Under the new National Employment Standards, parents have the right to request flexible working arrangements.
One of the key new National Employment Standards (NES) is flexible work arrangements for parents with children below school age and/or parents with children under 18 years of age with disabilities. These parents have the right to request flexible working arrangements providing they have at least 12 months' service.
As an employer, you must provide a written response to the employee within 21 days and provide any reasons for refusal. This request can only be refused on ‘reasonable business grounds.'
Contact us for assistance in developing a policy and consistent workplace approach to handling flexible work requests to suit your business needs.