Flexible working and home working

Flexible working and home working can help your business attract and retain employees. At the same time, home working in particular may help you cut business costs. Whether you choose to take advantage of these benefits or not, you must at least comply with your legal obligations to offer flexible working.

Flexible work options

Flexible working can involve different kinds of flexitime or part-time work. Bear in mind that part-time workers must be treated no less favourably than full-time employees.

Flexible working can also involve homeworking, or working from home for at least part of the working week. If you do allow this, you should be aware of your responsibilities for the health and safety of the home working environment.

Note that any form of flexible working arrangement that you agree to is likely to become part of an employee’s contractual terms, unless you specifically agree a temporary or trial arrangement.

Separately, parents and carers have certain rights to unpaid time off: for example, in an emergency.

Flexible working requests

Most employees who are parents (of underage children) or carers are legally entitled to have a request for flexible working seriously considered. A request for flexible working might include a change to flexitime, part-time, working from home or some other flexible working arrangement.

You can only refuse the request for limited business reasons: for example, because the proposed flexible working arrangements would be too expensive or harm business performance. If you do not want to agree to a request for flexible working, you must ensure that you follow the right procedures and give a valid reason.