Ireland: paid fertility leave for Lidl employees

On 25 April, the Irish subsidiary of the German discount supermarket chain announced it was creating and offering paid leave for employees undergoing IVF fertility treatments or seeking to undergo mature oocyte cryopreservation. Two days of fully paid leave are being offered per cycle. This new right is effective from the first day of employment, is unlimited in terms of the number of cycles, and is also available to staff in Northern Ireland. Already at the vanguard, in June 2021 Lidl Ireland (6,000 employees) introduced paid leave for staff suffering pregnancy loss, regardless of gender (c.f. article No.12560). J.P. Scally, CEO, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland stated, “We’re proud to continue to introduce important policy updates that recognise the needs of our employees are evolving all the time as they progress through different stages of their lives, adding, “As a leading employer in the country, we know that our people do their best work when they are valued and supported in a workplace that is inclusive, so it’s critical for us to take into account that not every family’s path to parenthood is the same.”