ACS

The business secretary has warned that any move to extend the right to ask for flexible working could alienate employers.

John Hutton said in a speech on Tuesday that imposing too many expectations on firms could lead them to turn down all requests from part-time workers.

The Prime Minister last year asked Sainsbury's human resources director Imelda Walsh to look at whether the entitlements currently available to parents with children under the age of six should be extended to all those with children up to 18.

But Hutton, ahead of her conclusions, said: "We want to avoid a situation where employers are so overwhelmed with requests from newly eligible groups that they feel they have to say no to everyone.

"The right to request flexible working, has brought significant gains to working people who have been able to negotiate new working patterns with their employers.

"But the right to request has been successful precisely because it has been well targeted, weighing up the needs of business with employees who stood to benefit."

Hutton cautioned that getting the balance wrong could actually lead to some parents having their currently favourable working arrangements reversed.

"In deciding the appropriate age to recommend, Imelda Walsh is of course considering the effects on businesses that will have to adjust to any change," he said.

"But equally importantly, she is also weighing up the effect any further extension will have on those who are already benefiting from the right to request.

"Put simply, the more people that have the right - the harder many businesses may find to prioritise those whose needs are greatest."

BERR will be carrying out a formal public consultation following Ms Walsh’s recommendations in spring 2008, to gauge the views of business, employers, unions and other stakeholders, but their views will be taken into account as part of the review process.