Flexible working to be extended

Extract:  "The right to request flexible working is to be extended to about 4.5 million parents of children aged up to 16. Under the current rules the opportunity is limited to parents whose children are under six or disabled. Following the recommendations of an independent review, Business Secretary John Hutton said the move would give a "big boost" to busy parents.

Mr Hutton said the move could help employers get the best out of the mothers and fathers in their workforce. He said: "It is important that employers retain control over deciding whether it suits their business to allow people to work flexibly, but extending the right to request to parents of older children will allow families to take priority when decisions are made."

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