This flexible working policy is a general guide to the management of flexible working applications made by employees. Certain employees have a statutory right to seek changes to their terms and conditions of employment, and whilst employers do not have to grant the requests made in all cases, they are required to properly consider them.

It is particularly common for mothers returning from maternity leave to seek a variation to their working hours by way of a flexible working application. If such applications are not properly considered, they may not only result in a breach of the statutory flexible working framework, but could also result in a finding of sex discrimination.

This policy is designed to help employers comply with their minimum legal obligations with respect to flexible working. Changes to the qualifying ages of children to which a flexible working application relates were to change in April 2011, although the Government scrapped this proposal in the March 2011 budget. As such, this policy remains consistent with the prior legal position and is fully compliant.

The flexible working policy is 6 pages long (including the cover sheet) and is broken down into the following 3 sections:

- Purpose
- Definition and Scope
- Procedure

Click on the link below to view the first few pages of the flexible working policy:

SAMPLE FLEXIBLE WORKING POLICY