Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to strengthen the right of employees to request flexible working, and (2) to ensure that employers prioritise arrangements for staff to work from home rather than in offices, from 1 August.

The Government is clear about the benefits of flexible working for employers and their employees. All employees with 26 weeks’ continuous service with their employer have the right to request Flexible Working.

In our manifesto we said that, subject to consultation, we would introduce measures to make flexible working the default.

From 1 August, we are giving employers more discretion to make decisions about how their staff can work safely.

This could mean continuing to work from home or it could mean working in a covid-secure workplace. We encourage employers to discuss this with their employees.

The Government has clearly set out how to make workplaces covid-secure in its Safer Workplaces guidance. As we reopen our economy, it’s right that we give employers more discretion while continuing to ensure employees are kept safe.