Part of the debate – in Westminster Hall at 2:52 pm on 26 February 2009.
My hon. Friend is making a series of excellent points. Does he share my great disappointment in the Government's reaction to the Committee's proposal to give carers the right to request flexible working as soon as they start a job, instead of having to wait for 26 weeks? In their response, the Government said that they were opposed to introducing that right from day one, because the 26-week period is required to build a relationship of trust between employer and employee. Does he share my view that, after 26 weeks, if the carer is under pressure, and has had to leave work early, there will be no relationship of trust? In fact, the chances are that the carer will have found it impossible to last 26 weeks and, therefore, to get to the point at which they are eligible to request flexible working.
Annotations
bryan mcgrath
Posted on 27 Feb 2009 3:12 pm (Report this annotation)
Well Mr. Penrose is alive and well. I never see him making a contribution on Work and Pensions (he is on the committee), so the fact he can turn up at this debate is progress.
I'm afraid I find the idea that someone should be able to request a change to "terms and conditions" of employment on day 1 of that employment strange.
HOWEVER, I do agree that circumstances can change quickly and certainly within 6 months. Perhaps "best endeavours" under "exceptional circumstances" is a way to progress this matter.
BTW John, thanks for the letter dated 28/1/2009, which was received 10/2/2009, after the email from writetothem.com asking about your response was received on the 8/2/2009. I guess you didn't sign the Early Day Motion that I asked about: however, it was difficult to tell from the tory claptrap in the letter