New Right for Carers

The right to request flexible working has been available to parents of children under six (or under 18 for a disabled child) since 2003 and this right will be extended to those qualifying as 'carers' from 6 April 2007. It is not an absolute right to work flexibly, but does require employers to consider requests seriously.

A 'carer' is defined as any employee who is (or expects to be) caring for an adult who is married to, or the partner or civil partner of the employee, OR is a "near relative" (ie parent, parent in law, adult child, adopted adult child, siblings (including in laws), uncles, aunts or grandparents and step-relatives), of the employee, OR falls into neither category but lives at the same address as the employee.