Employees wanting flexible working must be given meeting with boss, says Louise Haigh MP
The Sheffield Heeley MP unveiled the new Government policy in a speech to the TUC Congress
First Secretary of State Louise Haigh has unveiled a new Government policy, aimed at “putting power back into the workplace.”
Speaking at the Trades Union Congress this week, Ms Haigh said bosses will now be forced to meet with workers who request flexible working conditions.
“I’m pleased to announce that we will strengthen the right to flexible working. If an employer wants to turn down a request.
“They will have to sit down with their employee, properly consider it, and explain why,” the Sheffield Heeley MP said.
She continued: “That is what putting power back into the hands of working people looks like.
“Power over your place, power over your work.”
She said the new policy would continue efforts to bring about the “biggest uplift of workers’ rights in a generation,” following on from the Employment Rights Act.
Ms Haigh said the Government had passed the Act, which was given Royal Asent in December 2025, with the help of those present at the TUC Congress.
“Because of you, working people have had the biggest uplift in their rights in a generation.
“Changes that won’t just transform lives today, but the lives of our children and our grandchildren.
“Sick pay from day one, an end to fire and rehire. More protection for mums.
“The right to paternity leave for dads. Stronger protections from unfair dismissal.
“And an end to exploitative zero-hour contracts that give employers all the flexibility, and working people all the insecurity.
“And that principle should apply to the rest of our working lives too, because life isn’t always as neat as we’d like it to be.
“Or as employers would like it to be.
“There’s kids to pick up, parents to look after, families who rely on us at short notice.
“And sometimes, a little bit of flexibility can make all the difference.”
They include: dismissal for taking part in industrial action becoming “automatically unfair”; paternity leave becoming a “day one right”; whistleblowing protections for sexual harassment and the removal of the lower earnings limit for sick pay.
A further raft of rights are set to come into force in coming months, including: protection from unfair dismissal coming into force after six months of employment; increased protections against fire and rehire and a new, unpaid right to statutory bereavement leave.