Don't cancel maternity leave for women who experience infant death, or still birth.

My daughter Priya was born prematurely at 24 weeks and 6 days. She passed away tragically six weeks after birth due to a condition unrelated to her prematurity. 

Five days later I informed the company I worked for, of my baby's passing. I had worked there for eleven years. They cancelled my maternity leave and informed me via text message soon after, giving me just one month of personal leave. I did not even get leave for the full six weeks my daughter was alive. Even when I asked if I could get at least 6 weeks leave, for the time she was alive, I was ignored with no response. 

Sadly this is legal and Fair Work Australia told me there was nothing they could do about the cancelling of my maternity leave. Legally employers can cancel paid maternity leave, even though they cannot cancel unpaid leave, in the event of infant death or still birth.

The law needs to change. My husband who is a teacher under the NSW industrial system got three months paid paternity leave, whilst I was back at work. This shows that different humane workplace laws are possible. These should be extended nationally to the federal industrial relations system.

We are calling on the Federal Australian government to make it illegal for employers to cancel paid maternity leave which had been approved, in the event of infant death or still birth.

To contact Priya's Mum and Priya's Dad email priyaspetition@gmail.com