With the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill currently working its way through Parliament, now is the ideal time to look at what the ramifications would be for both employers and the wider business community if this landmark legislation becomes law.
As it stands, an employee with 26 weeks of service can make a flexible working request once a year.
The employer can then reject the request based on eight criteria. However, if the new Bill becomes law then this will change to a ‘day one right’, meaning any employee is entitled to make a flexible working request from the day they start working at the company and have the opportunity to make two flexible working requests per year.
