[New Zealand] Paid leave after miscarriage and stillbirth for women and their partners

On March 24, New Zealand's parliament approved a bill - by a unanimous vote - that will allow mothers and their partners three days of paid bereavement leave if they experience a miscarriage or stillbirth, USA Today reports.

The bill extends bereavement leave to women who lose a child at any point during their pregnancy and it includes their partners. The bill also provides the same leave for parents who are hoping to adopt or have a child through surrogacy.

During the final reading of the bill, Ginny Andersen - its primary sponsor - explained that the legislation allows women and their partners to avoid using sick leave "at a time when they are dealing with extreme loss."

"The grief that comes with miscarriage is not a sickness; it is a loss, and that loss takes time; time to recover physically and time to recover mentally," Ms Andersen said. (Link via original reporting)

In  a tweet celebrating the bill's passage, Ms Andersen - a Labour Party member - wrote that she was "proud to have made a change for good."

Barbara Kuriger - a member of the National Party - said that annually around 20,000 women in New Zealand have a miscarriage or stillbirth. "This is something that many women would be going through every day," she said.

Although some employers in New Zealand already have their own policies providing bereavement leave under these circumstances, not all do, Ms Kuriger said.

The bill applies to both known and unknown pregnancies and women will not be required to provide proof of their pregnancy to employers. The bill does not, however, apply to abortions, Ms Kuriger said. USA Today has further coverage of the story.

On March 24, New Zealand's parliament approved a bill - by a unanimous vote - that will allow mothers and their partners three days of paid bereavement leave if they experience a miscarriage or stillbirth, USA Today reports.

The bill extends bereavement leave to women who lose a child at any point during their pregnancy and it includes their partners. The bill also provides the same leave for parents who are hoping to adopt or have a child through surrogacy.

During the final reading of the bill, Ginny Andersen - its primary sponsor - explained that the legislation allows women and their partners to avoid using sick leave "at a time when they are dealing with extreme loss."

"The grief that comes with miscarriage is not a sickness; it is a loss, and that loss takes time; time to recover physically and time to recover mentally," Ms Andersen said. (Link via original reporting)

In  a tweet celebrating the bill's passage, Ms Andersen - a Labour Party member - wrote that she was "proud to have made a change for good."

Barbara Kuriger - a member of the National Party - said that annually around 20,000 women in New Zealand have a miscarriage or stillbirth. "This is something that many women would be going through every day," she said.

Although some employers in New Zealand already have their own policies providing bereavement leave under these circumstances, not all do, Ms Kuriger said.

The bill applies to both known and unknown pregnancies and women will not be required to provide proof of their pregnancy to employers. The bill does not, however, apply to abortions, Ms Kuriger said. USA Today has further coverage of the story.