Parents of stillborn babies to get up to 12 months’ leave instead of just six weeks
Parents of stillborn babies will be able to take up to a year’s unpaid leave instead of only six weeks. It’s “monumental”, this mum, who lost her first child, says.
NSW
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Parents of stillborn babies will be able to take up to a year’s unpaid leave instead of only six weeks.
Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter said the federal government understood how devastating losing a child could be and that many parents needed more time before returning to work.
“That is why we want to increase the entitlement for those who’ve experienced a stillbirth or infant death to a maximum of 12 months — the same amount of unpaid leave parents of healthy babies can access,” Mr Porter said.
The law change, which covers all workplaces, was the first recommendation of a bipartisan Senate inquiry which reported just over a year ago.
The most recent official data shows there were 2115 stillbirths and 751 infant deaths in 2016.
Labor’s Kristina Keneally, whose daughter Caroline was stillborn in 1999, welcomed the reform.
“We must do everything to support families through the devastation of such heartbreak,” she said.
Liberal Jim Molan, who was on the committee that recommended the change to the Fair Work Act, said it takes years for families to recover from stillbirth — if ever.
The NSW senator’s daughter Sarah delivered a stillborn baby in 2007.
“The least we can do for mothers is give them the same entitlement as mothers who can take their babies home,” he said.
Stillbirth Foundation CEO Leigh Brezler said the change was “much-needed”.
“This decision is both the fair thing to do and the right thing to do,” Ms Brezler said.
Gladesville mother Jacqui Bruyn, whose son Beau was stillborn in 2017, said the leave reform was “monumental”.
“It finally will recognise the pain and suffering that stillborn parents go through,” she said. “In the past there hasn’t be a great understanding of what this traumatic loss does to parents — and we do see ourselves as parents.”
Ms Bruyn, who advocates and fundraises for the foundation, said among the parents she knew who’d had stillborn babies, a majority had to go back to work before they wanted to.
“This just gives protection for people, in terms of job security,” she said.
For parents of premature babies, or babies that experience birth-related complications that lead to immediate hospitalisation, the government will also remove a barrier that prevents going back to work and restarting leave when their baby is ready to go home.
The Daily Telegraph understands the legislation set to deliver both changes will also improve bereavement payments.
The draft legislation will be released for consultation in coming weeks.
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