Lawmakers back bereavement extension for parents who lose children to suicide, murder

[April 28, 2023]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers are pushing for a measure that ensures employees more unpaid leave if the employee experiences the loss of a child by suicide or homicide to pass through the House.

The Illinois Senate passed Senate Bill 2034 in late March. It provides that depending on the size of the parent's employer, that parent could receive 6 to 12 extra weeks of bereavement time after their child's death if they died of suicide or homicide.

State Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, spoke before reporters on Wednesday to get the word out on the measure before it is scheduled to be heard in the House.

Villa said the bill is tailored to parents who've gone through traumatic incidents.

"This legislation attempts to offer support to families who are grieving by allowing them the proper time to themselves to mourn their loss," Villa said. "Senate Bill 2034 creates the Zacharys Parent Protection Act, also known as the Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act."

State Sen. Maurice West, D-Rockford, spoke about the measure and said no parent should be at risk of losing their job after losing a child.

"I have connected with parents after losing a child and, in turn, losing their job because their performance levels weren't up to par because they were still grieving," West said. "No parent should have the opportunity to bury a child, so we should take further precautions and extend further resources to the parents who do."

Illinois state Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago
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The Family Bereavement Act offers parents and other family members up to 10 days of unpaid leave. Under Villa's measure, the leave would be extended to 12 weeks of unpaid if that person works for a company with more than 250 full-time employees and six days for those with fewer than 250 full-time employees.

During the March Senate debates, arguments focused on parents who have lost a child due to other reasons.

State Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, asked why these instances are not included in the legislation.

"So a child's death related to a car accident, a bike accident, situations ... where two children died riding bikes, children dying of cancer or other terminal illness. Those are not included within the bereavement," Tracy said.

State Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, said many smaller businesses under the qualified number of employees would be excluded from this benefit, even if they lose a child to suicide or homicide.

"If you have a child that dies by homicide or suicide, some of you get this benefit, and some of you don't," Plummer said. "So, as the sponsor of the legislation, my question to you is why do some employees get this benefit, and why do some employees not get this benefit."

The measure awaits further action from the House.

Andrew Hensel reports on issues in Chicago and Statewide. He has been with The Center Square News since April of 2021 and was previously with The Joliet Slammers.