From 6 April 2009, all parents of children up to 16 years of age have the right to ask their employer to work flexibly. The new rule is an extension of parents right to request flexible working if they have children up to the age of six, or a disabled child aged up to 16 years. It means that an additional 4.5 million employees are now eligible to request flexible working ? that?s around 10 million overall.