Extra leave for council staff dealing with miscarriage or IVF treatment

Councillors have today (Tuesday) agreed to support staff and their partners who suffer the distress of miscarriage whether they conceive naturally or by IVF by providing 10 days paid leave.

IVF support also

 At the full Council meeting today, elected members also agreed to extend paid leave to employees having IVF treatment. The new arrangements also cover partners employed by the council.

A supportive work environment

Midlothian Council Leader Councillor Kelly Parry said: “The pain of miscarriage impacts countless lives: one in four pregnancies will result in this reality.

Flexible working

“Having IVF treatment can also take its toll both physically and emotionally, which  is why we want to create a supportive work environment by showing flexibility.

Making sure managers know how to help

“We are also committing to the Miscarriage Associations’ Pregnancy Loss Standard by making sure we understand and implement the rules around pregnancy-related leave. We will have clear guidance in place and make sure line managers can access resources to help people in their team dealing with miscarriage or IVF treatment.”