Problems with flexible working patterns

[GemmaD87]

Hi,

I am wondering if anyone out there can help me.

I am currently on maternity leave and I am due to return back to work on 2nd March. Both me and my partner work in the same government department. On 28th November 2008 we submitted our applications to change our working patterns, we are wishing to work 5 days over 4 which enables each of us have a different day off in the week to care for our daughter. We simply can not afford to pay for full time childcare, however by working full time over 4 days this would allow us to pay for 2 days child care, for us to provide child care for our daughter 2 days and a family member can help out on the remaining day.

We have looked into tax credits, salary sacrifice schemes, and working part time but all options are simply not possible.

Yesterday, we finally got our response from our employer, they have rejected our request for flexible working. the response we received is as follows ' i cannot accomodate your your working patterns as due to the current economic climate and the impact it is having on the capacity within our contact centre.'

We really do not understand the reasoning as we work for jobcentre plus who are currently recruiting 100's more staff to cope with rising unemployment. Also I do not feel that any of our personal circumstances have been taken into account.

I am wondering if anyone can give me any pointers on where to go from here.

[enaid]

Re: Problems with flexible working patterns

Hello Gemma and a warm welcome to Beagles.
I am afraid I can not help you with your problem, but hopefully someone will soon be along who can.
Enaid x

[enaid]

Re: Problems with flexible working patterns

I have found this bit of info on the tinternet it may help a little.
http://www.workingin-uk.com/info/957

Enaid x

[Birdie]

Re: Problems with flexible working patterns

Hi Gemma

Does your employer have a flexible working policy and are you with a union?

[Ragdog]

Re: Problems with flexible working patterns

I would advise to write back to clarify this wording, that is a bull**** response.

Basically, your employer has a legal duty to try and accommodate empoloyees, within reason. They can turn down requests if they are not feasable. For example, if a mother wants to start work at 9.30am instead of 9.00am in order to drop her child who has just started school, and she works in a shop that needs opened at 9.00am, the employer can refuse on the grounds that they can't provide cover for half and hour in the morning and need her there. I recently turned down a request for flexible time because the employee wanted to change her days, which would have left the workplace with no cover some of the time. I responded to her explaining the reasons though. I cannot see how your supervisor cannot provide cover. Do you do a specialist job or anything?

As I said, the response is bull****, it's vague, evades the issue and it certainly does not explain anything as to why your request was unreasonable.

[GemmaD87]

Re: Problems with flexible working patterns

No we do not do a specialist job at all. We have asked to work 5/4 8-6 on all 4 days. The contact centre opens at 8am and closes at 6pm. We even said that our employer could decide which days me and my partner have off to fit around business needs. We have started a grievance agains the decision maker as policies and proceedures have not been followed at all. Also when I was reading a local newspaper there was an article about our contact centre taking on more staff to cope with demand from rising unemployment. Which makes her response even more baffling.
Thanks for the advice

[orfoster]

Re: Problems with flexible working patterns

I would advise to write back to clarify this wording, that is a bull**** response.

Basically, your employer has a legal duty to try and accommodate empoloyees, within reason. They can turn down requests if they are not feasable. For example, if a mother wants to start work at 9.30am instead of 9.00am in order to drop her child who has just started school, and she works in a shop that needs opened at 9.00am, the employer can refuse on the grounds that they can't provide cover for half and hour in the morning and need her there. I recently turned down a request for flexible time because the employee wanted to change her days, which would have left the workplace with no cover some of the time. I responded to her explaining the reasons though. I cannot see how your supervisor cannot provide cover. Do you do a specialist job or anything?

As I said, the response is bull****, it's vague, evades the issue and it certainly does not explain anything as to why your request was unreasonable.

Good chap for providing the info and considering the request fairly.

In response to the employers response, this is terrible. Are you or your partner in a Union, I feel the work ethics in the UK are terrible, Europe seem so much more flexible.

Your employer does have a legal duty to consider your request.

I would talk to someone in the Citizens Advise, your union, also have a look through the policies and proceedures I expect they will have information there.

The ACAS website is a good site to go on.

Citizens Advise have an online advise guide that may help. Also Direct.gov have help info on flexible working.

Flexible working and work-life balance : Directgov - Employment

Flexible working and work-life balance - BERR