A part-time employee is someone who works fewer hours than your full-time staff but still has the same statutory employment rights. For your business, this means you must provide equal treatment on a pro rata basis, as failing to do so can lead to discrimination claims, underpayment risks and tribunal disputes. You cannot unilaterally change an employee\u2019s hours, and any transition must be agreed and properly documented to avoid breach of contract.\u00a0 This article explains what part-time employment is, the rights of part-time employees and what you must consider when managing or changing their working arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When an employee works part-time<\/a>, their working hours are fewer than a full-time employee. It is a form of flexible working. Part-time work can take different formats, for example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you have employees working part-time, you must treat them equally to your full-time staff.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Part-time staff still have statutory employment rights, which are employee rights enshrined in employment law, such as the right to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following the implementation of the Flexible Working (Amendment) Regulations 2023<\/em><\/strong>,<\/strong> there have been important changes to flexible working rights in the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Previously, employees needed 26 weeks’ continuous service in order to make a flexible working request. Now, employees have the right to make a statutory flexible working request from their first day of employment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Employees can make up to two flexible working requests within any 12-month period, and employers must respond within two months (reduced from three months). When an employee requests to move from full-time to part-time work, you must deal with their request in a reasonable manner and can only refuse their request after consulting the employee and upon reliance on specific business grounds, such as: <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Flexible Working Rights and Requests<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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