Plans to introduce shared parental leave on Isle of Man announced

A new bill including the right to shared parental leave will now be drafted

Plans to introduce shared parental leave on the Isle of Man are to be brought forward, the enterprise minister has said.

A public consultation saw 94% of the 376 respondents back the move, while a Tynwald committee has called for its introduction to support families.

Lawrie Hooper said draft new employment laws would be brought forward in May.

The island was "far behind" the UK, where shared leave for new parents was introduced in 2015, he added.

The right to share leave after the birth or adoption of a child is one of a raft of new parental rights the Department for Enterprise plans to include in the bill, which will be introduced into the House of Keys.

Mr Hooper said the move would make sure the island had "fit for purpose" employment legislation.

Other new rights would include time off work for partners to attend antenatal and adoption appointments, to deal with "unforeseen circumstances", and in the event of a bereavement.

Time to adapt

While the changes attracted strong support in the consultation, some concerns were raised about their potential impact on businesses.

Mr Hooper said while many firms already offered the benefits to attract workers, the reforms would need to be introduced in a way that would give all employers time to adapt.

However, Mr Hooper said despite support for the idea, the introduction of a statutory pay system for parental leave instead of the current method of allowances would not immediately be progressed.

That change would have to be considered by the Treasury as part of wider changes to the island's benefit system, he said.

The proposed laws would also include rights for those on zero hours contracts to request written terms of employment, as well as a series of changes to whistleblowing rules, he added.