The Law on Flexible Working

4. Moving into Flexible Working

Once you have accepted a request for flexible working you may need to make some changes.

4.1 You will need to amend the employee's contract of employment to reflect the changes.

• You may want to agree a trial period to ensure the changes are working.

4.2 If the new flexible working arrangement involves changes to the number of hours worked, you will need to amend the employee's pay and holiday entitlement.

4.3 If the employee will be working from home, health and safety requirements will apply just as they do to those who work in the office.

An initial risk assessment must be carried out although this can be done by the employee. Areas to consider are:

• The seating and layout of the employee's computer workstation.
• Electrical equipment. Has it been tested and certified?
• Make sure there are no trailing extension leads.
• Adequate lighting levels, ventilation and room temperature.

4.4 Consider the impact of the changes on other employees.

• If an employee will be working fewer hours than previously, make sure you have adequate cover in place. Other employees may become resentful if their workload increases because of the changes.
• You should inform other employees as early as possible.
• You also need to make sure work is allocated fairly. For example, in a job share you need to make sure that both parties have equal responsibilities.

4.5 Make sure you are consistent in your approach to flexible working.Keep clear records of who has applied to work flexibly, and what your response was.Monitor and evaluate how the new arrangements are working so you can put changes in place if necessary.