Business

Packaging companies must consider requests for flexible working from carers in their employment under new laws that came into force this week.

The laws, part of the Work and Families Act 2006, give 2.6 million carers the right to request flexible working to help them manage their work and caring responsibilities.

Parents of disabled children have had the same right since 2003.

Trade and industry secretary Alistair Darling said: “Flexible working for carers is right for business, right for families and is at the centre of the modern work-life balance economy.”

DEFINITION OF A CARER
The legislation defines a carer as an employee who is or expects to be caring for an adult who is:

• married to, or the partner or civil partner of, the employee
• or who is a near relative of the employee
• or who falls into neither category but lives at the same address as the employee

The definition of a relative includes parents, parents-in-law, adult child, adopted adult child, siblings, uncles, aunts, grandparents and step-relatives.