Staff to gain day one right to request flexible working

Under new government proposals, all employees are set to be given the right to request flexible working when they start new jobs, the BBC understands.

A consultation is to be launched on the proposals this week.

The plan would allow all UK employees to request a flexible working arrangement from day one at a new employer.

At the moment, workers have to wait until they have been in their role for six months.

The proposals would also see bosses have to respond to requests for flexible working more quickly than the current maximum of three months. It would also see bosses forced to explain why any requests were refused.

It is understood that the consultation document will be published on Thursday by the Department for Business.

It started examining a range of flexible working options in 2019, including working different or condensed hours, job sharing and remote working.

Jane Hutton, chief executive of the job search website Evenbreak, a social enterprise run by disabled people, said she welcomed the news.

"For employers, offering flexible working means they can access so much more talent and that really benefits the business as well."

"Before the pandemic there was a huge resistance for people working from home but the reality is they are just as productive if not more so - it's just a pity it took a global pandemic for employers to trust their employees," she said.