Making a request to work flexibly

If you meet the criteria for flexible working and put in a request, your request must contain the following to be covered by the legislation:

• Be in writing and dated.  This includes emails and faxes
• State that it is an application under the statutory right to request a contract variation in relation to flexible working under Employment Rights Act 1996, s80F
• Confirm that you have responsibility for the upbringing of the child/are caring for an adult, that you are making the request to be able to care for the child/adult and state your relationship to the child/adult
• State what working pattern you are applying for
• State what date you want the change to start
• Explain what, if any, effect the change would have on your employer and how this could be dealt with.
• State whether you have made an application before and if so when (you can only make one application a year)

The easiest way of making the request is to use a standard form which you can get from the Direct Gov website by looking for the Flexible Working Application template. You do not have to use this form to make your request and some companies have their own versions of the form. However if you do make the request on your own, for example, in a letter,  or by using your employer’s own version of the form, you must make sure the application covers all the points above, so that you are covered by the legislation.