It’s Time for Workplace Policies to Catch Up to the Reality of Miscarriage
BBC Global Women recently highlighted an important gap in workplace care for pregnancy loss. Miscarriage care is an essential but often overlooked part of reproductive healthcare. A recent social post from BBC Global Women shared that while miscarriage is common, workplace support isn’t. Northern Ireland recently became the first country in the UK to give a woman and her partner two weeks of paid leave if they experienced a miscarriage at any stage of pregnancy. The post shared that around 9,000 employees are estimated to be affected by miscarriage every year.
Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald shared: "Miscarriage is a very personal and profound loss. It's important that women and their families are supported through such a difficult period, and that they get support in their workplace,” she added. Only a small number of countries have any policies in place or measures in place to support employees going through a pregnancy loss. According to a study on workplace support for early pregnancy loss, New Zealand introduced three days of paid bereavement leave for women and their partners who have experienced a miscarriage, followed shortly by the Australian Government with an amendment to the Fair Work Act of 2009, which provides two days of compassionate leave for those experiencing a pregnancy loss under 20 weeks of gestation. The BBC Global shared on their post that women in the Philippines are entitled to 60 days of leave in the event of a miscarriage.
Germany recently also introduced legislation to support women and their families. India has been a global leader, introducing legislation in 1961 providing 6 weeks off to women who have had a miscarriage. Other countries with specific pregnancy loss policies include South Africa, Indonesia, and Uganda. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, about 10 in 100 known pregnancies end in miscarriage. Even so, the U.S. does not have an official pregnancy loss policy in place or paid maternity leave. All that is available to employees is the Family and Medical Leave Act, which allows up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for serious health conditions.While measures of support are needed from a federal level, training employers on how to support colleagues who have experienced a miscarriage is also needed. Some groups working to advocate for workplace support for pregnancy loss include: Pink Elephants Workplace Support Program, The Lily Mae Foundation, and Pregnant@Work. Pink Elephants Workplace Support program offers learning for leaders and clear policy resources. The Lily Mae Foundation trains managers and HR professionals to better support their employees. Pregnant at Work is a project of the Centre for WorkLife Law that provides tools for employees and employers regarding pregnancy-related accommodations and legal rights.
Workplace support should not be the exception; it should be the baseline. Policies, training, and awareness are not just benefits; they are acknowledgments of a reality that many employees experience, often in silence. The gap in care is clear. Closing this gap will require stronger policies at the government level and more intentional support from employers.
Written by Hannah Lacy
Bio: Hannah Lacy is a digital content strategist with over seven years of experience in marketing and social media, and more than a decade of experience as a freelance writer contributing to various publications. A working mother of two school-aged children, she writes at the intersection of ambition and parenthood, with a passion for storytelling, advocating for working moms, and partnering with mission-driven brands and organisations.
