Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has had recent discussions with employers on taking steps to offer (a) part-time work and (b) other flexibility to people with long covid.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake
The Department speaks regularly with employers and business representative organisations about flexible working. These discussions have covered a range of issues, including the importance of flexible working in managing employees with long term health conditions, such as long covid.
In December 2022 the Government announced plans[1] to make the right to request flexible working a day one right, alongside other changes to make flexible working more accessible to all employees. The Government is pleased to support the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Private Members’ Bill[2] which will deliver several of these changes.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/making-flexible-working-the-default
[2] https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3198