Making flexible working requests 'easier' to handle

The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform launched a new consultation following its recent announcement that the right to request flexible working would be extended to parents with children who are 16 and under.

Employment Relations Minister, Pat McFadden, said the consultation would seek views from business, as well as proposing ways to reduce paperwork involved with flexible working requests.

"The right to request flexible working has worked well because it helps employees to balance their home and work lives, but at the same time gives employers the right to say no where there are legitimate business concerns," he said.

"Parenting requirements don't end as children get older. We think it is right to extend this successful scheme and help parents of older children access the flexibility they need."

Online forms

The consultation will also consider ways to raise awareness of the right to request flexible working among employees and to boost knowledge of the range of free tools available to make dealing with requests quicker and simpler for businesses.

The Government said Business Link had already produced online forms that employers could use to deal with flexible working requests - see here.

In addition, the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform would be looking at whether a requirement - that employers write formally to staff to advise their request has been accepted - should be scrapped.

The Government also announced that it would soon launch an awareness campaign to target those less aware of their right to request flexible working, such as fathers and carers.

The consultation document (pdf) can be viewed/downloaded here. The consultation closes on 18 November 2008.