LONDON, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Working parents who lose a child under the age of 18 will get two weeks' statutory leave in Britain under new government regulations, Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom announced Thursday.
Employed parents who suffer a stillbirth from 24 weeks of pregnancy, irrespective of how long they have worked for their employer, will also have a minimum of two weeks' leave, according to the new regulations.
The Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Regulations, the first of its kind in the world, is the first of a raft of new employment reforms to make Britain "the best place in the world to work and to start a business," said a statement by Britain's Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.
Set to take effect from April, the new regulations received royal assent in 2018 and will be known as "Jack's Law" in memory of Jack Herd whose mother Lucy Herd has been campaigning for reform since her son drowned aged 23 months in 2010.
"There can be few worse experiences in life than the loss of a child and I am proud that this government is delivering 'Jack's Law', making us the first country in the world to do so," said Leadsom.
Around 7,500 child deaths, including around 3,000 stillbirths, occur in Britain every year. The government estimates that this new entitlement will help to support around 10,000 parents a year.
