Flexible Working Requests

What are flexible working requests?

An employee may want to request flexibility because of childcare responsibilities, having to care for adult dependants or simply to engineer a better work-life balance. Whatever the reason for the request, it is important that you understand the obligations that are placed on your business in responding to such a request.

Why choose Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors?

Our employment law specialists understand the importance of flexible working and how this can impact a business, both from a legal perspective and a commercial one. We act for individuals and businesses in litigation and so we have many years’ experience of seeing the consequences and risks of a business getting it wrong.

The best way to manage flexible working requests is by having a flexible working policy. This will ensure that both you and your staff have a clear understanding of their rights and obligations. We can work with you to draft such a policy, ensuring that it is tailored to the needs of your business. We can also check existing policies to ascertain whether they are appropriate and comply with current legislation.

We can assist you in dealing with an employee’s flexible working request, help you to understand what amounts to a reasonable refusal and explain how to meet your obligations and protect your business from the threat of legal disputes. We also offer assistance with understanding and responding to competing requests for flexible working. If business need means you can only grant one request, we can help you to navigate this and to put in place a fair system for determining which request to grant.

How can I get help?

Contact our team to explain your situation. They will be able to assess your case and allocate it to the most appropriate lawyer for your circumstances, who will be able to consider the evidence, discuss next steps and advise you on the response, as well as the risks associated with any claim brought against your business.

Our lawyers will be able to discuss the different funding options available. For example, we can offer fixed fees for drafting policies or procedures. In open-ended situations (such as handling a grievance or litigation), we offer competitive hourly rates. We will ensure that you are provided with clear information on costs throughout.

We will ensure that you are equipped with the options and risks to enable you to remain in control of the decision that you want to take for your business.

What outcomes can you expect?

Spending the time and money on a well-drafted flexible working policy can help to ensure that you and your employees are aware of their rights and your obligations. We will ensure that your business is able to minimise the risk of costly and damaging litigation and we can assist you with the messaging and management of the expectations of your staff.

With our guidance from the outset, we can help you to ensure that flexible working requests are handled properly and fairly, resulting in the right outcome for the interests of your business. It should be that they become something to celebrate, rather than something to fear.