Article 15: Flexible working
Article 15 gives parents the right to apply for flexible working. It lays out:
the eligibility criteria which must be met in order for an employee to apply for a flexible working pattern;
a clearly defined framework for a procedure to be followed by employees and employers when making and considering requests for flexible working;
the employer’s duties in relation to an application under the new provisions;
the right for an employee to take their case to an industrial tribunal; and
what happens if a tribunal finds that an application has not been dealt with correctly.
The new provisions will be inserted into the Employment Rights (NI) Order 1996.
