Additional leave provisions for bereavement, miscarriage and fertility treatment

The Council has a statutory duty to screen. This includes our strategies, plans, policies, legislative developments; and new ways of working such as the introduction, change or end of an existing service, grant funding arrangement or facility. This screening template is designed to help departments consider the likely equality impacts of their proposed decisions on different groups of customers, service users, staff and visitors.

Before carrying out an equality screening exercise it is important that you have received the necessary training first. To find out about the training needed or any other queries on screening, contact the Equality and Diversity Officer Lorraine Dennis on extension 6027 or Lisa McKee on extension 6310 or by email [email protected].

The accompanying Screening Guidance note provides straightforward advice on how to carry out equality screening exercises. Detailed information about the Section 75 equality duties and what they mean in practice is available on the Equality Commission’s website.

The screening template has 4 sections to complete. These are:

Section A - provides details about the policy or decision that is being screened
Section B – gives information on the consultation process, supporting evidence gathered and has 4 key questions outlining the likely impacts on all equality groups.
Section C - has 4 key questions in relation to obligations under the Disability Discrimination Order
Section D - is the formal record of the screening decision.

Section A

Details about the policy or decision to be screened

1. Title of policy or decision to be screened:-

Additional leave provisions for bereavement, miscarriage and fertility treatment

2. Brief description of policy or decision to be screened:-

(Explain - Is this a new, revised or existing policy? Are there financial, legislative or procurement implications?)

On 19 August 2022, SP&R Committee agreed that the Council consult with the Trades Unions on the proposed enhanced leave arrangements as follows:

Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay

To award 10 consecutive days bereavement leave, not solely in the case of a child under 18, but for the death of a close relative;
To award 10 consecutive days full pay, not statutory pay, as a day one right with no qualifying service required; and
To award 1 days paid leave to attend the funeral of an extended family member

Paid Leave for Miscarriage

To treat miscarriage as a bereavement and offer 10 days’ bereavement leave on full pay to employees who suffer a miscarriage as a day one right.

Fertility Treatment Leave

To award 10 days full paid leave following any unsuccessful IVF treatment to employees who have undergone IVF treatment, as a day one right, in addition to the paid time off for medical appointments that already exists.

Consultations began with the trade unions and on 15 December 2022, the following more favourable provision were agreed at JNCC:

Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay

Award 10 consecutive days’ bereavement leave, not solely in the case of a child under 18, including the case of still birth for the partner, or the death of a close relative(1), or for those who have sole responsibility for the funeral arrangements.

Award 10 consecutive days’ full pay, not statutory pay, as a day one right with no qualifying service required.

Award 1 days paid leave to attend the funeral of an extended family member (2)

The definition of a close relative is a “spouse, civil partner, mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, stepdaughter, stepson, stepmother, stepfather, stepbrother or stepsister”. There may be exceptional circumstances where the 10 days could be awarded outside of the above ‘close relative’ definition’ e.g. for the death of a grandparent when the employee was brought up by their grandparents.
The definition of an extended family member is grandparent, grandchild, mother or father-in-law, daughter or son-in-law.”

Paid Leave for Miscarriage

Treat miscarriage as a bereavement and offer 10 days’ bereavement leave on full pay to employees who suffer a miscarriage as a day one right.

Offer 3 days’ bereavement leave to an employee who is the partner or surrogate parents for someone who had a miscarriage.

Fertility Treatment Leave:

Award 10 days full paid leave following any unsuccessful IVF treatment to employees who have undergone IVF treatment, as a day one right in addition to the paid time off for medical appointments that already exists

Offer 3 days’ leave to an employee who is the partner or surrogate parents for someone who had unsuccessful IVF treatment.

3. Aims and objectives of the policy or decision to be screened

(What is the policy trying to achieve?)

To introduce more favourable leave provisions as outlined above in the case of bereavement, fertility treatment and miscarriage.

4. On whom will the policy or decision impact?

Consider the internal and external impacts (both actual or potential) and explain:

Staff: Yes
Service users: No
Other public sector organizations: No
Voluntary, community groups or trade unions: Yes
Others, specify: No

5. Are there linkages to other Agencies or Departments?

Section B

Information on the consultation process, supporting evidence gathered and has 4 key questions outlining the likely impacts for equality and good relations

6. Outline consultation process planned or achieved

Consultations have taken place with the trade unions and agreement has been reached on the additional provisions through JNCC on 15 December 2022.

7. Available evidence

What evidence or information (both qualitative and quantitative) have you gathered to inform this policy? Set out all evidence below to help inform your screening assessment.

It is important to record information gathered from a variety of sources such as: monitoring information; complaints; research surveys; consultation exercises from other public authorities.

Section 75 category	Likely impact?	Level of impact? Minor, Major or None
Religious belief	None	None
Political opinion	None	None
Racial group	None	None
Age	None	None
Marital status	None	None
Sexual orientation	None	None
Men and women generally	Introducing such proposals should have a positive equality impact as more favourable terms are being offered to employees in the case of bereavement, miscarriage and IVF.	Minor
Disability	None	None
Dependants	Introducing such proposals should have a positive equality impact as more favourable terms are being offered to employees in the case of bereavement, miscarriage and IVF.	Minor

8. What is the likely impact (indicate if the policy impact is positive or negative) on equality of opportunity for those affected by this policy, for each of the Section 75 equality categories? What is the level of impact?

Section 75 category	If Yes, provide details	If No, provide reasons
Religious belief	None	This policy is unlikely to have any impact on any particular religious group.
Political opinion	None	This policy is unlikely to have any impact on any group of employees identified as having a particular political opinion.
Racial group	None	This policy is unlikely to have any impact on any particular racial group.
Age	None	This policy is unlikely to have any impact on any particular age group
Marital status	None	This policy is unlikely to have any impact on any group of employees identified as having a particular marital status.
Sexual orientation	None	This policy is unlikely to have any impact on any group of employees identified as having a particular sexual orientation.
Men and women generally	Minor. Positive. More favourable terms are being offered to employees in the case of bereavement, miscarriage and IVF
Disability	None	This policy is unlikely to have any impact on any group of employees identified as having a disability.
Dependants	Minor. Positive. More favourable terms are being offered to employees in the case of bereavement, miscarriage and IVF.

9. Are there opportunities to better promote equality of opportunity for people within the Section 75 equalities categories?

Section 75 category	If Yes, provide details	If No, provide reasons
Religious belief		No
Political opinion		No
Racial group		No
Age		No
Marital status		No
Sexual orientation		No
Men and women generally	More favourable terms are being offered to employees in the case of bereavement, miscarriage and IVF
Disability		No
Dependants	More favourable terms are being offered to employees in the case of bereavement, miscarriage and IVF.

10.To what extent is the policy likely to impact (positive or negatively) on good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group? What is the level of impact?

Good relations category	Likely impact?	Level of impact? Minor, Major or None
Religious belief	None	None
Political opinion	None	None
Racial group	None	None

11. Are there opportunities to better promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group?

Good relations category	If Yes, provide details	If No, provide reasons
Religious belief	None	None
Political opinion	None	None
Racial group	None	None

Section C

Belfast City Council also has legislative obligations to meet under the Disability Discrimination Order and Questions 12-13 relate to these two areas.

Consideration of Disability Duties

12. Does this proposed policy or decision provide an opportunity for the Council to better promote positive attitudes towards disabled people?

13. Does this proposed policy or decision provide an opportunity to actively increase the participation by disabled people in public life?

No – these procedures are intended as internal documents for the managing of matters which are discreet to council employees.

14. Multiple Identities. Provide details of data on the impact of the policy with multiple identities

Specify relevant Section 75 categories concerned.

None

15. Monitoring Arrangements

Section 75 places a requirement the Council to have equality monitoring arrangements in place in order to assess the impact of policies and services etc; and to help identify barriers to fair participation and to better promote equality of opportunity.

Outline what data you will collect in the future in order to monitor the impact of this policy or decision on equality, good relations and disability duties.

Equality	Good Relations	Disability Duties
Data will be collected and complaints will be monitored	Data will be collected and complaints will be monitored	Data will be collected and complaints will be monitored

Section D

Formal Record of Screening Decision

Title of Proposed Policy or Decision being screened

Additional leave provisions for bereavement, miscarriage and fertility treatment.

I can confirm that the proposed policy or decision has been screened for –

equality of opportunity and good relations
disabilities duties

On the basis of the answers to the screening questions, I recommend that this policy or decision is –

*Screened Out – No EQIA necessary (no impacts)

No adverse impacts have been identified by this screening for any of the Section 75 groups and more favourable terms and conditions will be available to all employees

Screening assessment completed by (Officer level) -

Name: Sharon Steele

Department: City and Organisational Strategy

Date: 22 December 2022

Screening decision approved by -

Name: Christine Sheridan

Department: City and Organisational Strategy

Date: 22 December 2022

Save the final version of the completed screening form and forward to the Equality and Diversity Officer – [email protected]. The screening form will be placed on the BCC website and a link provided to the Council’s Section 75 consultees.

For more information about equality screening contact –

Lorraine Dennis

Equality and Diversity Officer (job-share)

Belfast City Council

City Hall

Belfast

BT1 5GS

Telephone: 028 90270511

Email: [email protected]

Footnotes

[Footnote 1] http://www.equalityni.org/archive/pdf/S75GuideforPublicAuthoritiesApril2010.pdf