Flexible Working Right for Parents

If you are a parent of a child under six years old or a disabled child under 18, the government gives you the right to apply to work flexibly. The government wants to let parents like you live a well-balanced life both as a parent and as a professional. Employers are obliged to consider these requests seriously. Parent includes mothers, fathers, adopters, guardians or foster parents, or a person married to or the partner of the aforementioned. It is important that you have worked with your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks at the date of your application, and the application should be made no later than two weeks before the child’s sixth birthday or 18th birthday of the disabled child.

Under the flexible working right, you can apply for a change to the hours you work, a change to the times when you are required to work, and to work from your home. But the right does not provide an automatic right to work flexibly. Your employer might not be able to accommodate the work pattern that you want. This right does not only aim to meet the needs of parents but also those of the employers. If such condition arises, it is encouraged that you discuss this matter with your employer to see if you can arrive at a middle ground favorable to both parties.