This Act, expected September/October, will give workers and agency workers a new statutory right to request more predictable terms and conditions of work.
Circumstances Qualifying for a Request
Qualifying workers will have the entitlement to submit a request under the following circumstances:
- there is a lack of predictability as regards any part of their work pattern (the work pattern being the number of working hours, the days of the week and the times on those days when the worker works, and the length of the worker’s contract)
- the change relates to their work pattern
- their purpose in applying for the change is to get a more predictable work pattern.
Eligibility Criteria for Workers
A worker is eligible to request a modification to their work pattern if they have been employed by the same employer (regardless of the contractual arrangement) at any point within the month immediately preceding a defined period (to be stipulated in regulations, anticipated to be 26 weeks concluding with the application date). Continuous service is not obligatory.
Limitations on Requests
A worker will be limited to making two applications within a 12-month period, which will include any flexible working requests – but only if the purpose of the request was to obtain a more predictable employment contract.
WE’RE HERE TO HELP
If you need help navigating this new legislation in your workplace, our expert team can help. Contact us on 0844 324 5840 or get in touch with us here.
