Changes to Manx employment legislation regarding family rights and whistleblowing will come into force on April 1.

The new rights form part of reforms to the Employment Act 2006.

They include time off work to attend adoption appointments and care for dependants, and time off work for partners to attend antenatal appointments.

A requirement will also come in for all workers to have a written statement of employment particulars from day one of employment

In addition, changes to whistleblowing legislation include the introduction of a ‘public interest’ test for protected disclosures.

These changes are based on feedback gathered during public consultations conducted in 2022 and follow the approval of proposals by the Legislative Branches of Tynwald in 2024.

Enterprise Minister Tim Johnston MHK said: ‘As signalled when going through the legislative branches last year, the changes being brought in on April 1 follow previous amendments on written statements last year and form part of the wider work that the department is progressing to update employment legislation.

‘Part of these reforms include much needed enhancements to legislation for family rights, in particular rights to time off in relation to dependants, a move which aims to enhance support for working families.

‘By making these amendments, we are protecting the workforce, increasing fairness in the workplace, while ensuring that the island remains competitive against similar jurisdictions and is an attractive, vibrant and secure place for those choosing to live, work or do business here.’

Further information regarding the upcoming changes is available online. Manx Industrial Relations Service will also be advertising training sessions about the changes on their website in the coming weeks.

The DfE says further amendments to employment legislation will follow, providing meaningful reform to family rights including shared parental leave and parental bereavement leave. These are expected to come into effect later this year.