In research conducted by Deloitte, one third of the large companies surveyed indicated that they would be happy to allow employees to work flexibly during the 2012 London Olympics.
The employers said they will be happy for employees to take time off to see the games and make up the time in the mornings or at the end of the day. In addition, 44% of the employers surveyed said they would actively encourage employees to make the most of the opportunity to see the games when they are hosted in London next year.
Deloitte’s research also showed that 42% of the businesses surveyed are planning to install television screens in the workplace so employees can watch the games during the working day. Heather Hancock, the London 2012 lead partner at Deloitte, said employers need to plan ahead to work out how to ensure business needs are met while “facilitating a games experience”.
Under employment law, flexible working is technically available to any employee, as long as their employer offers the arrangement. However, only parents with children under the age of 17, or 18 if the child is disabled, and carers have the right to request flexible working from their employer.
In addition, they must be an employee, have worked continuously for a period of 26 weeks, and not have made a similar request within the past 12 months.
An employer has a legal obligation to consider the request, but they do not have a legal obligation to grant the request. However, they can only refuse to grant flexible working if they have a legitimate business reason for doing so.
Heather Hancock advises employers to consider how they will manage the potential increase in demand for annual leave during the games period. The sooner these issues are considered, the more prepared employers will be when it comes to the Olympics in 2012.
One third of the respondents to Deloitte’s survey said they are planning to attend the games themselves either in a personal capacity or with clients.
29% of the employers have no plans to allow employees to work flexibly over the Olympic period. This could reflect the fact that certain industries and jobs do not lend themselves to flexible working simply because of their nature.
60% of the employers indicated they would not be making any changes to their flexible working policy in order to accommodate staff who wish to participate in the atmosphere of the games.
Employers and employees who require some legal advice on flexible working, either in general or in relation to preparing for the 2012 Olympics, can contact Job Justice. We can put you in touch with a local recommended solicitor.
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