Right To Request Flexible Working Extended In UK

From 30 June 2014 employees with 26 weeks' continuous service who wish to work flexibly for any reason may make an application which their employer must consider in a "reasonable" manner. What does this entail and what can employers do to be ready?

As all employers will know, the right to request flexible working patterns (i.e. any way of working which falls outside the employer's norm) is currently held by employees who are parents of a child under 17 (or a disabled child under 18) and employees who are carers for adults. There is a statutory procedure by which such requests must be considered.

As of 30 June 2014, all this changes and any employee with 26 weeks' continuous service can make a request to work flexibly which their employer must consider in a "reasonable" manner.