Employment Law

Family Friendly and Flexible Working

It makes good business sense to treat workers fairly and considerately. Whilst many forms of potential discrimination are easy to identify and avoid, the full effects of modern discrimination legislation are often unseen and misunderstood, especially where it comes to families or dependants. Making the wrong decision can be very costly.

The right to request flexible working is available to employees once they have 26 weeks' continuous service. Flexible working can be any kind of working which deviates from the standard work pattern and includes annualized hours compressed hours, flexi-time, home working, job-sharing, self-roistering, shift working, staggered hours, part-time working and term-time working.

Employment Tribunals can award compensation to employees whose flexible working request is not considered properly. In some circumstances the failure can lead to a loss of trust and confidence prompting the employee to resign and bring proceedings for discrimination and constructive unfair dismissal.

If one of your employees suggests they may want to change their working pattern, it is important you deal with the enquiry fairly and promptly. We will advise you on how to ensure you deal with the request within the law, providing you with all the guidance and documents you need to consider the request and implement/refuse the request.

If you wish to obtain the advice our specialist employment solicitors and HR professionals to help you understand your employment and advice you on your legal position, please contact us or complete the enquiry form. You can also use the enquiry form to request a call back from one our experts.