Flexible working bill is a “step in right direction”, says TUC
“Flexible working should be available to everyone – but we know that many mums, carers and disabled people don’t get the flexibility they ask for at work.
“This bill – along with the government’s commitment to allow employees to ask for flexible working from their first day in a job – is a small step towards that goal.
“But the government must go much further to ensure that flexible work is open to all.
“Ministers must change the law so that every job advert makes clear what kind of flexible working is available in that role, so people know before they start a job whether it works for them and their loved ones.
“And if they are really committed to flexible work, they should give workers the legal right to work flexibly from their first day in a job.”
- Employment Relations Bill (Flexible Working): The Bill removes the requirement on the employee to explain what effect, if any, the flexible working request would have on the organisation and how it could be dealt with. It will allow employees to make two statutory requests within a 12-month period (an increase from one currently). It reduces the maximum time that employers have to respond to a flexible working request from three months to two months, and it introduces a requirement on employer to consult with the employee before rejecting a flexible working request. The government have also committed to introduce a day one right to request flexible working for employees via secondary legislation.
- Women and flexible work: TUC analysis published in December 2022 showed that women are much more likely than men to find themselves in flexible work arrangements that lose them hours and pay: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-women-much-more-likely-men-have-flexible-work-arrangements-lead-loss-hours-and-pay
- Difficulty getting access to flexible working: 13,000 mums responded to a TUC and Mother Pukka survey which revealed that that half of working mums don’t get the flexibility they request at work.
- Easy for employers: TUC polling of HR managers shows an advertising duty would be easy to implement. Six in 10 HR managers said either that it would be easy to include specific information about the types of hours-based flexibility or pattern of home or remote working available in each job advert, or that they they already do this. https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-poll-seven-10-hr-managers-support-great…;
- #FlexforAll: The TUC is a member of the Flex for All alliance – along with Pregnant then Screwed, Fawcett Society, Mother Pukka, the Young Women’s Trust, Gingerbread, Working Families and the Fatherhood Institute. The Flex for All campaign has published a statement today (Monday) which the TUC has signed, calling for employers to be required to include flexible working options in job adverts.
- About the TUC: The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together the 5.5 million working people who make up our 48 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living.
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