Working from home ‘should be a right’ on day one of job

WORKING from home could be requested from the first day of a job, under new government plans.

Ministers have spelt out a range of options, including job-sharing, flexitime, and working compressed, annualised, or staggered hours.

Workers were promised that new measures will give them greater access to flexibility over where, when, and how they work.

Flexible working has been found to help employees balance their work and home life, especially supporting those who have commitments or responsibilities such as caring for children or vulnerable people, the Government said.

The announcement comes alongside new laws that will allow the lowest paid to work for different employers.

Kevin Hollinrake, small business minister, said: “Giving staff more say over their working pattern makes for happier employees and more productive businesses. [It’s] a no-brainer.

“Greater flexibility over where, when, and how people work is an integral part of our plan to make the UK the best place in the world to work.”

Workers on contracts with a guaranteed weekly income on or below the lower earnings limit of £123 a week will now be protected from exclusivity clauses being enforced against them, which restricted them from working for multiple employers.

The Government said its reforms will ensure that about 1.5 million low-paid employees can work multiple shortterm contracts.

If an employer cannot accommodate a request to work flexibly, they will be required to discuss alternative options before they can reject the request.

Frances O’grady, the TUC general secretary, said it had been a year since a consultation on flexible working closed and people were “tired of waiting for action”. She added: “Flexible working should be available to everyone.

“It’s how we keep mums in work, close the gender pay gap and give dads more time with their kids, and it’s how we keep disabled workers, older workers and carers in their jobs.

“[Workers] should have the legal right to work flexibly from their first day in a job – not just the right to ask.”