Flexible Working regulations 2014

The flexible working regulations 2014 come into force on 30th June and give all workers who have been employed for 26 weeks the right to request flexible working. This could mean them changing the number of hours worked, times those hours are worked or asking to work from home.

Currently, only parents of children up to age 17 (or 18 for a disabled child) and those with adult dependants are eligible to apply. The regulations extend this significantly. Employees with 26 weeks continuous service will be able to make one application for flexible working per year. Their employer is obliged to deal with the request within three months and is only able to refuse it on one of eight (albeit broad) business grounds.

An employer could face having to pay maximum compensation of eight weeks’ pay (capped at £464/week) to an employee if they fail to follow the correct procedure and a case is taken to the employment tribunal.

For more information on your staff and managing requests for flexible working please contact Vaishali Thakerar at Lawson-West on 0116 212 1000.

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