PAID leave for council staff who have lost a child is set to be increased in Glasgow.

Currently, Glasgow City Council workers get one weeks’ paid bereavement leave if their partner, parent or child dies.

But ahead of a new law which will be introduced in April, city chiefs are planning to raise parental bereavement leave “beyond the minimum required”.

The move will see employees receive two weeks leave paid at their normal rate of pay. It will apply to parents who lose a child under the age of 18 or whose baby dies in the womb after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018 will create a statutory right to two weeks’ paid time off for parents.

It is “intended to help parents cope with the emotional implications of losing a child and to provide the additional right to pay as well as leave”, a report to councillors states. There is currently no statutory bereavement leave in the UK.

Under the new right, employees will be eligible for statutory pay if they have at least 26 weeks’ continuous service and have received pay above the lower earnings limit in the eight weeks prior to the death.

There will be a statutory flat rate – currently £148.68 per week – or 90 percent of weekly average earnings where that is lower.

Leave can be taken in one continuous two-week period or in two separate blocks. Employees will have 56 weeks from their child’s death to use the leave.

However, Glasgow City Council has outlined a preferred option which would see parents get two week on normal – not statutory – pay before the April law change despite “potential cost implications”.

“The council would bear the full cost of up to two weeks contractual pay without the statutory element of pay from the Government prior to April 2020”, the report adds.

“This option would be more aligned to the positive, good practice approach the council takes with other family leave arrangements such as maternity and shared parental leave – continuing to go beyond the minimum required by law and leading the way as a compassionate and supportive employer.”

Councillors will be asked to endorse the change with immediate effect when they meet on Thursday.