The Government has announced two proposals to make it easier for people to balance work and family life, one extending the right to request flexible working to parents with children under 18 and the other extending the right to flexible working to all employees.
Currently parents of children under 17, or under 18 if the child is disabled, as well as carers of certain adults, already have the right to request flexible working, to help them balance their work and caring responsibilities. Employment Relations Minister Edward Davey has announced two proposals which the Government believes will create more flexible, family friendly workplaces:
- the right to request flexible working will be extended to parents
of children under 18 from April 2011 – benefiting nearly 300,000
more people;
- a consultation will be launched later this year looking at how to
extend the right to request flexible working to all employees,
and the design of a new system of flexible parental leave.
The Government has also confirmed that, as an interim measure, the Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010 (which apply to parents of children due on or after 3 April 2011) will remain in force to encourage shared parenting from the earliest stages of pregnancy.
October 2010
This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment tribunal and appellate court cases are reported, the information does not set out all of the facts, the legal arguments presented and the judgments made in every aspect of the case. Employment law is subject to constant change either by statute or by interpretation by the courts. While every care has been taken in compiling this information, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Specialist legal advice must be taken on any legal issues that may arise before embarking upon any formal course of action.
