UK Government Considering Stronger Rights for Four-Day Workweek Requests

The UK government is considering plans to strengthen workers’ rights to request a four-day working week as part of broader efforts to enhance flexible working options. Under these proposed changes, full-time employees would still be required to work their contracted hours but could request to compress them into a shorter workweek.

Currently, employees have the right to ask for flexible working from the first day of their employment, but employers are not obligated to approve these requests. The new proposals, as reported by the Daily Telegraph, could make it more challenging for employers to refuse such requests.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade emphasized that any changes to employment legislation would be made in consultation with businesses, ensuring that no mandatory changes are imposed on staff or companies. Education Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith highlighted the potential benefits of flexible working, including improved productivity and better work-life balance. She explained that a four-day week could involve working longer hours each day, thereby allowing employees more personal time while maintaining their full-time workload.

Employment law experts have noted that while the current system allows employers to reject flexible working requests for valid business reasons, the proposed changes might make it more difficult for such refusals to be justified.

As discussions continue, the government aims to balance the needs of employees for greater flexibility with the concerns of businesses, which are cautious about the potential impact of these changes.