Big news from the retailer.
Lidl Ireland will offer employees three days compassionate leave for pregnancy loss and miscarriage.
The retailer announced the news on Wednesday, updating their compassionate leave policy to include three paid days of leave for any employee affected by pregnancy loss, including those with a surrogate mother.
Lidl has claimed they are the first company in Ireland to recognise pregnancy loss as a bereavement as part of their policy.
Deirdre Pierce McDonnell, Chairperson of the Miscarriage Association of Ireland, hoped the move would help tackle the stigma that still exists around pregnancy loss.
“The experience of early pregnancy loss and miscarriage can be deeply distressing, both emotionally and physically, and it is something that is still not commonly talked about,” she said.
“Lidl identifying the need for this change in policy and the importance of recognising the silently grieving can only be beneficial to us as a society.
“We need to remove the stigma surrounding early pregnancy loss and miscarriage, encourage a national conversation in acknowledging the isolation that our colleagues and peers experience and ultimately affect change in how we behave towards and support those affected.”
Denise White-Hughes, Head of Employee Relations for Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland added that the company wants to facilitate their employees needs “in the most sensitive and supportive way that we can.”
“The silence around pregnancy loss has forced many to cope with it alone and we want to ensure that we help to lift that silence and offer support for all those who have experienced this loss,” she said.
“There is already provision for leave for late-term pregnancy loss and miscarriage after six months, and following feedback from our colleagues, we have designed this updated policy to not only recognise a pregnancy loss and miscarriage as a bereavement but to support our colleagues who suffer this shattering loss at every stage, and equip our teams to help support those affected in a meaningful and sensitive way.”
Earlier this year, New Zealand became the first country in the world to offer paid leave for pregnancy loss and stillbirths.
UK TV network Channel 4 also made headlines last month for introducing a “world first” pregnant loss leave initiative for female and male employees.
