Issue - meetings

(Report of the Head of Personnel)  To detail the provisions of the Work and Families Act 2006, which extends the right to request flexible working to those caring for adults.

The committee received this report to detail the provisions of the Work and Families Act 2006, extending the right to request flexible working to those caring for adults.

It was emphasised to Members that the right as reflected in the act only extended to the employee being able to request flexible working.  This in no way implied a duty on the employer to grant this request.  Members requested that they be provided with information concerning the monitoring of the scheme.

Members raised some concerns over the implications of the scheme, particularly as not all employees would be able to work from home.  However, it was noted that the Council had a statutory duty to implement the government legislation.  Members noted that Officers were currently working on a project looking at flexible working, and that any implementation across the Council would be conducted in a fair and impartial way.

RESOLVED:

1.       That Officers provide to Members information on the monitoring process for flexible working.

2.       That Officers report back to the committee at the Autumn meeting details of take-up and usage of the extended scheme.

3.       That the flexible working scheme be changed to clarify statutory rights of employees caring for adults and/or children to apply to work flexibly, as recommended in the report.

4.       That, subject to the above, the recommendations of the report be agreed.