Flexible working is to become the “default” for all workers, with employers required to say yes to requests from staff from their first day starting in a job unless they can prove it is “unreasonable”.
The government defines flexible working as a way of working “that suits an employee’s needs”, for example, having flexible start and finish times, or working from home.
It is unclear what will be deemed as “unreasonable” and whether this is a big shift from current rules.
Employees can already request flexible working from their first day in a job, but an employer can refuse an application if they have a good business reason for doing so.
