The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is concerned that Government plans to extend flexible working and introduce changes to parental leave, at a time when it has committed to cutting red tape, will hit small businesses hard. 

The Government has launched a consultation on plans to introduce a new system of flexible parental leave from 2015 as part of its plans to create a modern workplace for the modern economy.

Commenting on the government's review of employment law, the TUC has welcomed the proposed extension of the right to request flexible working, but has expressed concerns about other proposals up for review.

Four fifths of companies in the UK are now offering their staff flexible working, according to new research amongst 4000 UK companies commissioned by workplace provider Regus. However, the research highlights that trust remains a major hurdle for many companies: 38% of UK businesses only offer this privilege to senior staff.