Flexible Working for employees
These regulations apply to all employees.
To qualify an employee must have worked for the employer for a continuous period of 26 weeks at the date of making their application for flexible working, and should not have requested flexible working within the previous 12 months.
An employee may apply in writing to an employer to change the terms and conditions of their employment relating to the hours worked, the times and place of work or some other term in their contract.
An employer can only refuse an application under certain circumstances (e.g. burden of additional costs to the employer, detrimental impact on performance or ability to meet customer demand, etc.).
An employer should hold a meeting with the employee within 28 days after the date the application is made to discuss the application. An employer should give a decision to the employee within 14 days of the meeting being held.
The employee has a right of appeal against any refusal of their application, the appeal must be made in writing within 14 days of receipt of the employer's decision.
Examples of flexible working include:
- A change in working hours
- A request to work from home
- A request for staggered working hours
- A request for flexi-time
- A request for time off in lieu
- Job sharing
- A request for shift working/shift swapping
- Term time working
- Voluntary reduced working time
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Self-rostering (an employee chooses their working hours)
Statutory Sick Pay Entitlement