Govt to extend right to flexible working
Wednesday, 7 November 2007 12:00 AM
Unions last night welcomed proposals to offer flexible working to all parents of school-age children.
In his first Queen's Speech, the prime minister set out his commitment to help people achieve a better work-life balance.
Downing Street later confirmed the Department Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) will commission an independent review into the costs and benefits of extending the right to claim flexible working.
Currently, all parents with children under six, as well as all parents with a disabled child under 18, can claim the right to flexible working, including part-time hours or working from home.
Imelda Walsh, director of HR at Sainsbury's, will conduct a review of the implications of extending this to parents of children under nine, 12 or 17, with the government explicitly stating it wants to see the age limit increased.
The TUC welcomed the review and said it hoped it would result in the age limit being raised.
General secretary Brendan Barber said: "For most parents, the right to request ceases to exist the minute their child turns six, yet parents of school age children are perhaps those most likely to need a degree of flexibility from their employers.
"Being able to work flexibly would be a real bonus to parents with children at schools that have no breakfast or after school clubs, and others would jump at the chance to alter their hours so that they can spend more time with their children during school holidays."
Some 6.25 million parents are covered by the existing legislation. Raising the age limit to nine would include an extra 1.4 million parents. This would increase to 2.6 million and 4.5 million if the limit is set at 12 and 17 respectively.
Business secretary John Hutton said flexible working helps parents juggle commitments, as well as helping businesses benefit by improved staff retention and productivity.
He said: "We want to do more to support families while ensuring British businesses can compete in the global economy, so now is the right time to consider how we can extend the right to request to parents of older children."
Harrier Harman, who acts as minister for families and equalities, said combining work and family commitments was a common dilemma for parents, especially mothers.
She said: "Families are the framework of our lives and matter not just to individuals but to our communities, the economy and society as a whole.
"We have already built a strong foundation of support for families through the right for parents with children under six to request flexible work, but as any parent knows, older children can need just as much support and guidance which is why we are exploring this idea."
The Conservatives welcomed the review but accused the government of stealing their own policies.
In the Commons debate after the Queen's Speech, David Cameron said the Tories had announced a right for all parents to request flexible working at their conference last year.
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