Are Employers Required to Approve Requests for Flexible Working?

The aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic has driven an exponential increase in working from home and hybrid working opportunities. Flexible working can have inclusion and well-being advantages for employees and can be useful to employers when attracting and retaining talent. However, do employers always have to allow employees flexible working arrangements?

Under the Flexible Working Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, an employer must seriously consider any application from an employee for flexible working arrangements, provided they have worked for the employer for at least 26 weeks. However, it is important to note that employees have the right to ask for flexible working but not the