Flexible Working Policy and Documents
These documents are designed to help employers handle flexible working requests in a clear, consistent, and legally compliant way.
They cover the full process, from the employee’s request through to the employer’s decision and any appeal, and also include documents for agreed working arrangements.
When to Use Flexible Working Request Documents
Use these documents where an employee asks to change their working hours, working pattern, or place of work.
They include a Flexible Working Policy and supporting letters to help employers manage requests properly and keep a clear written record at each stage.
Flexible Working Procedure and Key Stages
This collection supports the main stages of the process, including:
Statutory Procedure for Flexible Working Requests
The law sets out a statutory procedure that must be followed where an eligible employee makes a flexible working request.
These documents are designed to support that procedure and help employers deal with requests in a structured way.
Employer Refusal of a Flexible Working Request
An employee may have the right to ask for flexible working, but there is no automatic right to have the request accepted.
If an employer refuses a request, the reason for refusal must be one of the statutory business grounds. The Flexible Working Rejection Letter helps employers record that refusal in writing.
Flexible Working Policies, Letters, and Agreed Arrangements
As well as core policy and procedure documents, this collection includes documents for term-time working and flexi-time arrangements.
That makes it useful both for handling formal requests and for documenting flexible working arrangements once agreed.
Flexible Working Policy and Documents is part of Employment. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Employment for 1 year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which documents do I need to handle a flexible working request from start to finish? +
This collection covers every stage of the statutory process. Start with the Flexible Working Policy to set out your approach, then use the Flexible Working Request Letter for the employee's written application, the Flexible Working Request Acknowledgement Letter once it is received, the Flexible Working Decision Letter if you approve it, and the Flexible Working Rejection Letter if you refuse. The Flexible Working Appeal Letter and Flexible Working Appeal Decision Letter cover any appeal. The Ineligibility to Request Flexible Working Letter is available if the employee does not qualify.
Can a new employee make a flexible working request straight away, or do they have to wait? +
Since 6 April 2024 the statutory right to request flexible working applies from the first day of employment, with no minimum service requirement, so a new employee can request straight away. Only employees (not workers or self-employed contractors) have this right. An employee can make up to two statutory requests in any 12-month period, but only one can be live at a time. The Flexible Working Policy should reflect these rules, and where the requester is not an employee the Ineligibility to Request Flexible Working Letter may be appropriate.
Can I refuse a flexible working request, and what reasons are acceptable in law? +
You can refuse a flexible working request, but only on one or more of the eight statutory business grounds in the Employment Rights Act 1996, such as the burden of additional costs, detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand, inability to reorganise work among existing staff or detrimental impact on quality. There is no automatic right to have a request granted, but you must consult the employee before refusing, and a refusal based on personal preference or convenience is not legally defensible. The Flexible Working Rejection Letter records the refusal and the statutory reason in writing.
How long does my business have to make a decision on a flexible working request, including any appeal? +
Since 6 April 2024, the entire process, including any appeal, must be completed within two months of the date the request is received. You can extend this period, but only if the employee agrees to the extension. The Flexible Working Request Acknowledgement Letter, Flexible Working Decision Letter, Flexible Working Rejection Letter, Flexible Working Appeal Letter and Flexible Working Appeal Decision Letter in this collection all help you keep a written record at each stage and stay within the statutory deadline.
Does my business need a written flexible working policy, and what should it cover? +
A written flexible working policy is not a strict legal requirement, but the Acas Code of Practice on Requests for Flexible Working (in force from 6 April 2024) recommends a clear policy and procedure to clarify expectations and reduce the risk of inconsistent handling and tribunal claims. The Flexible Working Policy reflects the statutory procedure: the day-one right to request, the two-request-per-year limit, the consultation requirement before any refusal and the two-month decision period. A Term-time Working Policy is also included for that specific arrangement.
