Autumn Budget Summary 2024
On 6 April 2024, a truly remarkable woman, Anna Whitehouse , made history with her unwavering determination to change the law.
With the birth of her ‘FlexAppeal’ campaign in 2015, Ms Whitehouse left her job in the city to campaign to ensure that all employers offer flexible working to all their staff. Whether this be with compressed hours, home working, flexitime, smarter shift patterns or any other variation.
In the biggest shift to the flexible working regime since 2014, Ms Whitehouse has initiated the following changes to the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023, which have been effective since 6 April 2024:
- Employees can request flexible working from the first day of their employment (employees previously had to wait for 26 weeks before being eligible to make a request).
- Employers must consult with the employee if rejecting a request (there was previously no obligation to consult).
- The entire process must be concluded within two months (down from three months previously). This includes any appeal process, unless an extension is agreed.
- Employees can make two statutory requests in any 12-month period (previously employees could make one request in 12 months) – although note employees could make more requests on an informal basis.
- Employees are no longer required to explain the effect of their request on the employer and how that might be dealt with.
On a personal note, I feel it is worth championing the employers that have got things right and haven’t needed to be pushed into action (by the FlexAppeal) to consider the benefits of flexible working.
When I fell pregnant with my first child, I was only 23. I was right in the middle of (weekend) law school whilst also balancing a full-time job in project management. When I decided to switch careers and become a lawyer I moved down to Surrey and accepted a part-time paralegal role at my firm, Meadows & Co.
From day one at Meadows & Co I have never been expected to work full-time. I was offered a training contract within the first three months of my probationary period (which they allowed me to complete on a part-time basis), they welcomed me with open arms after my maternity leave with my second baby, and more recently whilst on maternity leave with my third child, I was offered partnership.
As well as being a mother of three young children I have the added pleasure of being married to a professional sportsman. The nature of my husband’s job requires him to be away from the family for extended periods and never have we enjoyed the benefit of ‘prior notice’ when it comes to requesting annual leave. Despite this, my firm has remained understanding of our unusual family dynamic and the pressures that puts on me personally and as a mother. In return I have always given 110% to my work, and the firm, and will continue to do so for as long as they will have me.
Many studies have shown that those who consider the needs and wellbeing of their employees, by ensuring they have the work life balance many, post pandemic, modern families now require, the output will result in healthier, happier, hardworking, employees that are willing to go above and beyond the roles required of them. Not only that, but it has also been proven to raise productivity, improve loyalty and cuts costs.
What remains clear is that ‘employment’ is a two-way relationship. You get out what you put in and thanks to the FlexAppeal, our children, and many generations to come, will be reap the rewards of one person’s mission for change.
Jodie Care – May 2024
Related posts
