Charities, lawyers, and experts issue report outlining how Labour can fulfil their manifesto pledge to make flexible working the default

• Report highlights the need for radical reform to the current legislation if employees are to be enabled to work flexibly in the UK

DATE: 4th Oct 2024: The Labour Party promised voters they would make flexible working the default way of working. Ahead of the Employment Bill, Pregnant Then Screwed has curated a panel of experts to highlight flaws with the current legislation and to explore how the Government can fulfill this manifesto pledge. 

The report calls for the introduction of a Flexible Working Advertising Duty alongside the creation of a new Single Enforcement Body so that employers are forced to take flexible working legislation seriously or face swift consequences. Supporters of the report include charities: Pregnant Then Screwed and The Fawcett Society as well as flexible working legal specialists Osborne & Wise, Kilgannon Law and Primas Law.

The authors highlight gender disparities in who needs access to flexible working to manage caring duties with Pregnant Then Screwed research finding that mothers who are working full-time are 2.5 times more likely than full-time dads to request flexible working with 2 in 5 mothers saying their flexible working request was turned down. This is backed by further research from the Fawcett Society finding that 40% of women who are not currently working said that if flexible working was available to them, it would enable them to do paid work.

Supporters of the report argue a Flexible Working Advertising Duty is crucial to progress. The duty would see employers be legally required to list the kind of flexible working that could be available in the job descriptions for all roles unless they have a legitimate business reason for not offering any flexible working. They propose that this will remove barriers in the application process whilst ensuring that both employers and employees have what they need on the first day of a job. This is in contrast to current legislation in which employees have to wait until the first day of a new job to submit a request for flexible working, often leading to unmet expectations on both sides.

 Lauren Fabianski, Head of Campaigns and Communications at Pregnant Then Screwed, comments: “For years we’ve watched as the government have promised to make flexible working the norm only for them to tinker around the edges of outdated legislation and utterly fail to deliver any meaningful change. We cannot stand by and witness another round of navel gazing whilst people struggle to access work that works for them. The truth is that flexible working laws simply do not go far enough. A right to request flexible working is still a right for employers to decline it with little consideration or consequence. If you want growth you have to do new and different things. It is clear from our research that a lack of access to flexible working is forcing mothers out of work. It is completely within our power to create a society where people can better juggle work with their unpaid care responsibilities with the added bonus of growing the economy and shrinking gender employment gaps.”

Jemima Olchawski, Chief Executive of The Fawcett Society comments: “Flexible working is essential to ensure women can participate equally in the economy while balancing work and care. A day-one right to request flexible working is important but to create the cultural shift needed to make flexibility the norm we need to see jobs advertised as flexible by default. Flexibility at work means women can take on more desirable, well paid roles which in turn helps to close our pernicious gender pay gap. Not only this, but it supports men to take on their fair share of caring responsibilities and household tasks. Employers win too – increasing access to flexibility means they can hire the talent that they need and support the economy to grow by making it easier for everyone to find jobs where they are most productive. We urge the government to take this next step to truly make flexible working the default”

The report will be published in full on www.pregnantthenscrewed.com on Friday the 4th of October.

ENDS 

 

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About Pregnant Then Screwed: 

Pregnant Then Screwed is a charity that seeks to protect, support and promote the rights of pregnant women and mothers. We carry out extensive research into the effects of systemic cultural and institutional discrimination during pregnancy and motherhood. Our support services include: a free employment rights helpline, a free benefits advice clinic, a free mental health support line, pro bono legal advice and a tribunal mentor scheme that supports women who are considering legal action against their employer. We campaign for changes that will end the motherhood penalty and we support working mums to rebuild their confidence and find work that works for them.