Recently an employee who suffered from depression was awarded £35,677, after he was denied flexible working hours by his employer.
The Employment Judge ruled the employer failed to comply with its duty to make reasonable adjustments. The employee had a history of arriving late due to mental health issues. He had applied for flexible working to help him deal with his depression.
Whilst employers are not obliged to offer flexible working to all staff, they must review each request very carefully. This case clearly highlights the need to genuinely consider flexible working requests. It is vital to have a valid and documented reason for deciding not to offer such working practices.