Flexible Working Update.

Effective immediately “millions of employees will be able to request flexible working from day one of their employment, under new government plans to make flexible working the default.”

The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill, first introduced by MP Yasmin Qureshi, aims to give employees greater access to flexibility over where, when, and how they work.

Under the new law, employers are required to consult with employees before rejecting their flexible working request if they have a valid reason to do so, and workers have the right to make two requests in a 12-month period, while previously they could only make one. However, as an employer you will need to be ready to deal with requests right from the moment you decide to recruit.

Employers still have wide scope to refuse a request and can rely on eight reasons to do so. These reasons are stated below.

1. The burden of additional costs
2. An inability to negotiate work amongst existing staff
3. An inability to recruit additional staff
4. A detrimental impact on quality
5. A detrimental impact on performance
6. Detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand
7. Insufficient work for the periods the employee proposes to work
8. Planned structural changes to the business

Employers may need to prepare for an increase in flexible working requests, but it is hoped that they will also reap the benefits of having a more diverse, well-supported workforce as a result of more people having the opportunity to request flexible working.