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Government consults on flexible working

DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM News Release (2008/181) issued by The Government News Network on 26 August 2008

The Government will explore ways to make dealing with flexible working requests easier for businesses, as part of a consultation published today (Tuesday 26th August).

The consultation follows on from the Government's announcement that it would extend the right to request flexible working to parents with children who are 16 and under.

Employment Relations Minister, Pat McFadden, said the consultation would seek views from business and suggest ways to reduce paperwork involved with flexible working requests.

"The right to request flexible working has worked well because it helps employees to balance their home and work lives, but at the same time gives employers the right to say no where there are legitimate business concerns.

"Parenting requirements don't end as children get older. We think it is right to extend this successful scheme and help parents of older children access the flexibility they need."

The consultation will also consider ways to raise awareness of the right to request flexible working among employees and to boost knowledge of the range of free tools available to make dealing with requests quicker and simpler for businesses.

BusinessLink.gov.uk has online forms that employers can use to deal with flexible working requests. It also provides guidance which can help save time, money and stress and avoid businesses paying for professional external advice.

The consultation will also consider whether to scrap the requirement that employers write formally to staff to advise their request has been accepted.

The Government will soon launch an awareness raising campaign to target groups with low knowledge or who are unaware of their right to request flexible working, like fathers and carers, in addition to raising awareness for businesses about how to make dealing with requests simpler.

The consultation will involve all interested stakeholders, including employer and employee representatives, parents, unions, business and family organisations.

Notes to editors

1. Access the consultation document at http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file47434.pdf

2. Access the Walsh Review of the Right to Request Flexible Working at http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file46092.pdf

3. Access forms to make flexible working requests simpler and easier here:
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1074468912&r.li=1080758156&r.l1=1073858787

4. The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform helps UK business succeed in an increasingly competitive world. It promotes business growth and a strong enterprise economy, leads the better regulation agenda and champions free and fair markets. It is the shareholder in a number of Government-owned assets and it works to secure, clean and competitively priced energy supplies

Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform
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