Northern Ireland workers will receive up to two weeks of statutory parental bereavement leave and pay following a miscarriage. The rules apply to affected parents and partners from the first day of employment. The changes take effect on 6 April 2026.

Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald confirmed the regulations after the Assembly approved them on Tuesday. The provisions extend the Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Act of 2022. That act provided leave for the death of a child under 18 or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The policy eliminates the previous 26-week continuous employment requirement. Parents need only declare their entitlement. No medical evidence is required.

Archibald said parents who lose a child require care and compassion. She added that the leave allows women who have a miscarriage and their partners time to grieve and support each other.

Estimates indicate more than 9,000 people in Northern Ireland experience miscarriage effects each year, either directly or through a partner.

Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan welcomed Archibald's confirmation of the paid leave scheme.