Pregnancy Loss & Workers Rights

Here at the Financial Services Union, we want to support our colleagues who have experienced pregnancy loss. As a union, we have secured workplace policies addressing pregnancy loss and continue to advocate for better support for our members — both in their workplaces and in their lives.

Below, you can find resources about pregnancy loss and the workplace, guidance on how to support a colleague experiencing loss, examples of policies we have secured in workplaces, and more.

During Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, we hosted a webinar on workers’ rights and pregnancy loss. We were joined by Senator Nicole Ryan and FSU Industrial Relations Officer Caitleen Desetti. Senator Ryan has long advocated for legislation to support those affected by pregnancy loss and has also shared her own story.

The discussion explored current employment protections in Ireland, proposed legislative changes, and how workplaces can become more compassionate and inclusive. Whether you’re passionate about advancing workers’ rights in this area, navigating your own journey, or advocating for others, the webinar provides a safe space to learn, connect, and empower.

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Pregnancy Loss and the Workplace: A Toolkit for Employers and Employees This toolkit is designed to support: Employers: by offering a framework and practical resources to help you create a workplace-specific pregnancy loss policy, ensuring compassionate and effective support for employees during what can be a deeply emotional and traumatic experience. Employees who have experienced pregnancy loss: by providing clear information about workplace rights and offering guidance to help you navigate your professional life following a pregnancy loss. Colleagues: by helping you understand the impact of pregnancy loss and equipping you with the knowledge to offer meaningful support to co-workers who may be going through this experience. Published by: Pregnancy Loss Research Group You can find further supports on the Pregnancy Loss Research Group website: Workplace resources \| University College Cork
Rights and Financial Benefits Many bereaved families experience financial strain — this guide outlines the supports you may be entitled to claim. You can find out more through Féileacáin. Published by: Féileacáin
Miscarriage and the Workplace An overall guide to employment rights and supports in the United Kingdom. Published by: Miscarriage Association UK
Pregnancy Loss: Having Open Conversations in the Workplace A short guide to your rights in Northern Ireland and general awareness for colleagues. Published by: Informing Choices NI
Words at Work: Experiences of Pregnancy Loss in the Workplace (up to 23 weeks) The Pregnancy Loss Research Group has gathered these words to illuminate pregnancy loss at work. Each text in the book is a direct quotation from a person with experience of pregnancy loss who participated in the PLACES Project. Words at Work is available in electronic and printed formats. Published by: Pregnancy Loss Research Group
Grief in the Workplace: Supporting a Colleague You can play an important role — along with family, friends and your employer — in helping a bereaved colleague find their way through the grieving process. Support from colleagues and the workplace can make a difficult situation less painful. Published by: Irish Hospice Foundation

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Pregnancy and Infant Loss Ireland A directory of support services and information for both bereaved parents and healthcare professionals.	https://pregnancyandinfantloss.ie/
HSE — Pregnancy Loss Information on how pregnancy can go wrong and where you can access the support you need.	https://www2.hse.ie/pregnancy-birth/pregnancy-loss/
The Miscarriage Association of Ireland A registered charity run by women and men who have experienced the loss of a baby through miscarriage. The Association offers telephone and email support to bereaved parents, holds monthly peer-to-peer support group meetings, organises an annual service of remembrance, keeps books of remembrance, and places memorial stones throughout the country. Information resources are widely distributed via the website and Facebook page.	https://miscarriage.ie/
The Miscarriage Association of Northern Ireland Miscarriage can be a deeply frightening and lonely experience, one that many people go through feeling unsupported or unseen. At the Miscarriage Association, we acknowledge the heartbreak of pregnancy loss and strive to make a positive difference for everyone affected by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and molar pregnancy.	https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/about-us/the-charity/
Féileacáin (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Support) Founded in 2009 by a group of bereaved parents, Féileacáin offers support to anyone affected by the death of a baby around the time of birth. It is now the national charity supporting families affected by perinatal loss. Féileacáin is a not-for-profit organisation and receives no central government funding, relying instead on the support of the community and the families who use its services.	https://feileacain.ie/
Little Forget Me Nots Trust The Little Forget Me Nots Trust is led by people who understand that grief is personal, community matters, and real support takes time. The Trust is a small but deeply committed team of parents, professionals, creatives and community builders who share a single goal: to make it easier for families to ask for help after the loss of a baby or child. Its work is guided by lived experience, trauma-informed care, and the belief that healing happens in safe, honest spaces.	https://littleforgetmenotstrust.com/
Citizens Information The Citizens Information website provides comprehensive details on public services and the entitlements of citizens in Ireland. It gathers information from various government departments and agencies and presents it in an easy-to-understand way.	https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth-family-relationships/miscarriage-and-stillbirth/bereavement-and-childbirth/
Pregnancy Loss Research Group The group leads national research to better understand pregnancy loss experiences and impacts, and develops evidence-based advice and interventions to improve healthcare quality and health and social outcomes for women, babies, and their families.	https://www.ucc.ie/en/pregnancyloss
A Little Lifetime Foundation (Formerly ISANDS — Irish Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society.) Founded in 1983 by a group of bereaved parents seeking support after their baby died. A Little Lifetime Foundation understands the profound impact of such loss and is dedicated to providing compassionate assistance to those who need it.	https://www.alittlelifetime.ie/