How Flexible Can You Be?

The Issue

The statutory right to request flexible working is only available at present to parents with a child under 6 years or with a disabled child aged up to 18 years and, since 6 April 2007, to employees who are caring for an adult. To be eligible, employees need to have been employed continuously for at least 26 weeks. An employer can refuse a request if there is a clear business reason for doing so but over 90% of requests are approved.

The Government has announced today that it will extend the right to request flexible working to those employees with parental responsibility for children up to the age of 16 years. It is still consulting on how to implement this but it is likely to be in force from April 2009.