Online bank Monzo has introduced additional paid leave for employees who suffer pregnancy loss, or are undergoing fertility treatments, diagnosis or consultations.
As part of its drive to safeguard the mental health of its workforce, it is allowing those who suffer pregnancy loss – including but not limited to stillbirth, miscarriage and abortion – to take up to 10 days’ additional paid leave on top of their annual leave entitlement.
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Policy on supporting employees affected by miscarriage or stillbirth
Is an employee who suffers a miscarriage eligible to receive statutory maternity pay?
The policy will also be applied to partners and surrogate mothers, in recognition of the fact that pregnancy loss does not only affect women or heterosexual partners.
Eight days of additional paid leave is also on offer to staff who are undergoing fertility treatment, diagnosis or consultations. This will give them time to rest after a procedure, recover from the emotional effects of treatment, or attend appointments and scans.
An employee support group has been set up for staff experiencing fertility treatment, while additional mental health support is available for all employees trying to become parents through mental health first aid, sick leave days for mental health, an employee assistance programme and a mental health Slack channel.
Monzo, which has around 1,600 employees, said the number of parents at the organisation has increased by 7% since 2018.
Last month, Channel 4 said it had implemented what it believed was the world’s first dedicated pregnancy loss policy. Its policy includes two weeks’ paid leave, paid leave for medical appointments, flexible working and an array of resources including medical support, counselling and a buddy scheme to support those returning to work after losing a pregnancy.
Alex Mahon, Channel 4 CEO said: “At Channel 4 we recognise that the loss of a pregnancy, no matter the circumstances, can be a form of grief that can have a lasting emotional and physical impact on the lives of many women and their partners.
“Our dedicated policy by [gender quality staff network] 4Women will help confront a subject that remains taboo whilst providing Channel 4’s employees with vital tools and support. We hope that by giving away this pioneering policy we’re able to encourage other organisations to do the same”.
According to the Miscarriage Association, one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage and one in every 200 births in the UK each year is classed as stillborn.
Since April 2020, every parent who suffers a stillbirth or the death of a child has the right to two weeks’ paid leave under the Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Regulations.
