A bill currently making its way through Congress could kill independent media outlets like ours.
HR 9495 is a bipartisan piece of legislation, ostensibly about allowing U.S. nationals wrongfully detained abroad to postpone their tax deadlines. The bill sounds relatively innocuous. But the legislation also includes the text of another bill that made it through the House earlier this spring that gives the Treasury secretary the ability to designate a nonprofit a “terrorist supporting organization” and strip them of their tax-exempt status.
That kind of sweeping jurisdiction should terrify anyone who cares about civil liberties. It should also especially concern readers of nonprofit media, since a bill like HR 9495 can have compounding effects. Some outlets might self-censor; organizations might spend limited funds and time defending themselves from any old hateful threat that comes their way; and donations might dry up as funders worry about whether they too could face penalties. The “terror” label is already all-powerful; it can freeze assets and spark investigations. And this bill creates a whole new category—that of the “terrorist supporting organization”—one that can poison by association alone.
HR 9495 treads on territory that’s all too familiar. It’s no secret that Muslim, Arab, and Middle Eastern groups are more likely to be painted as “terrorist supporters.” There are already indications that this bill targets specific organizations, such as American Muslims for Palestine, who have recently been on the receiving end of lawmaker vitriol and smears. Turning lawmakers’ hateful accusations into a legal framework to threaten nonprofits is unacceptable.
One could make any number of critiques of this bill. It puts a truly terrifying amount of power in the hands of a political appointee, who could easily weaponize it against any enemy of their choosing. It’s likely unconstitutional. It’s also redundant–providing material support to organizations on the U.S. list of foreign terror organizations is already illegal under existing legislation.
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When you look beyond this specific provision, it’s clear that HR 9495 is yet another piece of lawfare in the wider war to suffocate the Palestine solidarity movement, as well as any meaningful news coverage that could help sustain it. That movement has become more vocal as Israel’s current genocide reaches its one-year mark and more than 41,000 Palestinians are confirmed to have been killed by Israel in Gaza. (Some researchers estimate the death toll could end up being closer to 186,000.) This violence has been fueled by the U.S. political establishment. But rather than doing anything to cleanse their hands of the blood, members of Congress have instead tried to suppress information about the death count.
Prism and Truthout have reported over the past year on the fascistic repression we have seen against both speech and collective action. Some of the ways mainstream media bosses quell dissent within their newsrooms is through the repression, firing, and systematic shunning of the journalists accurately reporting on the genocide and the marginalization of Palestinian-American and Muslim journalists who are censored or hindered from doing their jobs because of their identities. In an op-ed published across multiple movement media outlets, a collective of movement journalists wrote:
On U.S. soil, journalists and media makers are being fired or pushed out of the profession for their advocacy. Jewish journalist Emily Wilder was fired from the Associated Press (AP) in 2021 after conservative activists targeted her for pro-Palestinian social media posts written prior to her employment with the AP. In 2022, The New York Times fired Palestinian journalist Hosam Salem in Gaza, citing his personal Facebook page that he used to speak out against the occupation he lives under. Multiple journalists have also resigned or canceled contracts with The New York Times in part because of its Gaza coverage, and in late October, Artforum fired editor-in-chief David Velasco for his participation in an open letter supporting Palestinian liberation. eLife editor-in-chief Michael Eisen was fired in October for retweeting an article from the satirical paper The Onion. These acts go hand in hand with the recent cancellation of campus groups at Brandeis University and Columbia University that are critical of the Israeli occupation and siege in Gaza.
These threats of censorship are worldwide. Online, companies like Meta systematically suppress news from and about Palestinians. In Germany, chanting “from the river to the sea” can land you in court; anyone who uses the phrase on social media can be denied citizenship. In the U.K., journalists and activists already face charges under legislation known as the Terrorism Act 2000 that human rights groups call vague and overly broad.
But nowhere is the threat to Palestinians—and anyone who wants to tell the truth about Israeli aggression—greater than in Palestine. Media workers make up a small fraction of the number of Palestinians killed in Israel’s genocide—at least 130 of them in Gaza since last October, but experts say they have been deliberately targeted alongside medical and aid workers.
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This includes several Al Jazeera journalists as Israel tries to stop one of the few media organizations willing and able to broadcast the truth about Palestine, from Palestine. Baseless “terror” accusations often accompany the killing of journalists. Earlier this year when Israel assassinated Ismail Al-Ghoul–one of the last to report from Gaza’s north–the drone strike was so severe that it decapitated the Al Jazeera journalist. Afterward, an official Israeli military social media account boasted about his death. “ELIMINATED,” the post said, while also baselessly smearing Al-Ghoul as a terrorist.
Death is the most extreme consequence of this unfounded, wildly racist terror labeling. But it’s not the only way journalism is silenced. The Knesset justified kicking Al Jazeera out of Israel earlier this year by citing concerns over state security. Israel then expanded its reach into the occupied West Bank, raiding Al Jazeera’s offices there, too. Journalists continued to broadcast with guns trained on them, and bureau chief Walid al-Omari narrated the raid as an Israeli soldier’s hand covered the camera lens. According to al-Omari, the military order accused Al Jazeera of “incitement to and support of terrorism.”
This terror framing and the threat of censorship that accompanies it is nothing new. Its fever pitch was mostly during the early 2000s when the mainstream press happily marched along to the beat of war drums pounded by George W. Bush’s lackeys (some of whom now maintain plum positions in the crumbling journalism industry, a tragedy of its own).
But the roots of this dangerous behavior go even further back. “Terrorism” made its first appearance in a federal statute back in 1969 when Congress required the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that provides aid to Palestinian refugees to deny assistance to “any refugee who is receiving military training as a member of the so-called Palestine Liberation Army … or who has engaged in any act of terrorism.” The “terror” framing has always been steeped in anti-Palestinian racism. Now, decades later, it has spread to become a linchpin of our world order.
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Where has this all-encompassing “terror” fiction taken us? Tens of millions of people have been displaced and around 4.5 million people have died, directly or indirectly, thanks to the post-9/11 wars. But the last year has unleashed unimaginable levels of violence.
In Gaza, Israel has killed 2,100 infants and toddlers in its genocide. Earlier this month when Israel dropped dozens of 2,000-pound bombs on a residential neighborhood in Lebanon, the U.S. framed the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a “measure of justice.” In the West Bank, soldiers lay siege on entire cities and accompanied settlers on murderous rampages to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their villages. And Israel kills international observers who dare demonstrate their solidarity. Military officials and members of the U.S. political establishment justify these actions by invoking a bogeyman of “terror.”
As our colleagues in Palestine face down arrest, repression, and the barrels of many guns, they continue to hold power to account in service of liberation for their people. We’ll maintain our solidarity with them. No threat of censorship can change that.
Universities in Gaza are reduced to rubble. Universities in the West Bank are subject to military raids while their scholars languish in solitary confinement. And universities in the U.S. purchase drones and rifles for police crackdowns on campus protests.
As those protests continue, unbowed by guns and threats of expulsion or arrest, the state tries new methods to cast aspersions on students’ righteous indignation. Security officials make specious claims tying the protests to Iran. Elected officials say protesters are in the service of Russia and China. They can never imagine or admit that the actual threat to their violent status quo isn’t some foreign plot, but the determined empathy of the people they purportedly represent.
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When claims from the Biden administration aren’t baseless, they’re downright absurd. Israel is “escalating to de-escalate.” The mind-numbing phrase “defensive weaponry” has entered the lexicon. And when it comes to defense, Biden administration officials essentially say only one side has the right to it.
And then, rather than questioning these claims, or doing anything else that might hold Israeli or American power to account, most Western corporate media outlets instead run cover for the state. The institutions doing the necessary, unsettling, and bureaucratic work of keeping count of the dead become “Hamas-run ministries.” Neighborhoods become “Hezbollah strongholds.” Invasions are “ground maneuvers,” while genocide, ethnic cleansing, and occupation are erased from style guides.
A recent piece at In These Times republishing the work of June Jordan and Toni Morrison and featuring an introduction by In These Times print editor Sherell Barbee discusses the power of our voices and the need for coalition-building. As Barbee notes, “A freedom struggle is being waged, and fascism feeds on silence.” Systems of oppression are maintained by silence, the obfuscation of information, and the amplification of voices of occupation and imperialism. And as noted in an op-ed published by Prism, “The U.S. commits atrocities across the globe and calls it freedom. The rest of the Western world bows to the U.S., and together, these Western nation-states, with Israel as their creation, dictate who is worthy of humanity and who isn’t. And the U.S. media largely falls in line.” It’s up to movement journalists and Media Against Apartheid and Displacement to fight back against these injustices.
It is not enough during such grave horrors to simply change the conversation. Nothing will ever be enough until we see real freedom for Palestine and beyond. As our colleagues in Palestine face down arrest, repression, and the barrels of many guns, they continue to hold power to account in service of liberation for their people. We’ll maintain our solidarity with them. No threat of censorship can change that.
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News organizations accept broad censorship guidelines from the Israeli government. Press embed with the Israeli military as they attack everywhere from Gaza to Yemen, in pitiful displays of access journalism. Debunked claims about babies beheaded on Oct. 7 are never corrected for the world to see, while real videos of decapitated Palestinian children in Gaza get little to no mention. The disingenuous Israeli claims about Hamas using “human shields” are repeated to no end, but when Israel is on the other end of a missile, reporters are quick to point out the military infrastructure located in densely populated Tel Aviv without a whiff of irony. The longstanding disregard for Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim life has never been so visible, open, and normalized.
From the earliest days of Israel’s genocide, it was clear that the media would manufacture consent for whatever would come next. Last November, the newly formed Movement Media Alliance convened and decided to build a crucial resource to push back against censorship of movements for liberation and how mainstream media manufactures consent for Israeli colonial expansion and genocide.
We built Media Against Apartheid and Displacement (MAAD), a website to provide readers with articles from trustworthy, accurate, and independent sources reporting on the colonization and occupation of Palestine, the genocide in Gaza, the U.S. and Western backing of Israel, and the movements fighting for Palestinian liberation. As our work expanded this year so too did the number of organizations and outlets who joined MAAD, which now include Prism, Truthout, In These Times, Mondoweiss, Palestine Square, Haymarket Books, The Real News Network, The Forge, Waging Nonviolence, The Dig, The Kansas City Defender, Briarpatch magazine, Baltimore Beat, Hammer & Hope, Scalawag, Convergence Magazine, The Public Source, The Objective, The Polis Project, and Analyst News.
Coming together as a collective of media-makers under a common mission is unprecedented, but it is a necessary endeavor. As Truthout noted, corporate media has spent many decades denying Palestinians’ humanity, both implicitly and explicitly, by deploying the mainstream myth of “objectivity” to silence Palestinian journalists.
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While it seems like we’re on the precipice of some fresh, unimaginable horror each day, none of this is new–not Israel’s expansionist aggression that has lasted for more than 75 years, not the attacks on solidarity activists, and not the targeting of media outlets for performing the most basic functions of a free press. Those of us in Media Against Apartheid and Displacement have long known that our own freedom is intimately tied to the liberation of Palestine.
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Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
MANCHESTER Airport is launching its first direct flights to one of Europe’s least visited countries, that’s been dubbed a “hidden gem”.
FlyOne will be operating twice-weekly direct flights to Moldova – the home of an award-winning wine scene, picturesque landscapes, and some of the world’s most friendly hospitality.
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Moldova is best known for its wine, beautiful scenery and historic attractionsCredit: Alamy
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The European hidden gem has a history of wine growing that dates back thousands of yearsCredit: Alamy
From Tuesday 17th December, the flights will depart on Tuesdays and Saturdays to the capital Chisinau.
Flight prices will start from £19 per person for one way.
Moldova, officially known as the Republic of Moldova, has remained a hidden gem destination in Eastern Europe, despite having many reasons for people to visit.
It’s known for its wine, with a history of wine-growing that dates back thousands of years.
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The country has over 120 wineries, and the Codru region is home to some of the oldest.
Cricova is the country’s largest wine cellar, and was the first to produce traditional method sparkling wines in the 1950s.
Moldova also has a rich history and many historic landmarks can still be visited today.
Căpriana Monastery is known for being one of the oldest monasteries in the country and for being a centre of Moldavian music, architecture, and written language.
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There’s also Old Orhei, a natural and historical complex located on a bend of the Răut River, which is popular with nature lovers and people looking to enjoy a quiet spot.
Discover Urla: Turkey’s Hidden Gem for Wine and Cuisine
Chisinau itself is ideal for a city break as it is packed with museums, galleries, bars and restaurants, and it’s also known for its Soviet-era architecture.
Ruslan Bolbocean, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the UK, said: “The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova is pleased to welcome the launch of the direct flight between Chisinau and Manchester.
“This new connection is an important development for the Moldovan diaspora in the North West of England and enhances cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and the UK.
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“This is the result of productive meetings with Manchester Airport earlier this year, and we are grateful for the strong partnership established. We encourage all airlines to explore similar opportunities to boost connectivity and look forward to the positive impact this will have on both business and tourism.”
Stephen Turner, chief commercial officer at Manchester Airport added: “We are proud to connect the North to the world through our route network of more than 200 destinations, more than any UK airport outside London. A key part of that is connecting people to friends and family in other countries.
“The North is home to lots of people from Moldova and we’re really pleased to be able to help them visit their homeland from an airport right on their doorstep.
“This new route also gives people from the North the opportunity to take the road less travelled and visit one of Europe’s last real hidden gems, with fantastic wine and beautiful scenery.”
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New routes from Manchester Airport this winter
easyJet to Oslo: Twice-weekly flights to Oslo, Norway, starting November 15
TUI to Luxor: The only direct flight to Luxor from the UK
MARTIN Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert has revealed the best deals on Amazon Prime Day – and the ones unlikely worth your time.
Amazon massive deal day is running for a second day and offers reductions on thousands of items.
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The annual Amazon Prime Big Deal Day is today, October 9
In his popular weekly newsletter from MoneySavingExpert, Mr Lewis highlighted his top five deals.
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At the top of the list is the Shark Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner, which is tailored for pet hair pick up and has anti-odour technology.
The item is selling today for £189.99 and was previously £264.93 on Amazon Prime – meaning a £74.94 save.
The recommended retail price for the item is also £299.99, meaning a whopping £110 save compared buying directly from the Shark online store.
The next item on the list is the Ninja Speedi 10-in-1 air fryer – a multipurpose item which can air fry, grill, steam, bake, slow-cook, and more.
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The product was originally £219.99, but is now selling for £129.99, meaning a £89.01 save.
Argos is currently selling the air fryer for £169, meaning at least a 20% saving compared to buying elsewhere.
Not only this, but due to the multipurpose design of the product, buyers could potentially be saving cash on additional products such as a slow cooker, which are selling on ProCook for £49 alone.
Martin Lewis explains how to slash your energy bills
Next up on the best deals list is the Apple Pencil (USB-C), which is selling for £64 instead of £79 – almost a 20% reduction.
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Mr Lewis’ MSE team said: “This is the cheapest we’ve seen, and it’s the same price as on the July Prime Day.”
They said the next cheapest elsewhere is John Lewis, Argos and Currys where the pen can be bought for £79 – making today’s deal the best around.
Another impressive deal on the MoneySavingExpert list is the Fitbit Versa 4 which was £164 and is now £126.65.
The smart watch is made for keeping up to track with your physical well being, with a built in GPS, heart-rate monitor, and up to 6 days of battery life.
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The same Versa 4 model is selling on Argos for £179, and the Google Store for £179.99, meaning at least a 30% save.
MSE said: “This is is the cheapest ever at Amazon. The previous cheapest price was £69.”
The final item on the list is the Ring Intercom, which can send you alerts via your phone or Alexa when a person visits your home.
You can also use it to unlock your home with voice demands.
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It was originally selling for £99.99, but can now be bought for almost 60% less at £39.99.
Mr Lewis said the next cheapest offer can be purchased from ScrewFix, at £44.99.
Are Amazon deals all they’re cracked up to be?
However, his newsletter also warned that some deals aren’t as impressive as they seem, with some having sold cheaper in last year’s Prime Deal Day event.
For example, the Amazon Prime GHD original hair straightener seems like a good deal as is cheaper than elsewhere, selling today for £95.99 compared to £111.20 at John Lewis.
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However, last July’s Prime Day it was reduced down to £90.24, making it £5.75 more expensive than it has been previously.
The same goes for the Blink outdoor cameras three-pack, a home surveillance kit, which is selling for £85.99 but was £11 cheaper last year.
The Ring Alarm pack, which comes with the Ring Alarm as well as an additional keypad and motion detection software, has generally stayed the same price at £179, and was £20.01 cheaper in May at £159.99.
While the £18.95 Calvin Klein For Him 150ml Eau de Toilette, which has been reduced from £24, was actually the same price in September.
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It is, however, currently the cheapest around, with the next cheapest price being £24 from Lookfantastic.
And finally the Logitech High Performance Wired Gaming Mouse was £24.48 last August is now selling for £26.59 as a Brand Day Deal – making it £2.11 more expensive than it was previously.
This is again the cheapest around, however, with the second lowest option being £27.99 at Currys.
Overall, the MoneySavingExpert analysis shows that while a Prime membership can pay off, a deal isn’t always as impressive as it seems.
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MSE also noted the disadvantages for non-Prime members, saying: “We’ve noticed numerous cases of Amazon being very cheeky, by raising the price higher than the RRP [recommended retail price] for those who aren’t Prime members.
“When you click on the “non-deal price” it hides the RRP.
“The RRP of this Lenovo IdeaPad is £219.99, but Amazon has raised the price to £250.35 for those who aren’t Prime members, effectively penalising you.”
What is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day is a 48-hour sale event that is taking place this year on October 8 and 9.
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The last event was in July 2023, and this October marks the second ever annual event.
Bargain hunters look to score big savings on thousands of items, but it’s important to make sure that the publicised discount is as good as it seems.
How to compare prices
As usual we recommend readers shop around before taking reduced prices as face value.
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Harry Rose, Editor of Which? magazine, said: “Amazon Prime Day may seem like the best time to snap up a good deal if you are a Prime member but don’t feel panicked into buying things you don’t need or haven’t budgeted for.
“When looking to buy something new, always do your research first by checking price comparison sites like PriceRunner and CamelCamelCamel, which not only show current prices at multiple retailers but also reveal a product’s pricing history.
Electricals: Major discounts on tech, such as Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones (£139 from £349.95) and Samsung 55″ Smart TV (£339 from £505).
Kitchen Gadgets: Deals on popular items like the Tower Dual Basket Air Fryer (£78 from £139.99) and Ninja Temperature Kettle (£67.99 from £99.99).
Lego: Great savings on sets for all ages, including Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle (£104.49 from £149.99) and LEGO Minecraft Skeleton Dungeon (£18.97 from £24.99).
Beauty: Stock up on skincare and makeup with deals on INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum (£5.94 from £7.99) and Maybelline Sky High Mascara (£7.19 from £12.99).
Kids’ Toys: Perfect for early Christmas shopping, with Crayola SuperTips Markers (£2.99 from £9.25) and Melissa & Doug Ice Cream Toy Shop (£29.99 from £49.99).
Christmas Gifts for Adults: Up to 30% off brands like Pepe Jeans and Levi, and luxury kitchenware from Le Creuset (£199.99 from £339).
Everyday Essentials: Discounts on essentials such as Amazon Toilet Roll (£6.49 for 18 rolls) and Whiskas Tasty Mix Pouches (£11.19 for 40).
Three ways to save:
Set deal alerts for specific items to receive notifications on price changes.
Use price comparison sites like Idealo.co.uk to ensure you’re getting the best value.
Check price history on Amazon-specific tracking websites like bobalob.com and camelcamelcamel.com.
“This allows you to work out whether the sale price genuinely represents good value.”
CamelCamelCamel is one of the key tools Mr Lewis references in the MoneySavingExpert article.
The website is exclusive to Amazon and allows shoppers to enter an item’s URL to reveal its price history, and see if it has previously been sold at a lower price.
You can also set up price alerts to let you know when it drops in price again.
That way you can be first in line for the lowest deals.
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Other key ways to compare prices include searching for your specific product on a website and toggling in “Sort By” the cheapest items first.
You can then compare website-to-website which retailers are offering the cheapest products on specific products to help you secure the best deal.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
New analysis from Age UK suggests 10.7 million pensioners will lose this payment. This includes 82 per cent – equivalent to 2.5 million – of the 3 million pensioners living below or just above the poverty line.
Large numbers of older people who are aged over 80, disabled, living alone, and on low incomes are part of this group.
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In the UK, a single pensioner with an income of less than £166 a week, after housing costs, is considered to be living in poverty, according to Trust for London.
This is just under the basic state pension of £169.50 per week. The new state pension is £221.20 a week.
Dixie, 84, is one such pensioner concerned about the changes to the winter fuel payment.
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She lives on her own in a small council-run bungalow which she pays £400 a month for in rent.
Although she receives about £400 a month from a BBC pension – where she worked for seven years as a PA in the research and development division – which covers her rent, all other expenses come from the state pension alone.
Speaking to i, the mother of two said: “I pretty much have to live off the state pension which is a struggle.
“Last winter was tricky. My energy bills rose from £37 to £90 which was a huge jump but at least we were getting government support then. This year, we’re going to have to try and survive the winter without the winter fuel payment and bills are still on the up.”
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Dixie said the winter fuel payment was “such a relief” when it came in and eased her money worries, which she said are “constant”.
She added: “The heating has already been on this year, but I have to ration it. I have it on for an hour at 2pm, an hour at 6pm, and then half an hour at 8pm. When it’s bitterly cold, it has to be on more, but I really try to avoid putting it on because it’s so expensive.”
The grandmother of five doesn’t have many outgoings and tries to live frugally. She relies on a small car to get her food shopping and to visit her daughter who lives in the countryside, but this is a huge expense.
This year was the first year she had to pay her car insurance monthly because £600 was just too much to pay for in one go as she usually would.
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The price of the food shop, which she said has increased from around £30 to £40 a week to about £60 or £70 a week in the last couple of years, is another huge pressure.
“I do manage but the future is a frightening thought for me, particularly with energy bills still rising. It’s quite hard to manage on just the state pension and I could really do with some more government support.
“Christmas is fast approaching, and I don’t know how I’m going to afford it. I am a great-grandmother and have five grandchildren so a lot of people to buy for. They don’t expect anything, but I wouldn’t want them to go without.
“Money is a constant worry hanging over me all the time.”
Age UK has urged the Government to keep winter fuel payments as a universal payment this year, pending the spending review in the spring.
If they choose to press on, however, it said that at the “very least” they must urgently bring in measures to greatly expand the numbers who will still receive winter fuel payments by automatically giving it to those receiving other benefits.
“This would be a partial solution but won’t help every older person on low incomes that the charity is worried about, so further help would also be required for some pensioners who only receive a low proportion of the full state pension,” it added.
Caroline Abrahams CBE, charity director at Age UK, said: “Our analysts used the most up to date data available, and their conclusions are stark. Bluntly, they show that the great majority of pensioners whose incomes take them either below the poverty line or only just above it – about four in every five, will lose their winter fuel payment following the Government’s policy change.
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“There will be widespread agreement that ministers must act in the Budget to protect them – and the best way for them to do so by far is to retain winter fuel payment as a universal entitlement this winter, before giving their policy options careful consideration as part of the spending review next spring.
“However, if the Government is dead-set on pressing ahead, the very least they should do is to greatly expand the numbers of pensioners who will receive a winter fuel payment beyond the small group they have so far said will retain it.”
The Department for Work and Pensions said: “We are committed to supporting pensioners – with millions set to see their state pension rise by up to £1,700 this Parliament through our commitment to the triple lock.
“Over a million pensioners will still receive the winter fuel payment, and our drive to boost pension credit take-up has already seen a 152 per cent increase in claims. Many others will also benefit from the £150 warm home discount to help with energy bills over winter while our extension of the household support fund will help with the cost of food, heating and bills.”
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
In recognition of the “negative emotional baggage” that can come after a relationship break-up, Ricardo Dublado, chief executive of Cebu Century Plaza Hotel in the Philippines, last year unveiled an unusual new staff policy: five paid days of heartbreak leave.
The time off, which can be taken annually provided the break-up is with a different person each year, was inspired by Dublado’s own experience. In the Philippines the idea is catching on: a parliamentary bill in February proposed that any worker going through a romantic break-up should be eligible for up to three days of unpaid leave. “Studies reveal the substantial toll break-ups take on individuals, affecting their emotional and mental wellbeing, leading to decreased productivity, absenteeism and higher healthcare costs,” said Congressman Lordan Suan.
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Employers across the world have increasingly sought to make concessions for their workers’ personal lives, offering wellbeing days, flexible work and, in some cases, counselling services.
Some global companies may already encourage heartbreak leave under a different name. In the pandemic, employers introduced time off for wellbeing to differentiate themselves from competitors or give staff a discreet chance to look after their mental health or care for their families. Many continued, including software group Adobe, which offers six wellbeing days a year. Virgin Money gives five.
In the Philippines, Effel Santillan, human resources manager at Harbor Star Shipping Services, said employees suffering from lost love were generally allowed to take time off on a discretionary basis. “At the end of the day, the manager takes responsibility.”
UK employers including Tesco, the supermarket chain, and Metro Bank have targeted break-up support to families, signing up to the Parents Promise, created by Positive Parenting Alliance, an advocacy group. Employers make commitments to help parents who are separating from each other, including giving them a chance to work flexibly and helping them access counselling. In return, they receive support from the alliance.
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Positive Parenting Alliance founder James Hayhurst wants “employers to recognise [separation] as a life event. If you’re going to separate, the employer can help you do it well.”
PwC, a signatory, said that while it did not have a specific divorce policy, working arrangements were designed to support big life events. “Everyone’s situation is unique, so we actively listen to our people to understand their needs,” Anne Hurst, the firm’s inclusion lead, said. “Our goal is to create a supportive environment that helps our people balance their personal and professional lives.”
In one 2023 study by researchers from the University of Minnesota, 44 per cent of respondents said going through divorce had a negative effect on work. People whose marriages ended reported an inability to focus or sleep and a tendency to break down in tears. “Crippling depression is slowing down my ability to socialise with my co-workers and supervisor,” said one.
However, a sizeable minority — 39 per cent — had a different experience, saying divorce was positive, freeing “up time and energy” and providing an opportunity for renewal.
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The study suggested offering some help to people struggling with separation. Flexible scheduling or remote work, it said, may help employees manage “divorce-related appointments and also provide space to work . . . without placing an undue and unnecessary strain on emotional regulatory capacities”.
In the Philippines, meanwhile, Suan’s bill could face a tough hearing. Laws in the country do not guarantee time off for mental health problems on top of a statutory minimum of five days’ leave. The People Management Association of the Philippines, a professional body for human resources, has said that wellness leave is an “additional expense and additional interruption to business operations”.
Another question is whether heartbroken employees would take leave at all. Customer services worker Abigail Marquez, 27, said that in the event of a break-up she would not take advantage of the benefit as proposed in the bill, because it was unpaid. For some workers, protecting their income still takes priority over their heartache — or, as Marquez put it, “no money, no honey”.
Reuben Owen, one of the stars of the much-loved ‘Our Yorkshire Farm’ on Channel 5, could be set for another return to TV after seeing his solo series release earlier this year
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