The Trades Union Congress said that draft flexible working time regulations are biased in favour of employers, especially regarding withdrawal of applications, actionable claims and extensions of time limits where a manager is absent.
Source: TUC Response to Department of Trade and Industry Consultation - Draft regulations on flexible working provisions, Trades Union Congress (020 7467 1294)
Links: Response | DTI consultation page
Date: 2002-Nov
A report found that employers are slow to adopt family-friendly and employee-friendly practices.
Source: Robert Taylor, Managing Workplace Change, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2002-Nov
Introducing his Pre-Budget Report, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the government will give 'increased flexibility in parental time off, including giving fathers time off to attend ante-natal care'.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 27.11.02, column 325, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 7.4
Date: 2002-Nov
Regulations were approved by Parliament introducing improved arrangements for maternity and parental leave (from 28 November 2002), paternity and adoption leave (from 8 December 2002), and paternity and adoption pay (from 8 December 2002).
Source: Maternity and Parental Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument 2789, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument 2788, TSO | Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay (Weekly Rates) Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument 2818, TSO
Links: SI 2789 | SI 2788 | SI 2818
Date: 2002-Nov
The results were published of consultation on draft regulations to implement the right (from April 2003, under the Employment Act 2002) to request flexible working and the duty on employers to 'consider requests seriously'.
Source: Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice - Summary of responses, Department of Trade and Industry (0870 150 2500)
Links: Responses (pdf) | Consultation document (pdf) | Text of Act
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 7.4
Date: 2002-Nov
A report called for monitoring of new regulations on flexible working time, to ensure that low-paid workers get the same benefit as other groups.
Source: Theo Blackwell, Response to Flexible Working Regulations, Work Foundation (0870 165 6700)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2002-Oct
Researchers examined the links between parents' employment and their children's subsequent educational attainment, using data for 1991-97 from the British Household Panel Survey. Full-time employment by the mother when the child was aged 0-5 was found to have a 'negative and significant' effect.
Source: John Ermisch and Marco Francesconi, The Effect of Parents' Employment on Children's Educational Attainment, Working Paper 2002-21 , Institute for Social and Economic Research/University of Essex (01206 873087)
Links: Working Paper (pdf) | Abstract
Date: 2002-Oct
A report said that working fathers are missing out on time with their children because they believe that bosses discriminate against men with childcare responsibilities.
Source: Richard Reeves, Dad s Army: The case for father-friendly workplaces, Work Foundation (0870 165 6700)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
Three organisations launched a campaign for a cultural change in attitudes, with greater paid work opportunities for women and greater involvement by men in family life.
Source: Press release 16.9.02, Fawcett Society (020 7628 4441), Equal Opportunities Commission and Fathers Direct
Links: Press release (pdf)
Date: 2002-Sep
A study examined how workers and managers deal with the overlap between caring and work responsibilities in three different sectors. Fifty per cent of employees surveyed, including those with care responsibilities, were unaware of the family-friendly policies of their employers; and employers had very few links with local care service providers.
Source: Sue Yeandle, Rosemary Crompton, Andrea Wigfield and Jane Dennett, Employed Carers and Family-Friendly Employment Policies, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings 972
Date: 2002-Sep
An investigation of two large public sector organisations (a social services department and a National Health Service trust) looked at how staff and managers deal with workers caring responsibilities for older adults.
Source: Judith Phillips, Miriam Bernard and Minda Chittenden, Juggling Work and Care: The Experiences of Working Carers of Older Adults, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings 7112
Date: 2002-Jul
An article examined the growth in teleworking.
Source: U. Hotopp, 'Teleworking in the United Kingdom', Labour Market Trends, June 2002, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
Date: 2002-Jun
Research found a strong positive link between workplace performance and family-friendly practices.
Source: H. Gray, Family-Friendly Working: What a Performance! An Analysis of the Relationship Between the Availability of Family-Friendly Policies and Establishment Performance, Centre for Economic Performance/London School of Economics (020 7955 7673)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2002-May
Researchers examined the extent and effect of family-friendly working arrangements, based on a national survey of employers.
Sources: S. Dex and C. Smith, The Nature and Pattern of Family Friendly Employment Policies in Britain, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings 5112 (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/4, Digest 124 (paragraph 7.4)
Date: 2002-May