Multiple requests

Acas guidance on handling multiple requests says that where your employer has already granted one request, the impact of that first request on the business can legitimately be taken into account when considering later requests by other employees. It says: “When an employer receives more than one request, they are not required by the law to make value judgments about the most deserving request. An employer should consider each case on its merits, looking at the business case and the possible impact of refusing a request”.

In practice, this presents a potential headache for employers faced with competing requests. Where several employees already work flexibly and more flexibility could impact adversely on the business, the Acas guide suggests it would be “good practice” to call for volunteers to modify their existing contractual working pattern to create the capacity for granting new requests.