexibility for employees who are dealing with the difficult and distressing circumstances of the death of a child or stillbirth. By having a clear policy in place, employers can ensure that employees are aware of their entitlements and obligations and can manage staffing levels and plan for any necessary cover or arrangements during an employee's absence.
Employees who have worked for their employer for at least 26 weeks are entitled to take up to two weeks of parental bereavement leave in the event of the death of a child or a stillbirth. The leave can be taken in a single block or as two separate blocks of one week, and can be taken within 56 weeks of the child's death.
Parental Bereavement Leave Regulations 2020: Provides eligible employees with the right to take statutory leave following the death of a child.
Employment Rights Act 1996: Outlines employees' rights to time off for dependents, which can be applicable in cases of bereavement.
Equality Act 2010: Ensures fair treatment and prohibits discrimination concerning bereavement leave.
Flexible Working Regulations 2014: Allows employees to request flexible working arrangements, accommodating bereavement needs.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Regulations 1982: May apply to employees taking time off due to bereavement-related health issues.
Human Rights Act 1998: Protects employees' right to private and family life, encompassing the need for bereavement support.
Yes. This template has been designed for organisations of all sizes, including small businesses, charities and growing employers. It follows UK employment law best practice and can be adapted to suit your organisation.
Our templates are developed with UK employment legislation, Acas guidance and HR best practice in mind and are reviewed and updated as relevant requirements change. However, every employment situation is different, so the template should be adapted to the circumstances and checked against the employee's contract and your organisation's procedures before use.
Yes, we highlight the areas of the document that you need to update with your own details, and where you need to make decisions to suit your situation. This saves you time and ensures that you meet best practice.
Yes. Once purchased, you'll be able to download it instantly. Templates are provided in editable format (such as .doc or .xls) so you can customise them easily, and in PDF format for easy sharing.
If you're looking for broader support, we also offer toolkits and library bundles that include the Parental bereavement leave policy template, along with other HR templates and policies for fully managing your situation. These may be more cost-effective if you need deeper advice.
AI can produce a document quickly, but effective HR documentation needs to be more than well-written words. It needs to reflect relevant UK employment law, HR best practice, practical considerations and the circumstances in which it will be used. These resources have been professionally developed around that wider HR context, drawing on extensive practical experience, rather than simply generating a generic document from a prompt.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing absence and attendance processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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