Brown to unveil extension in flexible working law

Businesses could be forced to offer more parents the option of flexible working if new proposals are approved, the Financial Times reported on Saturday.

The plans, which could mean parents of children under 16 will be allowed to request flexible working, will be unveiled next week by Prime Minister Gordon Brown as part of a Labour backlash against a drop in the party’s popularity.

The new rules will be a change to current legislation, which restricts flexible working rights to parents whose children are disabled or under six years old.

The proposals come off the back of an independent review by Imelda Walsh, human resources director of J Sainsbury, and could benefit 4.5 million parents – more than two thirds of the six million already covered by existing rules.

However, manufacturers’ organisation EEF urged the government to delay the proposals until businesses have adjusted to current legislation.

It warned implementing the plans now could risk denying employees with ‘legitimate reasons’ to ask for flexible working the opportunity to do so.

Peter Schofield, the organisation’s director of employment and legal affairs, said the last thing manufacturers need is to have to consider ‘more and more’ flexible working requests.

“They need to be given time before this right is extended to more employees. If it is extended, they are more likely to say ‘no’ and some people who really need to work flexibly could then miss out,” he said.

"There is a limit to flexibility in any workplace and employers must, as now, be able to say ‘no’ where there are genuine reasons to do so."

© Crimson Business Ltd. 2008