Flexible Working

Amendments to the right to request flexible working by employees will provide that an employer can only refuse a flexible working request if it is reasonable for them to do so and that one of the statutory grounds applies. The existing eight statutory grounds remain unchanged. These grounds are: the burden of additional costs; detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demands; inability to re-organise work among existing staff; inability to recruit additional staff; detrimental impact on quality; detrimental impact on performance; insufficiency of work during the periods the employee proposes to work; and planned structural changes.  

The employer will also be required to put in writing which of the eight statutory reasons it relies on and explain why it is reasonable to refuse the employee’s application on that ground. 

 

Visit our main Employment Rights Act Hub for further information.Â