Extension of right to request flexible working

Introduction date

Due in force Apr 2009

Summary

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has consulted (to Nov 2008) on proposals to extend the right to request flexible working to parents of children up to the age of 16.

Currently, the law enables parents with a child under the age of six, or a disabled child under 18, to make a request for flexible working, and places a duty on employers to consider such request seriously and only reject them for good business reasons. In April 2007, the right to request flexible working was extended to carers of adults.

The consultation also proposed replacing the current obligation for an employer to notify the employee in writing of agreement to the revised working pattern with an obligation to provide this written confirmation only if the employee specifically requests it.

The government has confirmed that it intends to implement the changes from Apr 2009, as originally planned, despite the worsening economic situation since the proposals were announced.