HR Compliance When Using Flexi Time in the UK

1. Understand the Legal Framework for Flexible Working

In the UK, all employees have a statutory right to request flexible working after 26 weeks of continuous employment. As of April 2024, the law is evolving further to allow employees to make two flexible working requests per year from day one of employment.

While employers don’t have to accept every request, they must:

• Consider requests in a reasonable manner
• Provide a valid business reason for any refusal
• Respond within 2 months of receiving the request

Key HR Obligation:
Ensure managers are trained to assess requests fairly and in line with current legislation.

2. Respect the Working Time Regulations

Even with flexible hours, UK employers must comply with the Working Time Regulations 1998, which include:

• A maximum average of 48 working hours per week (unless the employee has opted out)
• At least 11 consecutive hours of rest in every 24-hour period
• A 20-minute rest break for shifts longer than 6 hours
• At least one day off per week or two days per fortnight

How Flexi Time Planner Helps:
Our system tracks hours in real time, ensuring employees don’t exceed legal limits and that rest periods are respected.

3. Keep Accurate Records

Employers must maintain accurate records of:

• Working hours
• Breaks taken
• Annual leave
• Absences

This is especially important when employees work varied hours under a flexitime arrangement. Digital records not only help prove compliance but also support transparent communication with employees and auditors.

Tip:
With Flexi Time Planner, you can automate time tracking, generate compliance reports, and securely store employee time logs.

4. Ensure Fairness and Avoid Discrimination

HR teams must ensure that flexitime arrangements:

• Are offered fairly and consistently across the workforce
• Do not indirectly discriminate against any protected characteristic (e.g. gender, disability, religion)
• Are documented clearly in contracts or policy documents

HR Best Practice:
Introduce a clear flexitime policy outlining who is eligible, how hours are tracked, and how requests are processed.

5. Data Protection and GDPR

Time and attendance systems collect personal data, so it’s essential to handle this information in accordance with UK GDPR rules. This includes:

• Getting valid consent where necessary
• Explaining how employee data is used
• Ensuring secure storage and access controls

Flexi Time Planner Advantage:
Our platform is built with GDPR compliance in mind, ensuring your employee data is handled responsibly and securely.

Stay Compliant with Confidence

Flexitime can be a major asset for any UK business — but only if it’s backed by robust HR processes and the right technology. With Flexi Time Planner, you gain the tools to:

• Automate time tracking
• Stay compliant with UK labour laws
• Maintain transparency with your workforce

Want to simplify flexitime compliance in your business?
Get in touch or request a free demo to see how we can help you stay on the right side of HR law while supporting flexible work.