New UK plan could make requesting flexible work easier

A plan that has received support from British legislators would give workers the initial right to request flexible work schedules.

Under the new UK plan, it might be easier for you to ask for flexible work.

A bill that has been backed by British MPs could give workers the right to ask for flexible work right away.

The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill would replace the current rules that let employees change their working hours or location after 26 weeks of continuous service. They can only ask for flexible work once every 12 months, and they have to be able to explain how it would affect their employer.

If it passes, employees could ask for these changes on their first day of work and would have two chances to do so every year. Workers would also no longer have to think about how changing how they do their jobs would affect their bosses.

Bosses could still say no to requests, but they would have to consult with other people and show a "credible business reason" to do so.

The bill passed its first reading in the House of Commons on Friday. It will now go to the committee stage.

Yasmin Qureshi of Labour brought the bill to the Commons. She said that relaxing the rules would stop the "massive waste of talent" that happens when working parents take jobs that are below their skill level but give them the flexibility they need to care for their children. She also said that loosening the "invisible restrictions that hold people back" would help in other ways, like making it less important to find expensive housing close to city centres.

Qureshi also said that the rules that say employers have to explain why they won't let their employees work from home could cause a "culture shift."

Both the Conservative and Labour manifestos for the 2019 general election promised to make flexible work the norm. These ideas are similar to those pledges.

The bill applies to all of the UK except Northern Ireland. Chris Clarkson, a Conservative MP, said that it could be good for both workers and employers.

"By tearing down these barriers that keep parents, people with disabilities, caregivers, and older people from staying in the workforce, we unleash a wave of new potential in our economy," he said. "This bill is a win-win for everyone."