There have been a number of employment law developments over the last few months. In this roundup of we feature an overview of significant legislative developments, an interesting TUPE-related case summary, and the Labour Party’s proposal to introduce a new employment rights bill in the event it wins at the next general election.

New flexible working law

The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act (the “Act”) became law on 20 July. The provisions of the Act will require separate regulations to amend the current flexible working regime, and it is expected that these will take effect 12 months after the Act (i.e. next summer).

Employers are advised to prepare early for the changes, which include:

• A right to request flexible working from day one of employment (with the current 26 weeks’ service requirement removed). Note that this is not the same as a right to work flexibly. While this change is not covered by the Act, it is expected through standalone regulations.

• A new legal framework to provide trade unions with a reasonable right to access workplaces to organise, meet and represent their members, and to contact remote workers.

• A right to make two flexible requests in any 12-month period, rather than the current one request.

• A reduction in the period that employers have to respond to a request from three months to two months.

• A requirement that the employer consult with the employee making the flexible working request on alternative options before rejecting...

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