To mark Carers
Week 2009, Michael Foster, MP for Hastings and Rye and Minister for Equalities,
is urging people to think about using their right to request
flexible working from their employer.
People may not
recognise themselves as carers, but anyone who cares for a spouse
or relative, or cares for someone who lives with them, has the
right under law to ask their employer if they can work flexibly.
Their employer can only refuse if they have a valid business
reason.
The business
case for flexible working is clear: research[1]
shows that people who work flexibly are significantly committed to
their organisations. It can also improve loyalty, reduce
absenteeism, and stop people dropping out of the
workplace.
Michael Foster,
Minister for Government Equalities
Office, said: “Carers are the ultimate
multi-taskers, often combining caring for elderly relatives or a
spouse with earning a living and looking after
children.
“We changed the law in 2007 to give
carers the right to request flexible working from their employer,
and so help them balance work with their caring responsibilities.
Caring for a relative can be unpredictable, so it’s important
carers know about this right and talk to their boss if it could
help. A great many people in Hastings and Rye stand to
benefit.”
The Government
is keen to ensure that, over the next 10 years, all the carers who
want to work will be able to do so. It set out this ambition
in its National Carers’ Strategy which it published in 2008.
Enabling carers to work not only helps them as individuals but also
improves the efficiency of the labour market and helps to sustain
growth in the economy.
There are over
1.5 million carers in England aged between 25 and 59 years.
Half of these are under 45 years of age[2].
These people will already have acquired a significant level of
skills crucial in any global labour market. 2.2 million people
start and stop caring each year and may need support to re-enter
the job market.[3]
People caring
for an adult[4]
have had the statutory right to ask
their employer for flexible working arrangements since 2007.
Under the law an employer is obliged to seriously consider any
application made by an employee, and can only reject it if there
are good business reasons for doing
so.
Making a
flexible working request is easy. Direct.gov provides information on caring
for someone while working, flexible working and the law, plus
advice on building a case and application forms. Visit
www.direct.gov.uk
-
click on the ‘Caring for someone’ section, then ‘Caring for someone while
working’.
Research shows
that the majority of employers believe that flexible working
practices have a positive effect on employee relations and employee
motivation and commitment to the organisation.[5]
|
Flexible working for carers - the
law explained
·
A total of around around 2.65 million carers are
entitled to request flexible working.[6]
·
The Work and Families Act 2006 gave
carers the right to request flexible working and the act came into
force in April 2007. The law provides employees with the right to request a
flexible working pattern if they:
o
care, or expect to be caring, for
an adult who is a spouse, partner, civil partner or relative; or
who although not related to them, lives at the same
address
·
The right to request flexible
working was introduced in 2003 for parents of children aged six and
under, and parents of disabled children aged up to 18. The
right to request flexible working was extended to parents of
children aged 16 and under in April 2009.
·
Under the law employers must
seriously consider all applications made, and only reject it if
there is a good business reasons for doing
so.
·
This does not give employees the
right to work flexibly – just the right to ask.
·
Flexible working is any working
pattern that is adapted for the benefit of the individual and that
also suits their employer. Examples include: part-time, flexi-time,
compressed hours, staggered hours, job sharing, and working from
home.
|
|
A step by step guide on how to
request flexible working:
·
Write a letter
or fill in an application form. Your employer may provide you
with one or you can get one from www.direct.gov.uk
·
Your employer
should arrange a meeting with you within 28 days to discuss your
application
·
Within 14 days
you should receive your employer’s decision in writing
·
If
your request is accepted you will need to meet with your employer
to agree your new working pattern
·
If
your request is rejected you may appeal in writing
|
NOTES FOR
EDITORS
·
The
Government Equalities Office is responsible for the Government’s
overall strategy and priorities on equality issues. It was
established in July 2007. The Office has responsibility for policy
on gender equality, issues around sexual orientation, and
for integrating work on race and religion or belief into the
overall equality framework.
Census 2001, office for national
statistics
| 
