Flexible Working Consultation Underway

Public consultation begins today on two employment rights proposals.

The first is to extend the right to request flexible working to cover wider groups. Currently employees have the right to ask their employer for flexible working arrangements if they have parental responsibility for a child under six, a child with a disability under 18, or if they have caring responsibilities for an adult.

People are being asked for their views after the right to request flexible working was recently extended in Great Britain to cover parents of children aged 16 and under.

The second proposal to be set out in the consultation is to give employees a right to ask their employer for time away from their normal work duties to undertake training.

The Government has already pledged to introduce the same right in Great Britain.

However, employers would have the ability to reject both types of request (for flexible working or time to train) for business reasons.

Referring to the consultation, NI Employment Minister, Sir Reg Empey, said: "Research shows that the right to request flexible working has been a success right across the UK.

"Following the recent extension of the law in Great Britain, it is appropriate to ask whether we in Northern Ireland should follow suit, or whether an alternative approach would be better suited to our local needs," he said.

"It is also appropriate at this time that we consider whether there is more we can do to support the development of skills in our workplaces," he commented, noting that a skilled workforce is central to economic competitiveness.

"A Bill is currently going through Parliament that will give employees in Great Britain a right to ask their employer for time off to undertake training and I believe it is important that we consider the merits of introducing this right in Northern Ireland."

The Department for Employment and Learning is seeking responses to the consultation on both proposals by 23 October 2009. The consultation is available online on: www.delni.gov.uk/consultation-zone

(BMcC/KMcA)