Whilst the British summer may be a washout, things seem to be hotting up in the flexible working arena. The Flexible Working Private Members Bill has now come to fruition, consultation has been launched on a new Acas Code and guidance, and the government has issued a call for evidence to examine flexible working practices more broadly. But what is actually changing and what do employers need to focus on?

Flexible Working Bill gets Royal Assent

Following hot on the heels of other employment related Private Members Bills that have also survived the full passage through Parliament, the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill has now received Royal Assent. Because the government will need to introduce regulations before these changes come into force, the changes are expected to take effect this time next year.

What’s changing?

The pandemic marked a sea change in how and where people work. Nevertheless, the changes that will be introduced by the new Act are less dramatic. We have written about these previously, but to summarise, key changes are:

• Removal of the requirement that the employee explains the effect (if any) that their request may have on the employer and how that might be dealt with.
• An increase in the number of requests that can be made in a 12 month period from 1 to 2.
• A requirement that employers respond to requests within 2 months, down from 3.
• Requiring employers to consult with the employee on the request before it is rejected.

The flag ship reform...

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