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Rejecting an employee's flexible work request based on a perception that he would be distracted by his child and not responsive enough to customers was not reasonable, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.

The evidence the employer provided to support its refusal of the request on business grounds, including comments from clients about "distraction", was "so imprecise as to be completely unhelpful", Commissioner Damian Sloan said.

The account manager had worked for freight and logistics company FLSA Holdings since mid-2024 following a transfer of business from his previous employer, the Commission heard.

He had worked remotely under an informal arrangement for two days per week since the birth of his child in July 2023 but, due to his wife changing jobs, in October 2024 he requested a formal flexible work arrangement...