New flexible working rights for employees

HR specialists at Fidler & Pepper Solicitors say that the right to request flexible working is to be extended to all employees with 26 weeks of service.

At present, the right to request flexible working only applies to employees who qualify as parents or carers.

Although proposed in February, with a plan to implement the changes in April, the Government has said that it cannot be certain when it will be introduced because of delays to the Children and Families Bill.

If brought in, rather than an employer dealing with a request in accordance with the present statutory procedure, they would “deal with the application in a reasonable manner”.

An employer will be required to notify the employee of its decision within a decision period of three months of the application (or longer if both the employer and employee agrees).

The restriction on employees only being able to make one flexible working request in any 12 month period is to be retained.

Russell Jones, from Fidler & Pepper, said: “I guess the message is, keep flexible and keep looking and I will update people as and when things become more certain.”

In the meantime, people with problems with this or any other HR or employment issue in their business, should contact Russell or the HR team on Mansfield 451111.