A survey from the Equal Opportunities Commission finds that two in five people are unaware of new rights for parents to ask employers for flexible working arrangements to help with childcare.

Forum Response: The Work Foundation

A spokesman for The Work Foundation told ePolitix.com: "While the overall uptake of flexible working is likely to be the headline source of concern as the law rolls out, the difference in types of flexible working on offer to employees is another, more subtle worry.

"What we don't want to see is a situation where the best forms of flexible working are only open to the few more senior or 'valued' employees who already know what to ask for or are in a stronger bargaining position for their desired working pattern to be granted.

"We suspect that many other employees may be unaware of the wide range of flexible working options open to them and miss the chance of asking for the form of working most suitable to meet their needs. This could create a 'rich-poor' divide between flexible working 'haves' and 'have-nots'.

"The new "right to request" flexible working changes is a unique law in the way it is framed and requires continued attention from government to ensure that it succeeds in its worthy aims right across the shop-floor."

Forum Response: Institute of Directors

A spokesman for the Insatitute of Directors told ePolitix.com: "While it is important for employees to know their rights this incoming legislation sets to strip employers of their right to organise their workforce. Employers will be under a legal obligation to consider all requests to work more flexible hours. They will have to make this decision under the threat of being taken to an Employment Tribunal.

"An employer might find it very difficult to allow a key employee to work part-time. Many small firms will be placed in an impossible position. We would like to see flexible working remain as a voluntary arrangement. Such arrangements seem to work quite well, as testified by the UK's large part-time work sector."