Government 'should not delay flexible working extension'

Delaying legislation on extending the right to request flexible working will have dire consequences, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has warned.

The government plans to extend the right to request flexible working from parents at different levels of career development with children aged under six to parents with children under the age of 16 next year.

However, a number of groups have called for the legislation to be postponed in light of the current economic climate.

One of these is the Federation of Small Businesses, which claims that implementing the law as planned next month will lead to small firms facing costs of up to £61 million.

But Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, said this is not the case and that the government would be "foolish" to abandon the proposals.

"Some say that businesses cannot afford family-friendly policies. But we've heard this argument before and it's always proven to be false," he noted.

"If the government is serious about closing the pay gap and ending child poverty it must end these U-turn rumours and recommit to extending family-friendly legislation in April 2010."