Portland city employees may take bereavement leave due to a miscarriage, stillbirth or another sort of pregnancy loss including an abortion, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
OPB reported that according to the updated policy, which was unanimously approved by the city council, the leave is allowed for an abortion “irrespective of whether deemed medically necessary.”
OPB said that the policy also permits employees to take off in connection with the passing of “any individual related by close affinity” which encompasses “any person with whom the employee has a significant personal bond that is like a familial relationship.”
According to a document which appears to be the city’s new policy, a qualifying pregnancy could also be that of a partner and could even include surrogacy.
“A qualifying pregnancy is defined as the pregnancy of the employee or employee’s spouse or partner; or any pregnancy, including through surrogacy or adoption, where the employee or employee’s spouse or partner would have been parent or primary caregiver,” the document says.
“I thought it was just a clump of cells so why is it such a big deal now??” a person queried on Twitter regarding the news.
Someone on Twitter questioned, “If it isn’t a baby, what is are they bereaving?”
Another person responded to that comment and echoed the same sentiment: “That was my question. If in their mind its not a child, but a group of cells, what there to bereave?”