May 2009 - 10 million now have rights to flexible working

From April 6th 2009, more than 10 million people will have the right to request flexible working from their employer. This can mean anything from compressed hours to working from home. The right to request flexible working began in 2003 when parents of children aged up to 6 and disabled children aged up to 18 were able to request this type or arrangement. This right was then extended to carers of adults in 2007.

These rules have now been extended to include all parents of children aged 16 or under. This will mean another 4.5 million workers will add to the current 6 million now included in the scheme. Flexible working can help businesses; employees are said to be more productive and employers may make recruitment savings. Statistics show 93% of employers now offer at least one flexible working practice.

If you would like to talk to us about flexible working, please call us on 01562 514867, email us on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or contact us using the contacts page of our website.