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More on KentOnline
A Kent MP has asked Parliament to make flexible hours a standard requirement for all jobs.
Helen Whately, MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, is the voice of the 54,000 pregnant women and working mothers made redundant or pressurised to leave their jobs every year.
Speaking in the House of Commons she said: "The 40 hour, five day working week made sense in the era of single-working households and stay-at-home mums. But it no longer reflects a reality of how many modern family want to live their lives.
Should flexible hours be a legal requirement? Vote in the poll below.
WATCH: Helen Whately speaking in the House of Commons about flexible working
"We no longer divide neatly into breadwinners and homemakers - our lives are more complicated than that and better for it.
"It's time to shift the dial on flexible working.
"All employers should be required to offer flexible working and employment contracts and to advertise vacancies as suitable for flexible working."
With 1.5 million people trapped in low-paid, low-skilled jobs because they can't find the working pattern they need, Helen argues this flexibility is the answer.
"It will create more opportunities for people, especially women and the disabled, and help close the gender pay gap.", she said, adding the bill will also benefit men who want to spend more time with their families.
At the moment, just 9.8% of jobs paying more than £20,000 are advertised as flexi.
"This is good for our economy, good for business and good for humans." - Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed
A law allowing all employees to request flexible working was passed in 2014, but grounds on which it can be denied are vague.
Helen suggests we flip the question and ask whether a job cannot be done flexibly.
She said: "Most will find it won't make a difference when or how a job is done, as long as it is.
"With technological advances, it is now possible to do many jobs anywhere, any time and productivity could be increased by avoiding long commutes."
The Conservative MP recognises not all jobs could work flexibly but says employers should be able to clearly state why.
She also suggests more relaxed working patterns could boost the economy by £150 billion by 2025.
A 'Flex for all' petition launched by Pregnant Then Screwed has almost 30,000 signatures so far.
Mother Pukka, The Forcet Society, Young Women's Trust and The Fatherhood Institute are also backing the campaign, among others.
Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, said: "This is good for our economy, good for business and good for humans.
"We are not making the best use of our labour force and a lack of good quality flexible working is the key cause of the gender pay gap.
I don’t think there is a single employer that would argue that flexible working isn’t good for productivity, time and time again the research shows this."
"Finally flexible working is being seen as something for people - all people - and not just ‘mummies who want to see more of their babies’." - Anna Whitehouse, head of Mother Pukka
Anna Whitehouse, head of Mother Pukka added: "We have been campaigning for more than five years and today it seems the tide is turning.
"Finally flexible working is being seen as something for people - all people - and not just ‘mummies who want to see more of their babies’."
"Those people who want to get off the 9-5 hamster wheel, those who want to work the odd day from home, those living with disabilities - the list goes on."
The bill was well received in Parliament this week and passed its first reading with the second reading taking place today.
