Updated to reflect that the Government launched a consultation on 5 February 2026 in relation to reforms relating to statutory flexible working requests.
While many employers acknowledge that flexible working already is the new default way of working, in line with the Government's ambitions for the modern workforce, creating arrangements that meet the needs of both businesses and employees remains a challenge.
In the second part of a new series delving into the details of the Employment Rights Act 2025, we look at the proposed changes to the right to make a flexible working request.
The first draft of the Employment Rights Bill was published on 10 October - just ahead of 100 days into the new Labour Government. We take an early look at how HR is reacting to the changes included in the Bill.
We look at four recent employment cases brought over the mishandling of flexible working requests, including two where the tribunal found the employee had been constructively dismissed.
Updated to reflect changes to the right to request flexible working in place from 6 April 2024, including that the employer must respond within two months.