Andy Burnham’s government has committed to making it more difficult for employers to deny staff the opportunity to work from home. At the annual Trade Unions Congress (TUC) in Brighton, Louise Haigh emphasised that businesses will be required to show they have “properly” considered an employee’s request before turning it down.
“That is what putting power back into the hands of working people looks like,” she stated, highlighting that “life isn’t always as neat as employers would like it to be.”
She further explained the importance of flexibility at work, noting that “there’s kids to pick up, parents to look after, and families who rely on us at short notice. Sometimes, a little bit of flexibility can make all the difference.”
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While acknowledging that “not every job can be done from home and not every request can be agreed,” Ms Haigh emphasised each request “can be taken seriously.”
She added, “If an employer wants to turn down a request, they will have to sit down with their employee, properly consider and explain why.”
Paul Nowak, General Secretary of the TUC, described flexible working not as “just a perk – it’s a lifeline.”
He welcomed the government’s proposals as “a step forward” making it harder for employers to reject flexible working requests while strengthening workers' voices in the process.
“Improving access to flexible working benefits workers, businesses and the economy – whether it’s through increased staff productivity or higher retention,” Mr Nowak said.
Currently, all employees have the legal right to request flexible working arrangements regarding their hours or workplace location. Employers must consider these requests reasonably and respond within two months.
Ms Haigh, regarded as the de facto deputy Prime Minister, described the Employment Rights Act as offering the “biggest uplift” in workers’ rights in a generation.
Speaking to union leaders, she outlined changes including entitlement to sick pay from day one, restrictions on fire and rehire practices, enhanced protections for parents, and stronger safeguards against unfair dismissal.
The Government is also targeting “exploitative” zero-hours contracts, which Ms Haigh criticised for providing “employers all the flexibility” while leaving workers with “all the insecurity.”