Employers will have to hold face-to-face meetings with staff who ask about shift changes under government reforms
Company bosses will have to sit down with workers who request flexible working and justify their reasons for any refusals under new rights announced by Louise Haigh on Tuesday.
The first secretary of state told the TUC conference that employers would have to “properly consider” requests for flexibility and offer a face-to-face meeting under new rights for workers.
Speaking to trade union representatives in Brighton, she said: “Life isn’t always as neat as we’d like it to be or as employers would like it to be. There’s kids to pick up, parents to look after, families who rely on us at short notice.
“And sometimes a little bit of flexibility can make all the difference. Now I know that businesses have to make things work too. Not every job can be done from home and not every request can be agreed.
“But every request can be taken seriously. So today I can announce that we will strengthen the right to flexible working. If an employer wants to turn down a request they will have to sit down with their employee, properly consider it and explain why.”
Under current rules all employees have a legal right to request flexible working which employers must consider in a “reasonable manner”, but the new rules would entail bosses sitting down with employees and explaining the reason behind their decision.
Haigh also praised unions for their work campaigning for the ...
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