In the Government’s legislative programme, a number of new policies were announced which directly affect employees and employers. Flexible working rights for employees with young children, or those caring for relatives, have been extended to include all parents of children up to the age of 16.
Many business leaders including John Cridland, the Deputy Director General of the CBI, have expressed concern at this extension, citing that in the current economic climate, these new regulations were unwelcome. However, the legislation only gives the employee the right to ask for flexible working hours, businesses can refuse the request if they feel it would damage their business.
This right of refusal may go some way to alleviating the fears of some small businesses who find it particularly difficult to offer flexible work patterns to their employees.