new flexible working laws made easy - a guide for employers, hr directors
TRANSCRIPT
Explaining new laws and procedures for responding to Flexible Working Requests
New Flexible Working laws
pic credit www.commuter services.org
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From 30th June 2014 UK employees all
have the right to request
Flexible Working
pic credit www.commuter services.org
From 30th June 2014 UK employees all
have the right to request
Flexible Working
pic credit www.commuter services.org
Where before only parents and
registered carers had this right
Now the same rules apply
Image Credit: Thinkstock
to all UK Employees
to all UK Employeeswho have completed
26 weeks working for their employer
it allows them
1 flexible working request
per year
REQUEST
1 every 12 months
1 flexible working request
it allows them
to consider all requests for
Flexible Working
Employers are now legally obliged
??
But they don’t
But they
have togrant it
don’t
Employers have3 months
Employers have
From the request date3 months
Decision period
Employers have
to consider the request
From the request date3 months
Decision period
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Employers can now only
refuse requests MISSION
16
refuse requests
Employers can now only
for one of
MISSION
17
refuse requests
Employers can now only
statutory reasons
for one of
MISSION
these are...
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statutory reasonsfor refusing requests
MISSION
1 Burden of addiConal costs
20
statutory reasonsfor refusing requests
MISSION
1 Burden of addiConal costs
2 Detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand
21
statutory reasonsfor refusing requests
MISSION
2 Detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand
1 Burden of addiConal costs
3 Inability to reorganise work amongst exisCng staff
22
statutory reasonsfor refusing requests4 Inability to recruit addiConal staff
3 Inability to reorganise work amongst exisCng staff
2 Detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand
1 Burden of addiConal costs
MISSION
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statutory reasonsfor refusing requests
MISSION
5 Detrimental impact on quality
24
statutory reasonsfor refusing requests
MISSION
5 Detrimental impact on quality
6 Detrimental impact on performance
25
statutory reasonsfor refusing requests
MISSION
7 Insufficient work during periods employee proposes to work
5 Detrimental impact on quality
6 Detrimental impact on performance
26
statutory reasonsfor refusing requests
MISSION
7 Insufficient work during periods employee proposes to work
5 Detrimental impact on quality
6 Detrimental impact on performance
8 Planned structural changes in the business
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in summary
statutory reasonsfor refusing requests
MISSION
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statutory reasonsfor refusing requests
5 Detrimental impact on quality
6 Detrimental impact on performance
7 Insufficient work during periods employee proposes to work
8 Planned structural changes in the business
4 Inability to recruit addiConal staff
3 Inability to reorganise work amongst exisCng staff
2 Detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand
1 Burden of addiConal costs
Employer grounds for refusing Flexible Working requests
MISSION
next steps: Here’s an at-a-glance summary of the new procedure for handling Flexible Working requests,
next steps:
To see a bigger version, click on the image on url www.thelegalpartners.com/flexible-working-requests-at-a-glance-flow-chart-of-the-new-procedures
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A few important things to note:Employers can no longer give precedence to requests from parents and carers
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A few important things to note:Employers can no longer give precedence to requests from parents and carers
They have a duty to consider every request equally
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Only turn down a request using one of the statutory reasons
and find a way to explain the decision
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Only turn down a request using one of the statutory reasons
and find a way to explain the decision
that doesn’t leave the organisation open to a discrimination claim
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by which we mean..
...not the person’s situation
Explain in the refusal letter the clear business reason for refusing the request ...
i.e if you refuse an employee request to return to work part time following maternity leave, for the reason“the employee will be too remote from the business” or “because the team has to be full time..”
The reason is more about the person’s situation
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by which we mean..
...not the person’s situation
Explain in the refusal letter the clear business reason for refusing the request ...
i.e if you refuse an employee request to return to work part time following maternity leave, for the reason“the employee will be too remote from the business” or “because the team has to be full time..”
The reason is more about the person’s situation and leaves your organisation vulnerableto a discrimination claim.
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Use trial periods
Agree a flexible working request for a specific time period
to test and measure how it works in practice before before committing to it.
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Ask the employee to identify how their new way of working will affect their team / the business,
Ask them to offer solutions to the problems they identify
Collaborate to find a way
next steps:
next steps: Consider what type of flexible working will & won’t work for your business, then
Be covered, compliant, protected and well prepared for multiple requests with
Handbo
ok
A flexible working toolkit
Handbo
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FLEXIBLE WORKING PO
LICY
A flexible working toolkit
A flexible working toolkit
Handbo
ok
FLEXIBLE WORKING PO
LICY
A flexible working toolkit
Handbo
ok
FLEXIBLE WORKING PO
LICY
A flexible working toolkit
Handbo
ok
FLEXIBLE WORKING PO
LICY
for £299 + vat
To find more informaCon and Cps for a hassle free transiCon to the new flexible working laws,visit www.thelegalpartners.com
Thank you for watching
To purchase your flexible working toolkit, www.thelegalpartners.com/new-‐flexible-‐working-‐toolkit-‐employers-‐hr-‐directors
call us on 0208 255 1914
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