Miscarriage Leave: Meet the UK company implementing this uniquely supportive policy

Miscarriage is mentally, physically and emotionally taxing for anybody experiencing it. Many women choose to approach the topic of their pregnancy with their employer at a later stage, but it becomes all the more sensitive with a sudden and unexpected loss. Sharing the news with a manager can add to the already terrible stress when the unimaginable happens.

In a very compassionate move, one UK-based company introduced a generous policy to give staff members up to six weeks of paid leave in case of a miscarriage. Buy-to-let mortgage lender Landbay brought in the policy several years ago when their HR Director, Naomi Braisby, returned from maternity leave after a challenging pregnancy. Upon reflection of her experience and the support she received from her employer, she wanted to formalise a policy that supported women through the tragic loss of a pregnancy.

The company, known for its supportive workplace culture, won the Best Companies 'Best Mid-Sized Company in London' in 2022 and eighth in the UK for the Financial Services industry. The honour was partly due to their innovative policy that supports women through miscarriage, allowing them time to recover without using their sick leave. It also goes far above and beyond short compassionate leave allowances.

The allowance for time off is dependent on the stage of pregnancy where the miscarriage took place, acknowledging that after 24 weeks gestation, the baby would be considered stillborn and the mother legally entitled to maternity leave. As a general rule, the full six-week entitlement is offered by Landbay after 20 weeks gestation, and two weeks leave is provided if the miscarriage occurs between 12 and 20 weeks with discretion used in case-by-case circumstances. Braisby and her team also introduced an Employee Assistance Programme and Wellbeing Leave for all staff as additional support in difficult times.

Landbay have shown a clear commitment to wellbeing through their miscarriage leave policy. By offering leave and additional support through an employee assistance programme, they have gone above and beyond their statutory requirements and created an inclusive culture within their workplace that supports women.