Flexitime

Flexitime moves the edges of the day

Flexitime lets an employee vary when they start and finish, within agreed limits. A scheme may set core hours when everyone must be available and flexible bands around them. The employee still completes the agreed hours over a defined accounting period.

This is one type of flexible working, not the statutory request process itself. An employer can offer a scheme, agree flexitime informally or approve it after a formal request. Acas defines flexitime as flexible start and finish times within agreed limits.

Set the accounting rules before balances appear

State the accounting period, core hours, earliest and latest times, how attendance is recorded and whether a small credit or deficit can carry forward. If employees can use credit as flexi leave, say how it is requested and the maximum that can be taken.

Keep working-time limits, rest breaks and minimum wage visible. A positive flexitime balance can represent real additional work. A persistent deficit can point to unclear workload, inaccurate records or a pattern that no longer fits the role.

Agree how the scheme works for this role

Confirm whether flexitime changes the contract and record any permanent variation. Explain coverage, meetings, customer hours, handovers and what happens when several people choose the same edge of the day. Apply the rules consistently while considering disability or caring-related needs on their own facts.

Review balances at each accounting date instead of allowing them to accumulate indefinitely. Northern Ireland uses a separate statutory flexible-working process; the nidirect overview lists flexitime as an arrangement but does not make the Great Britain request rules apply there.