Flexible working could become the default position for all staff under new rules planned by the government.
As part of the Queen's Speech Boris Johnson's Employment Bill would give employees more power over when they work.
Currently employees can apply for flexible working if they’ve worked continuously for the same employer for the last 26 weeks.
The employer then has three months - or longer if agreed with the staff member applying - to make a decision.
But the new rules, which are subject to consultation, would make it the default - unless "employers have good reason not to".
Under the government's definition flexible working can refer to job sharing, working from home, working part time, flexitime, annualised hours, staggered hours, phased retirement and compressed hours.
It comes after Tory MP Helen Whately introduced a flexible working bill in July arguing that the change would help close the gender pay gap and help parents to share childcare.
She said at the time: "The 40-hour, five-day working week made sense in an era of single-earner households and stay-at-home mums, but it no longer reflects the reality of how many modern families want to live their lives."
The Employment Bill also contains vague measures to "protect and enhance workers' rights as the UK leaves the EU" with a bold claim to make Britain the "best place in the world to work".
His government said that in future, ministers would make a statement explaining where any new laws could affect employment rights - and be forced to report regularly on plans to mirror new EU laws.
But there is no reference to any such measures in the plans set out today.
It will also create a single enforcement body which the government says will offer "greater protections for workers".
There will be a new right for workers to request a more predictable contract.
Other measures will give parents will have the right to take extended leave for neonatal leave while unpaid carers will be entitled to one weeks leave.
As part of the bill restaurants will be forced to hand over tips to staff - more than three years after the Tories first promised to crack down on abuses.
The Tories first promised to tackle the injustice under then-business secretary Sajid Javid who ordered a two-month consultation ending on June 27, 2016.
But Theresa May then failed to bring in the change during her time in office.
The new law in the Queen's Speech will force employers to pass on all gratuities in full and to share fairly any pooled tips.
Ten years ago, the Mirror launched our Fair Tips campaign with Unite the Union after a Pizza Express manager was sacked for revealing that the company kept 8% of tips paid by bank cards as an “administration fee”.
