Flexible Working Policy

10. The Right to be Accompanied

There is no statutory right of accompaniment at meetings held to discuss a request for flexible working. However, allowing you to be accompanied is good practice. This can be helpful in giving confidence to make requests and in supporting both parties to find a mutually agreeable solution.

If you make a request to be accompanied at any meeting to discuss your request for flexible working, including any appeal, and your request to be accompanied is reasonable and does not cause undue delay in the process, your manager should allow you to be accompanied a trade union representative, or an official or a work colleague.

What is reasonable will depend on the circumstances of each individual case. A request to be accompanied does not have to be in writing or within a certain timeframe. However, you should provide enough time for your manager to deal with the request for a companion's attendance at the meeting. You should also consider how you make your request so that it is clearly understood, for instance by letting your manager know in advance the name of the companion where possible and whether they are a trade union official or representative, or a work colleague. Please see guidance on the Role of the Companion.