A friend of mine has put in a flexible working application. His manager has talked during the application process of previous applications being refused because he thought the firm ‘didn’t want to set a precedent’ and has suggested that his application might not be granted because they don’t want to set a precedent for others in the team. Is this a valid reason for refusing or can my friend argue that his case should be judged on its own merits?

Any advice welcome – thank you.