Section 80F: Statutory right to request contract variation

Employment Rights Act 1996 · 1996 c. 18View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 8A: Flexible working

A qualifying employee may apply to his employer for a change in his terms and conditions of employment if—

the change relates to—
the hours he is required to work,
the times when he is required to work,
where, as between his home and a place of business of his employer, he is required to work, or
such other aspect of his terms and conditions of employment as the Secretary of State may specify by regulations, ...
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An application under this section must—

state that it is such an application, and
specify the change applied for and the date on which it is proposed the change should become effective, ...
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An employee may not—

make more than two applications under this section to the same employer during any period of 12 months;
make an application under this section to an employer if another such application to the same employer is proceeding.

For the purposes of this section an application is "proceeding" during any of these periods—

the period—
beginning when the application is made, and
ending when the application is concluded;
any period—
beginning when an appeal against a decision to refuse the application is brought, and
ending when the appeal is concluded;
any period—
beginning when, in accordance with section 80G(1C)(b), the decision period for an application or appeal is extended with retrospective effect, and
ending when the application or appeal is concluded.

For the purposes of this section an application or appeal is "concluded" when any of these events occurs—

a decision is made on the application or appeal under section 80G;
the application or appeal is withdrawn;
the application or appeal is disposed of by agreement;
the decision period specified in section 80G for the application or appeal ends without a decision, withdrawal or agreed disposal.

The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about—

the form of applications under this section, and
when such an application is to be taken as made.

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For the purposes of this section, an employee is—

a qualifying employee if he—
satisfies such conditions as to duration of employment as the Secretary of State may specify by regulations, and
is not an agency worker (other than an agency worker who is returning to work from a period of parental leave under regulations under section 76);
an agency worker if he is supplied by a person (" the agent ") to do work for another (" the principal ") under a contract or other arrangement made between the agent and the principal.

Regulations under this section may make different provision for different cases.

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This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.