NEWS IN BRIEF

The Government announced in a consultation paper published last week that it will explore ways to make it easier for businesses to deal with flexible working requests.

This follows on from the Government’s announcement that it would extend the right to request flexible working to parents with children who are 16 and under from April 2009.

The consultation will look at ways to reduce the paperwork involved with flexible working requests. It will also consider how to raise awareness of the right to request flexible working among employees and to boost knowledge of the range of free tools available to make dealing with requests quicker and simpler for businesses.

The consultation will also consider whether to scrap the requirement that employers write formally to staff to advise their request has been accepted.

The government has announced it will soon be launching an awareness raising campaign to target groups who do not know about their right to request flexible working, like fathers and carers, in addition to raising awareness for businesses about how to make dealing with requests simpler.

The consultation will involve all interested stakeholders, including employer and employee representatives, parents, unions, business and family organisations.

To download a copy of the consultation, go to:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file47434.pdf