A new bill has been introduced in the Senate aiming to provide paid leave for individuals coping with pregnancy loss. Senator Lily Anderson (D-Calif.) presented the “Support Through Loss Act,” seeking to grant families the necessary time to mourn the loss of a child without the added stress of work obligations. Representative Jamie Thompson (D-N.Y.) is co-sponsoring the bill. If enacted, the legislation would offer a minimum of three days of paid leave following a miscarriage, unsuccessful in vitro fertilization, failed adoption, or surrogacy arrangement, as well as medical diagnoses affecting fertility.
Earlier this year, New Zealand set a precedent by unanimously passing a similar policy that allows parents three days of paid bereavement leave for miscarriages.
“Every family copes with pregnancy loss differently, and they deserve the chance to address it properly. People need time to mourn,” Anderson stated in an interview with Healthline. “Some may wish to grieve, while others might need space to regroup and strategize for the future. The essential factor is time.”
Anderson shared her own journey with infertility, recounting the heartbreak of multiple failed IVF attempts. “It was particularly devastating to experience a miscarriage while campaigning for office, without the opportunity to take time to heal,” she reflected.
Currently, the United States lacks a national mandate for paid bereavement leave. Parents facing the loss of a child can apply for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave, but this typically offers unpaid time off, making it inaccessible for many families. Additionally, there is no requirement for paid leave following the birth or adoption of a child unless covered by unpaid FMLA, which allows for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, subject to various conditions like employment duration and company size.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, an estimated 26% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, and up to 10% of clinically recognized pregnancies, not including other losses that this proposed bill would address.
Should the Support Through Loss Act be approved, it would also designate $45 million annually to the National Institutes of Health for research initiatives focused on pregnancy loss.
For further information, you can check out this related post that goes into more detail about pregnancy loss here. Additionally, if you’re looking for reliable signs of infertility, this resource is very informative. For statistics on infertility, the CDC website is an excellent resource.
Summary:
A new bill introduced by Senator Lily Anderson aims to provide families with paid leave for pregnancy loss, offering three days off for individuals dealing with miscarriages, unsuccessful IVF attempts, or fertility-related medical issues. This legislation responds to the emotional needs of families navigating such difficult experiences.