Explaining  new  laws  and  procedures  for  responding  to  Flexible  Working  Requests

New  Flexible  Working  laws

pic  credit  www.commuter  services.org

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From 30th June 2014 UK employees all

have the right to request

Flexible Working

pic  credit  www.commuter  services.org

From 30th June 2014 UK employees all

have the right to request

Flexible Working

pic  credit  www.commuter  services.org

Where before only parents and

registered carers had this right

Now the same rules apply

Image  Credit:  Thinkstock

to all UK Employees

to all UK Employeeswho have completed

26 weeks working for their employer

it allows them

1 flexible working request

per year

REQUEST

1 every 12 months

1 flexible working request

it allows them

to consider all requests for

Flexible Working

Employers are now legally obliged

??

But they don’t

But they

have togrant it

don’t

Employers have3 months

Employers have

From  the  request  date3 months

Decision  period

Employers have

to consider the request

From  the  request  date3 months

Decision  period

15

Employers can now only

refuse requests MISSION

16

refuse requests

Employers can now only

for one of

MISSION

17

refuse requests

Employers can now only

statutory reasons

for one of

MISSION

these are...

19

statutory reasonsfor refusing requests

MISSION

1    Burden  of  addiConal  costs

20

statutory reasonsfor refusing requests

MISSION

1    Burden  of  addiConal  costs

2    Detrimental  effect  on  ability  to  meet          customer  demand

21

statutory reasonsfor refusing requests

MISSION

2    Detrimental  effect  on  ability  to  meet          customer  demand

1    Burden  of  addiConal  costs

3    Inability  to  reorganise  work  amongst          exisCng  staff

22

statutory reasonsfor refusing requests4    Inability  to  recruit  addiConal  staff

3    Inability  to  reorganise  work  amongst          exisCng  staff

2    Detrimental  effect  on  ability  to  meet          customer  demand

1    Burden  of  addiConal  costs

MISSION

23

statutory reasonsfor refusing requests

MISSION

5    Detrimental  impact  on  quality

24

statutory reasonsfor refusing requests

MISSION

5    Detrimental  impact  on  quality

6    Detrimental  impact  on  performance

25

statutory reasonsfor refusing requests

MISSION

7    Insufficient  work  during  periods        employee  proposes  to  work

5    Detrimental  impact  on  quality

6    Detrimental  impact  on  performance

26

statutory reasonsfor refusing requests

MISSION

7    Insufficient  work  during  periods        employee  proposes  to  work

5    Detrimental  impact  on  quality

6    Detrimental  impact  on  performance

8    Planned  structural  changes  in  the            business

27

in summary

statutory reasonsfor refusing requests

MISSION

28

statutory reasonsfor refusing requests

5    Detrimental  impact  on  quality

6    Detrimental  impact  on  performance

7    Insufficient  work  during  periods        employee  proposes  to  work

8    Planned  structural  changes  in  the            business

4    Inability  to  recruit  addiConal  staff

3    Inability  to  reorganise  work  amongst          exisCng  staff

2    Detrimental  effect  on  ability  to  meet          customer  demand

1    Burden  of  addiConal  costs

Employer  grounds  for  refusing                          Flexible  Working  requests

MISSION

next steps: Here’s an at-a-glance summary of the new procedure for handling Flexible Working requests,

next steps:

To see a bigger version, click on the image on url www.thelegalpartners.com/flexible-working-requests-at-a-glance-flow-chart-of-the-new-procedures

31

A few important things to note:Employers can no longer give precedence to requests from parents and carers

32

A few important things to note:Employers can no longer give precedence to requests from parents and carers

They have a duty to consider every request equally

33

Only turn down a request using one of the statutory reasons

and find a way to explain the decision

34

Only turn down a request using one of the statutory reasons

and find a way to explain the decision

that doesn’t leave the organisation open to a discrimination claim

35

by which we mean..

...not the person’s situation

Explain in the refusal letter the clear business reason for refusing the request ...

i.e if you refuse an employee request to return to work part time following maternity leave, for the reason“the employee will be too remote from the business” or “because the team has to be full time..”

The reason is more about the person’s situation

36

by which we mean..

...not the person’s situation

Explain in the refusal letter the clear business reason for refusing the request ...

i.e if you refuse an employee request to return to work part time following maternity leave, for the reason“the employee will be too remote from the business” or “because the team has to be full time..”

The reason is more about the person’s situation and leaves your organisation vulnerableto a discrimination claim.

37

Use trial periods

Agree a flexible working request for a specific time period

to test and measure how it works in practice before before committing to it.

38

Ask the employee to identify how their new way of working will affect their team / the business,

Ask them to offer solutions to the problems they identify

Collaborate to find a way

next steps:

next steps: Consider what type of flexible working will & won’t work for your business, then

Be covered, compliant, protected and well prepared for multiple requests with

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A flexible working toolkit

A flexible working toolkit

Handbo

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FLEXIBLE  WORKING  PO

LICY

A flexible working toolkit

Handbo

ok

FLEXIBLE  WORKING  PO

LICY

A flexible working toolkit

Handbo

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FLEXIBLE  WORKING  PO

LICY

for  £299  +  vat

To  find  more  informaCon  and  Cps  for  a  hassle  free  transiCon  to  the  new  flexible  working  laws,visit  www.thelegalpartners.com

Thank  you  for  watching

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