The UK government has announced plans to strengthen protections for staff seeking to work remotely, making it harder for employers to reject those requests. First Secretary of State Louise Haigh told the annual Trade Union Congress (TUC) earlier this week that businesses will have to show they have properly considered an employee's request before turning it down.
Louise Haigh said the move was about giving working people more power and recognising that jobs often have to fit around caring responsibilities. Highlighting the pressures families face, she said: "That is what putting power back into the hands of working people looks like. Life isn't always as neat as employers would like it to be. There's kids to pick up. Parents to look after. Families who rely on us at short notice. And sometimes, a little bit of flexibility can make all the difference."
What the New Rules Mean for Employees
The plans would not mean every employee could work from home. Ms Haigh acknowledged that "not every job can be done from home and not every request can be agreed", but said each request "can be taken seriously". She said: "If an employer wants to turn down a request, they will have to sit down with their employee, properly consider and explain why."
Paul Nowak, the general secretary of the TUC, said flexible working was not "just a perk – it's a lifeline". He added: "That's why this move is a welcome step forward. It makes it harder for employers to turn down requests while giving workers a stronger voice in the process. Improving access to flexible working benefits workers, businesses and the economy – whether it's through increasing staff productivity or higher retention."
Current Legal Rights for Home Workers
Under current UK employment legislation, staff members have a statutory entitlement to request flexible working from their first day in post. Individuals can submit up to two statutory requests within any 12-month period, which must be addressed and concluded within two months of the application being lodged.
Possessing the entitlement to request remote working does not guarantee approval - employers are permitted to decline a request on the basis of eight statutory business grounds, including effects on performance, difficulties in reorganising workloads, or customer requirements. According to ACAS, flexible working arrangements can also be established informally without following the statutory procedure. This encompasses making an informal approach, or where an organisation operates its own separate system for handling requests.
Disability Rights and Reasonable Adjustments
Individuals with disabilities are also entitled to request home working. Under the law (Equality Act 2010), employers are legally obliged to implement reasonable adjustments for disabled staff members. Those wishing to work from home due to a disability can do so by submitting either a flexible working request or a reasonable adjustment request.
To learn more about home and hybrid working arrangements within your organisation, it is advisable to speak with your manager, employer or HR department directly.
