Flexible working is a way of working that suits an employee’s needs, e.g., being able to work certain hours or work from home.

Anyone can ask their employer to work flexibly – and many organizations have now embraced both home and flexible working as part of accommodating a diverse workforce.

Certain employees have a legal entitlement to request flexible working arrangements. Employees (other than casual employees) who have worked with the same employer for at least 12 months can request flexible working arrangements if they meet certain criteria such as being a parent or carer, having a disability, being 55 or older, or experiencing violence from a family member . Flexible working arrangements can include changes to hours of work, patterns of work, and locations of work.

Employers are required to respond to requests for flexible working arrangements and there are rules about how to make a request and how employers need to respond. Here’s a best practice guide to flexible working arrangements from the Safe Working Ombudsman.