Australia has moved to strengthen workplace protections for grieving parents, with Parliament passing Baby Priya’s Bill, an amendment to the Fair Work Act that guarantees maternity leave entitlements for those who experience stillbirth or infant loss.
The change follows a powerful grassroots campaign that began with “Baby Priya’s Petition”, started by a Sydney mother after her employer cancelled her approved maternity leave following the death of her six-week-old daughter, Priya. Her petition, which drew more than 32,000 signatures and widespread national attention, called for empathy and fairness in workplace policy — and it has now reshaped federal law.
Under the changes to the Fair Work Act, employers will no longer be allowed to cut short or cancel maternity leave when a parent loses a child. The amendment gives families time to grieve without worrying about losing their job or benefits — a protection many say was long overdue.
The bill drew rare unity in Parliament, with Labor, Liberal and Greens members all backing the move. Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth said the reform was about “basic decency at work” and ensuring compassion is built into workplace law, not left to chance.
The legislation has been especially welcomed in sectors such as early childhood education and care (ECEC), where empathy and family-centred values sit at the heart of daily work. Many educators say it finally recognises that those who nurture others deserve the same empathy when they face loss of their own.
For workplaces everywhere, Baby Priya’s Bill is more than a legal update — it’s a message. It asks employers to see their people as human first and reminds everyone that fairness isn’t only about policy; it’s also about kindness when it’s needed most.
'Baby Priya’s Bill' passes: Australian law now protects grieving parents’ maternity leave
