New flexible working laws 'could still go ahead'

New laws to allow more flexible working rights for parents may still be enforced following protests from one cabinet member.

According to the Telegraph, businesses secretary Peter Mandelson had ordered a review of the extension to flexible working, wanting it to be scrapped or put on hold because of the recession.

However, the newspaper now claims that the move will go ahead next year following protests from chief secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper.

It will see employees given the right to ask for their working hours to be altered to fit in with commitments such as picking up children from school.

Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said: Postponing a simple right to request flexible working would not save a single job in the small business sector.

The going philosophy at ClickAJob is that flexible working can actually be a life-saver to many companies.

According to a spokesperson, With the world skills shortage and the credit crunch happening at the same time, skilled people are at a premium.

If a staff member needs consideration because of family commitments, it's a lot easier to shift their hours around than go hunting for entirely new people, he points out.

It's the same with remote working. If an employee is good and valued, it's worthwile bending the rules to keep them on board and properly motivated, he says.

Anything you can do to keep a trained and committed person in place is worth doing, not just for the money it saves, but for keeping the business going smoothly.

Last month Peter Mandelson launched a new campaign to raise awareness of employee rights concerning their wage.