The government response to this consultation confirms the government’s intention to introduce changes to the right to request flexible working legislation. This right currently supports all employees with 26 weeks continuous service to make applications to change their work location, working hours and/or working pattern.
The response states that the government will take forward the following measures:
- make the right to request flexible working a day one right
- introduce a new requirement for employees to consult with the employee when they intend to reject their flexible working request
- allow 2 statutory requests in any 12-month period (rather than the current one)
- require a decision period of 2 months in respect of a statutory flexible working request (rather than the current three)
- remove the existing requirement that the employee must explain what effect, if any, the change applied for would have on the employer and how that effect might be dealt with
The response also commits to:
- developing guidance to raise awareness and understanding of how to make and administer temporary requests for flexible working
- launching a call for evidence to better understand how informal flexible working operates in practice
further information: