Employees can switch directly to a four-day workweek

Workers could be given the right to ask their employers to adopt a four-day working week, as part of government plans to expand flexible working.

Employees must still work their full hours to receive their full salary, but they can condense their contracted hours into a shorter work week.

Conservative shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake claimed businesses had been “hamstrung” by the plans.

However, the ministers stress that they will not impose the change on staff or companies.

“Consultations are being held on any changes to labor legislation, in collaboration with the business community,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Trade and Economy.

They added that the plan for more flexible working was precisely intended to increase productivity and get more people back to work.

Currently, employees have the right to request flexible working hours, but employers only have to deal with requests in a ‘reasonable manner’.

Labour came to power earlier this year on a promise to make this the default arrangement for all workers from day one, except where that was not feasible.

As first reported by the Daily Telegraph, which would allow employees to work four days longer instead of five.

Details are expected in the autumn, when a bill for a new package of workers’ rights is expected to be debated in parliament.

“Despite warnings from the industry, (Deputy Prime Minister) Angela Rayner is pushing ahead with her French trade union laws that will make doing business in the UK more expensive,” Hollinrake said.