Employees now enjoy extensive rights that allow them to balance work with family life.
For example, if you have a child and wish to return to work following maternity leave on a part-time basis or want to work from home, or wish to change your arrangements to combine work with part-time study, you may be affected.
Our expert employment lawyers can guide you through the maze of employment regulation and help you understand your rights and options.
Since 2014, all employees with 6 months’ service have the right to request flexible working. Flexible working encompasses any variant on working full-time from the employer’s premises such as:
Employers must consider flexible working requests reasonably and within three months of receiving the request (including dealing with any appeal). An ACAS statutory code of practice on dealing with flexible working requests must be complied with.
Employers wishing to turn down a flexible working request must be able to demonstrate one of eight ‘business grounds’ for refusal. Employees can complain to an Employment Tribunal for breaches of the flexible working regulations. Alternatively, or in addition, such employees may complain that a refusal to allow flexible working gives rise to a discrimination claim.
In the UK, employees can take statutory leave (often with a statutory right to pay) in a variety of situations such as:
In each case, there are complex statutory rules regarding entitlement, notification and employment rights during family leave. Failure to correctly comply with the law can result in Employment Tribunal claims under the relevant legislation such as the Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations 1999 or other employment claims such as for discrimination or constructive dismissal.
We can give clear and comprehensive advice to employees on these issues to assist you to make wise decisions. By seeking our advice you will be better placed to engage effectively with your employer regarding your employment conditions.
