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MNHQ

Nick Clegg event on family friendly working - TODAY

17 replies

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 09:06

As the right for all employees to request flexible working (rather than only for parents or those with caring responsibilities) passes into law today, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will be joining an event of London-based Mumsnet and Gransnet users later today to discuss the issue.

You can read more from Nick Clegg on the right to request flexible working, childcare and shared parental leave here, and there’s more about Mumsnet's Family Friendly programme here.

MNHQ will be live-blogging from the event on the thread below, and JustineMumsnet will be at the event putting questions from this thread to the Deputy Prime Minister. So if you've got a question for Nick Clegg on family-friendly working, please do post it below.

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MNHQ

RowanMumsnet · 30/06/2014 13:59

@Me2Me2

MNHQ what time is the event?

Starts at 2pm (ie almost now!)

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:01

OK we're here at the lovely PwC offices, packed to the brim, just waiting for arrival of Nick Clegg.

Justine's got the questions so far, but my the magic of new technology (an ipad) we can pass on new ones, so do keep them coming.

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:07

Nick taking the floor - saying 'ask any question, within decent limits'. Ooh he's asking for a question on Suarez and 'why does PMQs look like a kindergarten that's gone nuts.'

Also welcomes back to Jo Swinson, it's her first day back in the office from mat leave.

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:09

Nick 'When Jo and I started pushing for this in govt. was told this wouldn't happen. If this is just seen as a 'mums' issue it won't go as far as it needs to. It's a dads issue. Can I speak up for the very many dads who care about their kids as mums do. They need to be liberated to care as much as mums do.' It's not a women's agenda, it's a major societal agenda.

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:13

Question from a Miranda, 'the biggest challenge I see is the cultural one' How do we address this and should there be quotas?

Nick 'Agree. If you change the rules without a cultural change, it won't occur, but we do need to nudge.'

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:15

Cari Gransnet: We hear allegation that older people will stay in jobs longer and take jobs from young people?

Nick Clegg - It just doesn't work like that. There isn't one cake of labour, and if some takes a slice, it doesn't mean it's not there for others.

On sandwich generation, I'm in late 40s and so many of us know people who are stretched looking after frail parents. It's very testing and challenging for so many people. So being able to go to sensible employer and ask to work outside traditional office hours makes so much sense.

Cari Gransnet: Do you think people will be as sympathetic to requests from older people?

Nick: My understanding is that about 90% of people with caring responsibilities were granted flexible working.

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:19

Tracy: I'm fascinated by fixation on rules, if it's just because legislation says, we won't win hearts and minds.

Nick: I see this as scrapping outdated, patronising rules. It's a liberalisation of rules. I'm an old fashioned liberal and don't like clapped out rules that belong to the Victoria era. People now have the rights to make up their own mind. It's a modern way to get rid of rules.

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:20

Nick: It's for us to enable people to do things, not to dictate things. At that's the philosophy in which these changes are being introduced.

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:24

Emma: How does this work with shared parental leave? These are new, quite complicated regulations. How do you encourage that nudge?

Nick: Where shared parental leave is a reality (rather than entitlement) there are really quite strong incentives. The offer, is on a 'use it or lose it' basis. I think that might be where we need to end up as a country. I was pushing the idea that we should leap straight to that as of next April. I didn't persuade coalition partners, who thought a leap too far.

So we'll do a big, big change next year, and then will review how it works. I'm very clear that if in subsequent years it's not being taken up, we (the lib dems) then think we should move to the Scandinavian and German 'use it or lose it model'.

Jo S: The review is built in for years after the shared parental leave comes into effect. We're also looking at the communications, as this effects people now as they fall pregnant. So we're going to be communicating to prospective parents and explain how beneficial it can be to have a hands on dad in the early months.

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:26

@LocalEditorWandsworth

I'm worried that extending the right to flexible working to everyone but will make it harder for parents and carers to actually make successful requests in the short-term.

Doesn't it make it impossible for employers to prioritise requests from parents now?

For example, if I asked to start work an hour late after first dropping my children at school, I would now have to compete with any of my colleagues who wanted to do the same whatever their reason - training at the gym, doing a college course or possibly even simply wanting a less busy commute. This doesn't seem fair when the parent's request is borne of necessity not choice.

I appreciate that it should be possible for all employees to work flexibly, but this is a very long way off and in the short term at least I cannot see this leading to more flexible working opportunities, just greater competition for them.

Jo: 'I think this is a bit of a false argument. It kinda assumes that everyone will want exactly the same request. I just don't buy this idea that there's one defined pool of flexibility that once it's used up, it's gone.

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:29

@edamsavestheday

I suppose in general it's a good thing to extend it from parents/carers to all to stop jealousy but forgive me for being grumpy about it... companies like my employer are still able to be 19th Century curmudgeons who completely refuse to even think about it. I know one woman who applied to start half an hour later than general office hours and was turned down, FFS - and I know her job could have been done perfectly well with a 9.30 start. There is NO working from home ever, not even when there's a major transport crisis (that day when the entire rail network was down? Had to take annual leave). This is an office job, not a shop or somewhere where you need to be there to handle the public.

What can be done to stop unreasonable employers who just Do Not Do flexible working At All, even for parents, much less anyone else?

NIck: I like to think the more we set the terms of the debate, as we've sort to today, as Jo as on the media today, that there's a reasonable expectation that people will be treated as grown ups, and that unreasonable employers will feel out on their own and identified as so by their employers. It's about unleashing contagious good practice.

Jo: Employers do have a legal obligation, and ultimately it can be part of a tribunal. Want to avoid this as end point, but ACAS can give good advice of how to move forward.

MNHQ

RowanMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:33

Here's a pic of CariGransnet asking Nick about flex working for older people.

Nick Clegg event on family friendly working - TODAY
MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:34

Nice pic Rowan.

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:39

Rosamund, Evening Standard. What would you like to change about the culture of parliament?

Nick 'Everything. I despair sometimes about how totally out of step with modern life politics appears. Look at PMQ, there's this brilliant petition from MN attracting thousands of signatures. When will it be that PMQs is on at a time when people can actually watch it, when other people can ask questions, when there's much less of a Punch and Judy. You can't even call people by their name.

The whole thing is in a language not used since 1867, highly aggressive, testosterone, chest beating culture, which puts most normal people off.

I've tried, but haven't succeeded, my own view is every time the Westminster establishment fails to reforms itself, there is another nail in the confirm in publih interest and public confidence and you make a later crisis in confidence, that will come much much worse.

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:45

Louise: I had a baby 9 months ago and had a flexible working request from a school turned down. I had to resign from my job as I was only offered full-time or nothing. I want to be in a school using the skills I've built up. What will you do to bring flexible working for the education sector.

Nick: Continuity of teachers is really important and it will vary massively. Many, many teachers do work flexibly, although it can be difficult. I think it will be much more easier to accommodate in certain roles and more difficult in some teaching or leadership roles.

Jo: RIght to identify schools as one of the areas where culture change is needed. It's actually about piloting things, trying things out and seeing what is working. Part time roles, even in senior roles can be very effective. As a country we have a long way to go, I hop we'll get this cultural change, and this is part of the process.

Nick: I'm struck when talking to Dutch family, how much job-sharing is part of what happens. A highly competitive economy, but people as a matter of course share jobs and aren't intimidated by doing that.

MNHQ

KatieMumsnet · 30/06/2014 14:47

@minipie

I'm very clear that if in subsequent years it's not being taken up, we (the lib dems) then think we should move to the Scandinavian and German 'use it or lose it model'

Can Nick clarify how long the "use it or lose it" time period would be, and when he/the lib Dems would be pushing for this to come into force?

Nick : I'n Germany it's an incentive. How long is a matter for debate. We didn't incorporate as our coalition partners didn't want to go that further step, we'll review after they come into affect, two years later. If the take up is well below what we'd hope it would be, we'll consider using some kind of 'use it or lose it'

MNHQ

RowanMumsnet · 30/06/2014 15:10

The event has wrapped up now. Thanks so much for all of your questions and sorry to anyone whose question went unanswered.

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