Regulations extending the right to request flexible working published

The Government has published Regulations that extend the right to request flexible working to parents of children under 18 from 6 April 2011. 

The right to request flexible working is currently available to employees who are parents of children under 17, or 18 if the child is disabled, and employees with caring responsibilities for dependant adults. Under flexible working legislation, an eligible employee has the right to request to change his or her working conditions by amending the number of hours or times that he or she works or his or her place of work. An employer can refuse an application only if the refusal is based on one or more specified business grounds. 

Employees with children under 18 who wish to make a request to work flexibly will be required to follow the same procedure that employees with children under 17, or with caring responsibilities for dependant adults, are required to follow. Similarly, the procedure that employers must follow on receipt of a request will mirror the procedure that applies to requests from employees with children under 17 or who care for dependant adults. 

The extension of the right to request flexible working to parents of children under 18 is the first scheduled change to flexible working next year. The Government has announced that it intends to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees, and a consultation is expected in the new year. 

Also

Policy on flexible working Use this model policy to state and communicate the company's view on flexible working, and to implement the law that gives eligible employees the right to request flexible working. 

The XpertHR line manager briefing on handling requests for flexible working looks at the law and best practice on the right to request flexible working. 

Why B&Q embraces flexible working Flexible working is embedded in the culture at DIY retailer B&Q, which actively promotes non-traditional working patterns for all employees, helping it to recruit and retain the best people. 

The XpertHR good practice guide on flexible working discusses the importance of flexible working, the issues involved in drawing up an organisational policy, and the main types of flexible working. 

Outlook video: Extending the right to request flexible working XpertHR's head of content Jo Stubbs and group editor David Shepherd discuss the Government's proposals to extend the right to request flexible working. 

The equality strategy - building a fairer Britain View the full equality strategy, which confirms the Government's intention to extend the scope of flexible working to all employees, on the Government Equalities Office website.