Flexible Working Requests

How will you manage them?

Currently your employees have the right to make a flexible working request if they have been legally employed by you for at least 26 weeks and have not made any other flexible working requests within the last 12 months.

You must look at their request fairly following the www.acas.org.uk/acas-code-of-practice-on-flexible-working-requests.

We are hearing from clients that they have been receiving more requests for flexible working since the end of lockdown which had offered flexible working for so many employees who would never have dreamed of it previously.

Heads up – there is currently a consultation document out from the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy on plans to give employees the right to request flexible working from day 1 in a role.  Employers are obliged to explain their reasons for refusing any such request.

The document is examining the full range of flexible working, including working fewer or different hours, or so-called compressed hours – working more hours on fewer days – working from home for some or all the time and job shares.  In addition, the current 3 months’ time limit on responding will be significantly reduced and the employer will need to offer a full explanation as to why not and also be able to suggest an alternative working arrangement.