The Flexible Working Act (Wfw) will enter into effect on 1 January 2016. This act replaces the Working Hours Adjustment Act and introduces flexibility into working times and workplace.
Under the new Flexible Working Act employees may submit a request to their employer to adjust the working times and workplace as well as the working hours. Currently employees can only request an adjustment to the number of hours they work.
The intention is not to give employees an absolute right to flexible working hours but that they are given the right to submit a request to their employer for their working hours, workplace and working times to be adjusted. Employers reserve the right to deny such a request. They are only required to substantiate any denial fully.
This act reduces the term within which employees can submit such a requests from one year to six months after entering into service. Currently a request has to be submitted at least 4 months prior to the intended date; this is halved in the new act to 2 months. After the request has been denied or granted under the Waa, the employee has to wait another two years before being able to submit a new request. This term is reduced to one year in the new act.
This Wfw will apply only to employers with more than ten employees working for them.