Page 31 - BOSS Today Issue 24

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NOT

BREAKING

Are you flexible enough about flexiwork?

ntil 30 June 2014, the right even request to work flexibly limited to a complaint either Equally, if you have multiple
Uto request flexible working in order to spend less time at that the request was not dealt requests for flexiwork and can
was only available to employees work! with in time, or that they have only accommodate a certain
with children under 17 (or BOSS members may get an suffered a detriment as a result number, take care how you
disabled children under 18) or increase in requests as a result of their request. The maximum select those who are granted
those who had responsibilities of these legislative changes, compensation is eight weeks’ their requests. If it appears you
as a carer for some other and need to be seen to be pay. are accepting the requests of
dependant. Employers had to dealing with them properly, However, members who are more men than women, or
follow a statutory procedure although this will probably concerned about an inundation more white employees than
in dealing with these requests, be a case of an increased of such requests can take some those from a BME (Black or
within strict time limits. administrative burden, rather comfort from the fact that Ethnic Minority), then you may
That right has now been than anything else. the government has removed have a discrimination claim on
extended to all employees the statutory procedure, and your hands.
with more than 26 weeks’ Act Quickly instead requires that the
continuous service. Eligible It is worth bearing in mind request is dealt with within a Don’t Forget The Benefits
employees can request a that employees do not have ‘reasonable’ timeframe, with a Finally, don’t forget the
change to working hours, an automatic right to work backstop of three months. benefits of all this. As Linda
working time or working flexibly. The legislation is Harrison, BOSS HR Adviser, says
location. This includes a wide designed only to protect those Don’t Discriminate “Flexible working hours can
range of working patterns, who make such a request, Nevertheless, do beware of be particularly beneficial to
such as job sharing, working not to force employers to the discrimination aspects of both employer and employee
from home, part-time working, agree. Employees can only flexible working. It is accepted in helping to retain vital skills
compressed hours and bring a claim to Tribunal if by the courts that women which might otherwise be lost
flexitime. So, for example, the request is not dealt with take on the bulk of childcare if the work/life balance for an
employees may request to work in time. The legislation sets responsibilities, so by denying a individual has posed a problem.”
flexibly while undertaking a out eight business reasons woman’s flexiwork request, you
further education course, or that an employer can give for could be discriminating against n FOR FURTHER
in order to combine working a refusal, but an employee’s her by applying a provision INFORMATION CONTACT
with helping to care for ability to take that further to that disproportionately affects THE BOSS HR TEAM ON
grandchildren. Employees may an Employment Tribunal is women. 0845 450 1565

October/November 2014 | BOSS TODAY 31

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