Turner Judy: Employment Relations (Flexible Working Hours) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Turner Judy: Employment Relations (Flexible Working Hours) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
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JUDY TURNER (Deputy Leader—United Future) 
: 
 I stand on behalf of United Future to speak to the Employment Relations (Flexible Working Hours) Amendment Bill. United Future did not support the first reading of this bill. We had some serious concerns about the impact that this legislation would have on employers and we were particularly mindful of the large number of small businesses that characterise the New Zealand employment environment. However the substantial work done by both the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee and the willingness of the sponsor to delay the passage of this bill to allow Department of Labour officials to do some additional work has in our opinion paid off. 
This bill establishes a fair process that allows employees with family responsibilities to discuss flexible arrangements with their employers without fear of consequence. The number of reasons that an employer can use to decline a request are comprehensive. As an employer who has always negotiated flexible arrangements with employees I have found that the benefits far outweigh any compromise I have to make. However we do acknowledge that not every business has a work schedule that makes possible this flexibility and the new and additional provisions give plenty of room for employers who cannot make this marker. 
The British experience is very compelling and the fact that the criteria that determines who can apply for flexible employment has been expanded seems to suggest the success that we can expect here in New Zealand. In the United Kingdom 90 percent of employers reported no significant problems complying and 66 percent of managers considered the new provisions to be cost-effective. 
 If anyone has kept up with New Zealand research on the issues of workplace stress they will know that the greatest stress factor that reduces worker productivity is family-based stress. The mum who has to prise a distraught toddler from her at a day-care centre is generally less focused than the worker who can take an extra 10 minutes to settle her child and make up the time in her lunchtime. 
This bill is not about short-changing employers but about identifying where flexibility can be easily accommodated. United Future congratulates those employers who have already pioneered flexible family-friendly work environments. These employers understand that staff turnover is a costly exercise and that employment innovation is proving to be a winning approach to a sustainable workforce. Establishing a process that protects both employers and employees is more than useful; it is absolutely essential. 
The Minister for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs Gerry Sutcliffe in Britain says the UK legislation has been a tremendous success. He says that employers know that in a tight labour market it makes business sense to provide flexible working opportunities for their staff. Flexible working arrangements enable employers to raise their staff morale and decrease unplanned absenteeism retain skilled staff and reduce recruitment costs. 
United Future is very pleased to support the second reading of this bill. We congratulate its sponsor Sue Kedgley on the fine work that has gone on since the first reading debate and we remind the House that no one on their deathbed has ever regretted not spending more time at work.