The Day One Right Every Worker Has

You can make a flexible working request from your very first day at work. This right applies to all employees, regardless of how long you've worked somewhere. Your employer must consider your request seriously and follow a proper process. They cannot dismiss it without genuine business reasons. The law covers changes to hours, times, or location of work. This includes working from home, compressed hours, or part time arrangements. You don't need to explain personal circumstances to justify your flexible working request. The law gives you the right to ask, full stop.

Writing a Request Your Boss Can't Ignore

Put your flexible working request in writing with clear details. State exactly what changes you want and when you want them to start. Explain how your proposal will work in practice. Show you've thought about potential challenges and have solutions ready. Include how the change might affect your colleagues or workload. Demonstrate that you're committed to maintaining productivity and quality. Keep the tone professional but confident. You're exercising a legal right, not asking for a favour.

The 8 Reasons Employers Use to Refuse

Employers can only refuse your flexible working request for eight specific business reasons. These include additional costs, inability to reorganise work, or impact on customer demand. They must prove the reason applies to your specific situation. Vague concerns about productivity or precedent don't count as valid refusals. Your employer needs to show they've genuinely considered your request. A quick rejection without proper consultation breaks employment law. If they refuse, they must explain which of the eight reasons applies and provide evidence. Generic responses that don't address your specific proposal are legally insufficient.

How Grapple AI Negotiates Flexible Working

Grapple AI reviews your flexible working request before you submit it. Our system identifies weak points that employers commonly exploit to refuse requests. We draft stronger proposals that address potential objections upfront. This makes it much harder for employers to find valid reasons to say no. If your request gets refused, Grapple AI analyses whether the refusal is legally sound. We challenge employers who use invalid reasons or fail to follow proper procedures. Our AI negotiates directly with employers to find solutions that work for everyone. We turn rejected requests into successful arrangements through smart legal pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Flexible Working Requests Can I Make a Year?

You can make two statutory flexible working request in any 12 month period. However, you can make informal requests or negotiate changes outside this formal process anytime.

How Long Does My Employer Have to Respond?

Your employer must respond to your flexible working request within two months. They should arrange a meeting to discuss your proposal unless they're accepting it outright.

What If My Request Is Unfairly Refused?

You can challenge an unfair refusal through employment tribunal or internal appeals. Grapple AI helps identify invalid refusals and builds strong cases for compensation.

Can I Request Compressed or Part Time Hours?

Yes, flexible working includes compressed hours, part time schedules, job sharing, and remote work. Any change to when, where, or how long you work counts as flexible working.

A Success Story

After years of strong performance, 'Jane' was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), while on sick leave for a health condition.

With no prior warning, she felt cornered and unsure where to turn.

The process was being used as a fast-track exit strategy, to get rid of her without a fair settlement agreement offer.

Struggling with health, caring for an elderly relative, and fearing the financial fallout of losing her job, Jane turned to Grapple Law for help.

She took swift, decisive action, sending detailed legal letters to her employer and preparing for her formal meetings.

Within weeks, Jane secured a settlement of around £30,000, and paid a modest success fee to Grapple Law.