After you apply — employer duties & decisions
Your employer must respond within 21 days in writing, and must first discuss the request and genuinely try to reach agreement. A response may:
- Approve the request;
- Set out an agreed alternative arrangement; or
- Refuse the request on reasonable business grounds after proper discussion.
Reasonable business grounds (examples)
- Excessive cost;
- No capacity to change others’ working arrangements;
- Impractical to change others’ arrangements or recruit;
- Significant loss of efficiency/productivity; or
- Significant negative impact on customer service.
Employers should consider consequences of refusal for the employee and explore alternatives (e.g., trial periods, staged return, fewer WFH days).