Flexible working - the right to apply: information sources

From 6th April 2003 parents of children aged under 6 or of a disabled child aged under 18 were given the right to apply to work flexibly and employers were given the duty to consider these requests seriously.

In order to make a request under the new right you must:

• Be an employee.
• Have a child under 6, or under 18 in the case of a disabled child.
• Have worked for your employer continuously for 26 weeks at the date you make your application.
• Make the application no later than 2 weeks before the child’s sixth birthday or eighteenth birthday in the case of a disabled child.
• Have or expect to have responsibility for the child’s upbringing.
• Be making the application to enable you to care for your child.
• Not be an agency worker.
• Not be a member of the armed forces.
• Not have made another application to work flexibly under the right to during the past 12 months.

INFORMATION SOURCES:

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI):
• There is a summary leaflet – ‘Flexible working – the right to apply’. (PL516) and more detailed guidance pack ‘Work and Parents: Flexible working’ – including guidance (PL560) and specimen application forms etc. These are downloadable from www.dti.gov.uk/er/workingparents.htm and can be ordered free from the DTI publications line: 0870 1502500.

• For general information on the Government’s Work Life Balance campaign, including publications and case studies on flexible working arrangements, go to www.dti.gov.uk/work-lifebalance

For other information for employees and employers on the Right to ask and on paternity / maternity leave see www.dti.gov.uk/er/workingparents.htm

ACAS:
• Has a helpline for employers and individuals: 0845 474747.

• They give out information and will answer queries on flexible working.

• A leaflet ‘Flexible working’ which includes case study examples is downloadable – www.acas.org.uk/publications/pdf/flexibleworkin2.pdf

Working Families:
Produce a set of fact sheets on flexible working arrangements including flexible hours, negotiating with your employer, working reduced hours, teleworking. These are downloadable from:
www.workingfamilies.org.uk/asp/family_zone/f_factsheets.asp#flex

They also have A Guide for Advisers – a booklet that covers parents’ rights, paternity, maternity and adoption leave and pay and includes useful case studies based on actual callers to their Legal Advice Helpline, priced £5.00.

The Equal Opportunities Commission:
Launched a campaign to promote flexible working in 2003. For free and confidential information call their helpline: 0845 6015901. Posters, postcards and leaflets for parents explaining your rights are available free by ringing the above helpline or are downloadable from their website here

Trades Union Congress (TUC):
The Changing Times Campaign has a website providing information about flexible working examples and case studies. There is a fortnightly e-mail ‘Changing Times’ newsletter – www.tuc.org.uk/changingtimes

CMB – South Yorkshire
CMB – South Yorkshire is the new Creating More Balance project; a European Funded project that promotes Work Life Balance and Childcare options to employers in South Yorkshire. It aims to assist people with childcare commitments to stay in paid work. It is delivered through the Sheffield Children’s Information Service.