At present, only parents with a child under 6 (or under 18 if
the child is disabled) and carers of adults, have a statutory right
to make a request for flexible working. Employers are under a duty
to consider such requests and may only reject them for one or more
of the business reasons provided for in the legislation.
Despite speculation of a delay to the Government's planned
extension to the right to request flexible working to carers of
older children, amending Regulations have just been
published. The Regulations confirm that the right will be extended
to parents of children under 17 years of age from
6th April 2009.
The Explanatory Memorandum to the Regulations states:
"Extending the right to request flexible working to
parents of older children will introduce greater fairness and
equity amongst working parents. The policy aims to provide parents
of children aged 16 and under with the same choices in balancing
work and childcare responsibilities through
