Flexible working arrangements

Employees have a right to request flexible working arrangements to help them balance work and family commitments. 

What are flexible working arrangements?

Some employees who have worked for the same employer for at least 12 months can request flexible working arrangements, such as changes to hours, patterns or locations of work.

Examples of flexible arrangements include changes to:

• hours of work (for example, changes to start and finish times)
• patterns of work (for example, split shifts or job sharing)
• locations of work (for example, working from home).

Who can request flexible working arrangements?

Employees (other than a casual employee) who have worked with the same employer for at least 12 months can request flexible working arrangements if they:

• are the parent, or have responsibility for the care, of a child who is school aged or younger
• are a carer (under the Carer Recognition Act 2010)
• have a disability
• are 55 or older
• are experiencing family or domestic violence, or
• provide care or support to a member of their household or immediate family who requires care and support because of family or domestic violence.

Casual employees

Casual employees can make a request if:

• they’ve been working for the same employer regularly and systematically for at least 12 months
• there’s a reasonable expectation of continuing work with the employer on a regular and systematic basis.

From 6 June 2023, more employees will be able to request flexible working arrangements. Commencing from this date, the right to request these arrangements will also apply to:

• employees, or a member of their immediate family or household, experiencing family and domestic violence
• employees who are pregnant.

There’s specific terms and conditions around how employees request flexible arrangements, how employers deal with requests and under what reasonable business grounds an employer might refuse a request.

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