The Flexible Working Regulations 2014 that will come into force on 30 June 2014, giving all employees with 26 weeks’ service the right to request flexible working, have been formally published.
Under current arrangements, employers are legally required to “consider seriously” requests to work flexibly only from employees with a child aged 16 or under, a child with disabilities aged under 18 and employees looking after an adult dependant, such as an elderly parent.
The new rules will not give employees with 26 weeks’ service the right to work flexibly but employers will be required to deal with requests in a “reasonable” manner”.
The new regulations, which were laid before Parliament on 4 June, also specify that:
- a request for flexible working must be made in writing, be dated and state whether the employee has previously made a request and, if so, when;
- a flexible working applications will be regarded as being made on the day it is received, with certain provisions relating to applications made electronically, by post and handed over in person; and
- for a breach of the scheme, the maximum amount of compensation is eight weeks’ pay of the employee who made a complaint to an employment tribunal.
At Palmers, our employment law team can provide expert guidance on how the changes to the right to request flexible working could affect your business. Our HR package also offers regularly updated sample policies for matters such as flexible working.
For more information about our employment law services or our HR package, please visit our website or contact Lara Murray.