By Lynda Macdonald
Creating a supportive and flexible working environment is essential for attracting and retaining top talent, and part‑time return‑from‑maternity‑leave requests play a crucial role in that strategy. As more employees seek adaptable working patterns to balance career and family, HR teams need clear, compliant, and confident processes to manage these requests effectively.
Our guide equips HR professionals with the practical tools, legal insights, and strategic guidance needed to confidently evaluate and respond to part‑time working proposals. From understanding statutory rights to creating equitable, transparent policies, you’ll strengthen organisational compliance while fostering a workplace culture where returning parents feel supported, valued, and empowered to thrive.
In this guide, learn about:
- The contractual position
- Indirect sex discrimination
- Accommodating requests
- Part-time Workers Regulations
- Right to request flexible working
- The duty to deal with a request for flexible working in a reasonable manner
- Refusing a request for flexible working
- Permanent change
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About the author
Lynda Macdonald
Lynda Macdonald has worked for more than 20 years as a self-employed, freelance management trainer, adviser and writer specialising in employment law.
She regularly designs and conducts training courses on all aspects of employment law for a range of managers and supervisors in all sectors of industry.
Prior to setting up her own business in employment law and management training/consultancy, she worked as an HR manager in the oil industry for more than 10 years. She is also appointed as a panel member of the employment tribunal service in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Lynda is a university graduate in language and a chartered fellow of the CIPD. She has an LLM degree in employment law and practice.
Lynda has written numerous books on various aspects of employment law, all of which have been published by major national publishers. She has co-authored several other books, and currently contributes extensively to various HR and employment law hard-copy and online products.
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