Overview

The Carers and Employment Bill aims to strengthen the rights of carers to request flexible working arrangements from their employers. It amends existing employment law to ensure that these rights apply from the first day of employment, making it easier for carers to balance work and care responsibilities.

Description

This bill modifies the Employment Rights Act 1996. Specifically, it removes restrictions on when carers can request flexible working, ensuring the right applies from day one of employment. The bill also allows the Secretary of State to create supplementary regulations for transitional matters. These regulations will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

Key Changes:

• Extends the right to request flexible working to carers from the first day of employment.
• Removes previous limitations on when carers could make such requests.
• Grants the Secretary of State power to issue further regulations to facilitate a smooth transition.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify government spending. However, there might be indirect costs associated with the implementation of the changes (e.g., administrative costs for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, and potential increased costs for employers). No figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• Carers: This bill positively impacts carers by granting them earlier access to flexible working options, potentially improving their work-life balance.
• Employers: Employers may face increased administrative burdens in processing flexible working requests. The impact on business costs depends on the number of requests and the nature of the requests themselves.
• Government: The government will likely incur costs associated with the administration and enforcement of the new legislation.

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