Overview

The Carers and Employment Bill aims to improve the employment rights of carers in England and Wales by granting them the right to request flexible working arrangements from their first day of employment. This amendment to the Employment Rights Act 1996 seeks to provide greater work-life balance for individuals with caring responsibilities.

Description

This bill amends Section 80F of the Employment Rights Act 1996. Specifically:

• It removes a clause restricting the right to request flexible working to employees who have been employed for a certain period.
• It inserts a new subsection to explicitly state that the right to request flexible working applies from the first day of employment.
• It removes a sub-paragraph related to the process for making requests.

The Secretary of State is empowered to create regulations covering transitional arrangements, ensuring a smooth implementation of the changes. These regulations will be subject to parliamentary approval.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify government spending. The potential costs might include administrative overheads associated with implementing the changes and potentially addressing any disputes arising from the new rights. No figures are available from the provided text.

Groups Affected

The primary group affected are carers in England and Wales. The bill is expected to positively impact them by giving them more control over their work schedules to better manage their caring responsibilities. Employers will also be affected, as they will be required to consider flexible working requests from carers from day one of employment. There may be indirect effects on care recipients, as improved work-life balance for carers could potentially lead to better care provision.

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