UK bosses to be required to meet employees over flexible working requests

The UK government announced on Tuesday that it will strengthen the right to flexible working, requiring company bosses to sit down directly with employees who submit such requests.

First Secretary of State Louise Haigh, addressing trade union representatives at the TUC conference in Brighton, said employers would have to "properly consider" requests for flexibility and offer a face-to-face meeting.

She noted that life isn't always as tidy as employers might like — workers have children to pick up, parents to look after, and families who need them at short notice. Haigh acknowledged that not every job can be done from home and not every request can be granted, but said every request deserves to be taken seriously.

New requirements

Under current rules, all employees have a legal right to request flexible working, which employers must consider in a "reasonable manner." The new rules would require that if an employer wants to turn down a request, they must sit down with the employee, properly consider it, and explain the reasoning behind the refusal.

Haigh also praised trade unions for their campaigning work behind the Employment Rights Act, which introduced significant new protections for workers on sick pay, parental leave and zero-hours contracts. She said that because of unions, working people have seen the biggest improvement in their rights in a generation.

In a speech notably warm towards the union movement, Haigh cited examples of the government standing up for workers, including the case of staff illegally sacked by P&O Ferries, as well as changes to public procurement aimed at creating more good jobs in Britain.