Purpose
This (Company Name) policy exists to recognize miscarriage as a significant physical and emotional loss and to ensure that employees experiencing pregnancy loss are treated with dignity, compassion, and adequate support. Miscarriage is a medical event and a personal trauma. No employee should be expected to work through it, hide it, or classify it as ordinary "sick leave."
Scope
This policy applies to:
All full-time, part-time, and contract employees
Employees who experience miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or pregnancy loss at any stage Partners of employees who experience pregnancy loss
Definition
For the purpose of this policy, pregnancy loss includes:
- Miscarriage
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Medically necessary termination due to health risk or fetal complications
Miscarriage Leave Entitlement
Primary Employee (person experiencing the loss)
Eligible employees are entitled to:
10 working days of paid Miscarriage Leave, separate from sick leave, annual leave, or unpaid leave.
This leave may be taken:
- Consecutively or intermittently
- Immediately following the loss or at a later time, as needed
Partner Leave
Partners are entitled to:
5 working days of paid Partner Support Leave to provide care and support.
Additional Flexibility
Upon return to work, employees may request:
- Temporary remote work
- Reduced hours or flexible schedule
- Adjusted workload or responsibilities for up to 8 weeks following the loss.
Confidentiality & Privacy
All information related to pregnancy loss must be treated as strictly confidential.
Managers and HR may not disclose details without explicit employee consent.
Employees are not required to provide detailed medical explanations.
A basic medical confirmation note (if requested) is sufficient.
Manager & HR Responsibilities
Managers and HR teams must:
- Respond with empathy and respect
- Avoid intrusive questions
- Never pressure employees to return early
- Ensure workload coverage without penalizing the employee
- Offer available mental health or counseling resources
Protection from Discrimination
Employees taking Miscarriage Leave are fully protected from:
- Performance penalties
- Missed promotion considerations
- Negative evaluations
- Job insecurity
No adverse action may be taken based on this leave.
Communication Guidelines
Managers should acknowledge the loss simply and kindly:
"I'm very sorry for your loss. Please take the time you need. We're here to support you." Avoid minimizing language such as:
- "At least it was early"
- "You can try again"
- "Everything happens for a reason"
Implementation
This policy becomes effective upon internal adoption and must be communicated to all employees and leadership.
Annual training on compassionate leave practices is recommended.
Review & Updates
This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure continued alignment with employee needs and best practices in workplace care.