Flexible Working Policy template

2. Policy statement

{{org.name}} supports flexible working where it can be made to work for the role, the team, and the people we serve. Every request is considered seriously, on its own facts, and decided by reference to business impact — never by reference to who is asking or why. Requests are approved wherever operationally possible.

3. Types of flexible working

• Part-time working — reducing total weekly hours or days.
• Compressed hours — full-time hours over fewer days.
• Flexitime — varying start and finish times around core hours of [times].
• Staggered hours — fixed but non-standard start and finish times.
• Job sharing — one role split between two people.
• Remote or hybrid working — working from home or another location for some or all of the week.
• Annualised or term-time hours — hours averaged across the year.

4. Making a statutory request

Submit your request in writing to [role] using [form/system]. State that it is a statutory flexible working request, describe the change you want and the date you would like it to start, and say whether you have made a previous request and when.

You do not have to justify the request or explain its effect on the business, though anything you can say about how the change could work in practice helps us decide it quickly.

5. How we consider requests

• [Role] acknowledges the request within [number] working days and logs it.
• Your manager invites you to a meeting to discuss the request before any decision is made. You may bring a colleague.
• We consider the request against the statutory business reasons and nothing else, consulting [operations/rota owner] on practical impact.
• We decide requests well within the statutory deadline — see current ACAS guidance for the deadline that applies.
• The outcome is confirmed in writing: agreed, agreed with modifications, agreed on trial, or refused with the business reasons explained.

6. Trial periods and agreeing changes

Where the impact of a change is uncertain, {{org.name}} may agree a trial of [length, e.g. three months], with review points at [intervals]. The trial terms, success measures, and what happens at the end are confirmed in writing before the trial starts.

A change agreed permanently is a variation to your contract. We confirm it in writing, including the new pattern, any pay change from reduced hours, and the effective date.

7. Refusing a request and appeals

A statutory request is refused only for one or more of the statutory business reasons, and the written outcome explains how the reason applies to the facts. Blanket refusals — "we don't do part-time" — are not permitted under this policy.

An employee may appeal in writing to [senior role] within [number] working days of the outcome. The appeal is heard by someone not involved in the original decision, and the appeal outcome is final.

8. Informal flexibility

Occasional one-off adjustments — a changed start time for an appointment, a swapped day — do not need a statutory request and are agreed directly with your manager. Informal arrangements do not change the contract and can be withdrawn; anyone who wants a lasting change should make a statutory request.

9. Records and review

Requests, meeting notes, outcomes, and appeal records are kept on the employee's file in [system] for [period]. [Role] reviews outcomes [frequency] to check decisions are consistent across teams and managers.

This policy is reviewed [frequency, e.g. annually] and whenever the statutory scheme changes. Owner: [name/role]. Next review due: [date].