Employment Rights Bill: how will it affect flexible working?

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Jane Parry and Michalis Veliziotis , Southampton Business School
Jane Parry is an Associate Professor of Work and Employment. Her research interests include changes in how work is organised and how inequalities and disadvantages operate within labour markets and organisations.

Michalis Veliziotis is an Associate whatsapp number list Professor of Human Resource Management. He is an economist who is interested in how the labour market and workplace institutions shape employees' work experiences.

The Employment Rights Bill currently moving through parliament is set to extend Britain's flexible working rights, as described in a recent House of Commons Library briefing paper. If the Bill is enacted, employment tribunals will be able to consider whether it was reasonable for an employer to decide to reject a request. This is intended to encourage careful consideration of requests and enhance access to flexible working.

The Bill seeks to build on the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act passed in April 2024 by the previous government. This extended provisions around applying for flexible working arrangements and included secondary legislation to make these a 'day one' request right for all employees.