Government proposal to extend flexible working

In the Queen's Speech, the government said that it wants to extend the right to flexible working to all parents in Britain in a move designed to improve the country's work-life balance.

Parents with children under six-years-old or with disabled children under 18-years-old, as well as carers of adults, already have the right to request flexible working hours. It is believed that the proposals will extend this right to parents with children in their early teens and could see them being given leave to work at home during public exam time.

In response to these proposals, Mike Emmott, employee relations' adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) said, "the CIPD has argued for this right to be extended to all workers. The light-touch nature of the existing right to request has had a positive impact on work-life balance without causing undue difficulties for employers." "Many enlightened employers already allow employees to work flexibly regardless of their family status. An extension of the right to request to all workers would level the playing field, without compelling employers to offer flexible working where this is incompatible with business needs."

Harriet Harman, the deputy Labour Party leader and Minister for Women, said, "Mothers often tear their hair out trying to balance earning a living with bringing up their children and need more flexibility at work. And fathers want to be able to play a bigger part in bringing up their children. Families are the framework of our lives."

However, as a result of the proposals, more than 10m employees would have the right to request more family-friendly hours and business leaders have claimed it could place a burden on smaller companies in particular.

The Confederation of British Industry said that it would welcome a step-by-step approach. "The CBI welcomes the Government's plan to review when and how the right to request flexible working will be extended to parents of older children," said John Cridland, its deputy director-general.

"It should beware of increasing numbers eligible to request too far too fast, however, as this could jeopardise the future flexibility of those currently eligible."

The Federation of Small Businesses said that companies had to retain the right to organise their workforce to stay competitive. "The Government needs to recognise that the reality in a business is that the employees need to be at work to enable the firm to make money, pay their wages and grow to employ others," said John Wright, national chairman of the FSB.