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The changes to the rules on flexible working have now come into force. This means that from the 6th April 2024:

• Flexible working is now a "day one" right, meaning that the eligibility requirement for an individual to have 26 weeks' continuous service before making a request, has now been removed.
• The number of flexible working requests an individual can make in a 12-month period has increased from one to two.
• There is a new requirement for employers to consult with the employee before rejecting their flexible working request.
• The decision period (within which an employer shall consider the statutory request and deal with this) is reduced from 3 months to 2 months.
• The existing requirement that the employee must explain what effect, if any, the change applied for would have on the employer and how that effect might be dealt with has been removed.

The Acas Code of Practice on requests for flexible working has been amended to incorporate the changes to flexible working with effect from the 6th April 2024. The Code has been designed to provide clarity to employers and employees on making and handling requests for flexible working and whilst the Code imposes no legal obligations and a failure to observe it does not by itself make any person liable to legal proceedings however employment tribunals will take the Code into account when considering relevant cases.

The link to the new ACAS Code of Practice is here

For more information contact Catherine Hare in our Employment & HR department via email or phone on 0161 830 8813. Alternatively send any question through to Forbes Solicitors via our online Contact Form.

Learn more about our Employment & HR department here

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