1. Policy statement
1.1 This Policy on flexible working arrangements for University staff has been developed in line with the University's commitment to equality of opportunity and with the intention of helping members of staff to balance their commitments and interests outside work with their contractual duties and responsibilities. It is recognised that being able to offer flexibility in working arrangements may assist members of staff to return to work after a period of absence or to continue in work or to adjust to retirement.
1.2 All employees have a statutory right to request flexible working. The University will agree to a flexible working request unless there is a genuine business reason not to, in line with the reasons set out in section 8.6.5. A request will not be rejected without first consulting with the staff member and exploring any suitable modifications or alternatives to the original request. Trial periods may be used to help assess the feasibility of an arrangement.
1.3 This Policy complies with national legislation, including the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000, the Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002, the Equality Act 2010, the Flexible Working Regulations 2014 and the Flexible Working (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (“The Flexible Working Regulations”), and the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023. Staff working flexibly will be valued and respected in the same way as full-time staff. In addition, their contractual benefits will be the same, on a pro-rata basis if working less than full-time, as full-time staff engaged on the same type of contract and performing the same or similar work, unless objectively justifiable.
1.4 Flexible arrangements offered to members of staff under this Policy cover a wide range of different arrangements including part-time or term-time working, job share, compressed or annual hours, staggered hours or flexitime. At all times, the arrangements that are agreed under this Policy will attempt to balance the needs of the staff member with the work to be carried out and should be in the interests of the Institution concerned. Some of these arrangements will be of a permanent nature whilst others will be temporary, to accommodate a staff member’s need for an adjustment of their working arrangements to balance commitments outside work.
1.5 This Policy also applies to staff wishing to apply to work flexibly for a limited period in certain circumstances, such as career break and family leave. Study and research leave are covered by separate arrangements outside the scope of this Policy.