Leave for grieving parents extended to 20 days in Portugal

The president of Portugal has signed the extension of parental mourning from five to 20 consecutive days, ending a legislative process initiated by a petition that had generated a broad consensus among the parties.

Approved by parliament in a final vote on 26 November, the law was based on nine draft laws by different parties.

The new legislation amends article 251 of the Labour Code, increasing absences “due to the death of a descendant in the 1st degree of the direct line” from five to 20 consecutive days.

In the case of the “death of a spouse not separated from people and property or of a relative or relative in the ascending first degree of the direct line”, the five consecutive days of absence are maintained, as well as “in the case of the death of a person living in a common-law marriage or common economy with the employee”.

The legislative amendment also provides that “in situations of the death of descendants or next of kin in the 1st degree of direct line”, parents have “the right to request psychological support from the National Health Service”.

This right is also extended to situations of “death of close relatives such as spouses and parents”.

In addition to parental bereavement, some draft bills proposed amendments to extend the period of mourning in the case of the death of another relative, or even in situations of miscarriage, which were not included in the final text.

The origin of the legal change is a petition launched by Acreditar – Association of Parents and Friends of Children with Cancer, with the slogan “The mourning of a life in five days”, considering that the five days provided by law were “clearly insufficient” for parents who lose a child, facing a pain that lasts “a lifetime”.

The petition gathered thousands of signatures in just a few days and was delivered to parliament on 12 October.

(Tiago Almeida, Lusa.pt)