UK Workers Can Now Request Flexible Working Hours

Up until now, only U.K. workers with "other caring duties" (parents of children under 16 and registered nurses/care-givers) were given the legal right to request flexible hours from their respective employer. Starting on June 30, however, all of the U.K.'s 30 million plus workers have the right to request schedule changes with their employer, regardless as to whether or not they have viable reason.

The only stipulation required for U.K. workers to request a schedule change is that he or she must have worked with the company for a minimum of 26 weeks. Assuming the worker meets this condition, he or she may submit one schedule change request per year.

Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean that employers will grant a worker's request for a schedule change; it only means the employer has a legal obligation to consider it.

A survey conducted by JobSite.com found that half of the United Kingdom's male workforce want flexible working hours so they can spend more time with their family. A similar survey found three quarters of 25-34 year old workers would prefer flexible working hours.

Under this new rule, U.K. workers must use the following criteria when requesting a schedule change:

• Issue the schedule request in writing, including the date of request, changes they wish to be made, and when they would like the new changes to take effect.
• State whether or not they have requested a schedule change in the past. If a previous schedule request change has been made, the worker must include the date of this request.
• State how they believe the schedule change will affect the business.
• State whether or not they are requesting a schedule change as part of the 2010 Equality Act.

"Employers often find that this leads to employees being much more motivated, productive, less likely to leave. So that cuts down their staff recruitment costs. It really can be a win-win," said the Liberal Democrat minister. "You get staff that are happy and more productive and the employers benefit from that as well. And lots of businesses are very positive about this; in a British Chambers of Commerce survey, 70 per cent of businesses reported an improvement in employee relations when they used flexible working.

The U.K. government's push towards greater scheduling flexibility in the workplace aims to eliminate the assumption that flexibility only applies to parents. Some people assume that only mothers and parents are able to request time off from work, which wasn't far from the truth. This new rule, however, levels the playing field by allowing all U.K. workers -- whether they are parents or not -- to request flexible working hours from their employer.

What do you think about the U.K.'s new rule allowing workers to request flexible hours? Let us know in the comments section below!