Released on: 28 March 2014

Forget the flowers, this year NCT is giving a more practical Mother’s Day gift - a template letter for parents to request more flexible working hours from their employers.

This follows research by the parents’ charity which found that the number one thing an employer could do to make balancing work and family life less stressful is to make hours more flexible. (57% of women, 53% men chose this option).¹

NCT has put a template letter on its website written by expert employment lawyers² to give parents’ requests for flexible hours the best possible chance of being accepted. The letter (normal RRP £19.99) is free and sits alongside other useful information about work and childcare and maternity / paternity leave and pay.

Belinda Phipps, Chief Executive, NCT says:
 
“A template letter doesn’t sound like the most romantic gift for Mother’s Day but we think new mothers (and fathers) will appreciate it.”

¹Survation interviewed 1,006 parents of children aged three and under in the United Kingdom, from 24th - 28th January 2014, on behalf of NCT. Survation is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. A full copy of the report, Early Parenthood Survey, is available on request.

In response to the question, ‘Regarding going back to work after having your baby, from the following options, what is the number one thing your employer could do to make balancing work and family life less stressful?’ 54.9% chose the option: ‘Make your hours more flexible’ (56.6% women, 53.5% men); 25.2% chose: ‘Make a contribution towards the cost of childcare’; 15.0% chose: ‘Allow you to work from home 1 day a week’; 4.9% chose: ‘Other’.

² UK employment law firm Slater & Gordon created the template that builds a flexible working letter.

 

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