New Parental Leave Rights on the Isle of Man
A Step Forward in Family-Friendly Policy
The Isle of Man has announced new employment rights that could reshape how parents balance family and work. From 1 November 2025, the Employment (Amendment) Act 2024 will introduce two vital new rights: shared parental leave and parental bereavement leave. For families navigating both the joy of new arrivals and the heartbreak of loss, these changes represent compassion, flexibility and progress.
At Moco Coaching, we know that these pivotal life moments-whether welcoming a child or grieving a loss-impact not only home life but also the return-to-work journey. Policies like these matter because they give parents space, choice and dignity during times that profoundly shape them.
What’s Changing?
1. Shared Parental Leave
Parents will now be able to share up to 50 weeks of leave within the first year of a child’s life.
This applies to new parents, including adoptive parents.
Maternity and paternity leave options will remain available, giving families more flexibility in how they structure time away from work.
2. Parental Bereavement Leave
Parents who lose a child under 18, including in cases of stillbirth, will be entitled to two weeks of paid leave.
This can be taken as one block or split into two one-week blocks within the year after the loss.
Parents who experience miscarriage will be entitled to one week of leave.
3. Financial Support
A new parental bereavement allowance and shared parental allowance will ensure eligible parents are financially supported during these critical periods.
Why This Matters
For too long, taking time away from work-especially in moments of crisis-has been clouded by fear of stigma, financial stress or lack of formal support. These changes mark a shift towards more family-friendly workplaces where wellbeing is prioritised alongside performance.
For parents: The right to pause without fear of career penalty fosters healing, bonding and resilience.
For workplaces: Acknowledging life’s complexities creates cultures of empathy and loyalty, where people are more likely to return with focus, gratitude and long-term commitment.
At Moco Coaching, we see these rights not just as policies, but as enablers of growth-both personal and professional.
The Coaching Perspective
Policies are powerful, but the human experience of navigating them can still be overwhelming. Coaching can help parents:
Plan and communicate their leave in a way that supports both their family and their workplace.
Prepare for the transition back to work, ensuring confidence and clarity.
Reframe career breaks as periods of growth rather than setbacks.
Process emotions around loss or change with compassion and perspective.
For leaders and organisations, coaching is equally valuable: it helps managers support returners with sensitivity, reducing stigma and unlocking the potential of employees who return with new strengths.
Looking Ahead
The Isle of Man government has also signaled further progress with upcoming rights around neonatal care leave, carer’s leave, and rest breaks. Together, these reforms suggest a future where work and life can coexist more sustainably.
At Moco Coaching, we celebrate this direction. Because when workplaces honour both achievement and adversity, we all move closer to cultures where people don’t just survive transitions-they grow through them.