Labour is calling on the Government to support legislation that would provide staff up to 20 days paid leave for early miscarriage or other reproductive health related reasons.
The Bill launched by Senator Ivana Bacik yesterday “recognises a gap” in current legislation which only provides leave related to miscarriage after six months.
She said “women in the workplace are suffering in silence” because currently there is no entitlement to take paid leave, to take time off where necessary for IVF appointments or where women have suffered the trauma of early miscarriage.
Around 14,000 women in Ireland suffer a miscarriage every year.
Ms Bacik said the legislation, if passed, would be “medically mandated” so there would be a requirement to provide an employer with the “medical proofs” and to
give notice.
She added: “This Bill seeks to provide women – and men – with support in the workplace, where they are struggling with fertility or other reproductive health issues.
“If enacted, Labour’s Bill would provide an entitlement to reproductive leave of up to 20 days for women who suffer an early miscarriage, and up to 10 days leave for employees to receive treatments like IVF.”
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