A mother on the Isle of Man says a loophole in employment law means the global company she works for does not have to provide any maternity pay, leaving her to rely solely on government support while expecting her second child.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said she was "really disappointed" when she discovered her employer would not offer any maternity pay, even though it provides for staff in other countries.
Under current law, employers on the Isle of Man are not required to provide maternity pay. Instead, eligible parents can claim a government-funded maternity allowance.
"I realised that my employer, and many others on the island, do not value women in the workplace," she said.
"If they did, they would invest in their futures and make sure they feel financially secure," she added.
In contrast to the UK, employers on the island are not required to pay statutory maternity pay, though they can do so voluntarily.
The Isle of Man Treasury said the island provided a maternity allowance, covering up to 52 weeks of financial support, capped at 250 per week for up to 39 weeks.
The Treasury said there are no plans to make employer-paid maternity pay mandatory, and that the current system via social security was "right" for the island.
The Manx state benefit is more generous than the UK, where new mothers receive 90% of earnings for the first six weeks, then 187 a week for the remaining 33 weeks.
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