Amsterdam introduces bereavement leave after early pregnancy loss
During the city council meeting of 9 July 2025, Juliet Broersen (Volt) submitted a motion together with the Labour Party (PvdA) to grant parents the right to paid bereavement leave after a miscarriage before 24 weeks. With this proposal, Amsterdam can lead the way in the Netherlands in recognising early pregnancy loss and giving grieving parents the support they deserve.
“Parents deserve time and support to grieve after a miscarriage.” - Juliet Broersen
Around one in five pregnancies ends prematurely, yet statutory leave is only available after 24 weeks. As a result, parents are often forced to call in sick while coping with bleeding, physical recovery, and profound grief. The current system effectively says: your loss only counts later. We believe that is unacceptable.
With our motion, we are asking the municipal executive to establish three days of paid bereavement leave for both mothers and partners, and to immediately inform managers that they can grant this leave. In doing so, we follow positive examples from abroad: New Zealand introduced three days of paid leave in 2021, Belgium offers civil servants two days, and the United Kingdom has also increasingly recognised the importance of time and space to grieve. By leading the way as the capital city, we hope to inspire other municipalities and the national government to take action.
Volt stands for a government that trusts people and keeps rules simple. Bereavement leave prevents parents from having to hide their grief behind a sick note, reduces stress, and can help lower the risk of anxiety and depression. By taking this step, we normalise the conversation around miscarriage, break the taboo, and build a more inclusive city where work and wellbeing are in balance.
By taking this step, we make it easier to combine work and wellbeing, normalise conversations about miscarriage, and show that progressive policy can start at the local level.
In the news:
https://www.kekmama.nl/artikel/nieuws/vroeg-zwangerschapsverlies-amsterdam-rouwverlof
https://www.linda.nl/nieuws/binnenland/gemeente-amsterdam-rouwverlof-miskraam/
https://www.kekmama.nl/artikel/nieuws/vroeg-zwangerschapsverlies-amsterdam-rouwverlof