Flexible Working application experiences???

[Pigallina]

I'll start by saying you must excuse me if this is a bit rambling - have managed to have a few rather large glasses of somehow! I'll try and keep it short!
I'm due to start back at work on 30th March, and have applied for flexible working. I've had the meeting etc and just waiting on the outcome, but am not hopeful I'll get what I applied for which ultimately means handing in my notice and looking for another job. :( I'd love to return to work full time but it's just not possible and wouldn't be financially worth it either sadly. So I applied for a salary increase aswell! haha!
I work mon - fri but need to start my day at 5.30am, husbands work means he can't be relied upon for much childcare and no family members can help so I'm seeing lots of nursery fees!
The company I work for gives nothing but the bare minimum required by law r.e maternity/sickness etc. so I'm not too hopeful about my application. They pride themselves on being "family friendly" but I assure you they bloody well are not! I'm in a management position and have requested to work 3 full days per week instead of 5, not too unreasonable I think - the job is piss easy, been doing it for longer than I'd hoped, I know I could do everything in 3 days so have tried to convince them of that. I've worked for the company for nearly 9 years and sacrificed/missed out on a lot I suppose, but of course you get nothing in return for working hard.
SO, my area manager who by the by is a chauvinist pig expects me back my full 5 days with 7am starts from day one. Which in itself isn't unreasonable after a year off, I know this, but he knows my situation and has known from early on that I'd be doing this application, and has nodded along and "yep yep yep" in an agreeable manner about it but has only decided to share with my direct boss that he wants me back as normal etc and insinuated that I'm not going to get what I've applied for the day after I applied for it?! I feel like "what a waste of time!". Also, for some reason he seems to think that because of what my husband does that we're "loaded" and that I "don't really need to work" (which isn't the case at all ) and he has said this about me in front of others in meetings, (to try and take away from the fact I'm proven to be the best in my department? He thinks it's ooooh so funny? I don't know) so I just know his attitude will be affecting the outcome of my application. I know the application has to go through the legal department before they can decline it, but I'm unsure if he has any influence over it, I think he does.
My husband and sisters think I should just say "fuck them" and hand in my notice, part of me does too, we would survive, but it's so hard to find jobs these days and I like earning my own money! On the other hand I don't want to be working and only end up with a pittance after paying childcare fees. I'm now leaning toward I hope it does get declined and I hope I'm pregnant again so fuck them, but knowing my luck . . .. and then I remember what I like to spend my money on
I'm just wondering if anyone has had successful flexible working applications??!?! Has anyone gone through the appeals process after being declined and "won"? What was the work environment like after doing so? Was your "part time" work resented by others? xxx

[Nolim]

Bump.
Sorry i have no experience.
Btw your boss souns like a pita. He has no business making assumptions about your finances.

[GoodGriefCharlieBrown]

I had my flexible work application turned down but had it agreed after going through the appeal process (since found out from friend in hr dept that all applications are turned down first off - pretty shit but I guess they hope it will make people give up and just come back on standard hours rather than appealing).
I now work full time hours but over 4 days - I'm happy with it but in a company where flexi-working is rare I do get a lot of comments, regularly called "part timer", and I'm always made to feel difficult when meetings are (regularly) arranged for my day off.
If it means enough to you to fight then go for it though be prepared for your awful boss to constantly tell you how lucky you are/grateful you should be!

[DandyMott]

I was told if I applied for a non traditional flexible working arangement that it would be declined. I adjust my plans and a traditional job share arrangement was agreed.

[GoodGriefCharlieBrown]

Dandy - that was what I wanted originally but was told the company is "phasing out" part time roles because they aren't flexible enough!

[AKnickerfulOfMenace]

Me and DH both did and it was fine.

[Pigallina]

Well, that's the application been turned down! Rant alert!! Just got my letter, husband "rushed" up the road in the forklift with it after he'd seen the postie had been I'm a bit about it though, and I quote : "Having given the matter thorough consideration, I regret that the company is unable to agree to your request." Thorough?? I had my meeting only last Thurs afternoon, and have received my letter today, which is dated Mon the 9th. So, for me anyway, it seems that it's only been "thoroughly considered" for one fucking working day last Fri, if at all! I know they have to let you know asap but one day??

I have 2 reasons for refusal, the change would : 1. impose an unreasonable burden of additional costs on the company. 2. create unacceptable difficulties for the company as we have been unable to make arrangements to reorganise the work amongst other staff. Well r.e no. 1 my salary rise was declined and they would be paying me even less as only working 3 days, the member of staff that's done my job for the past year would be going back to her contracted hours, with only a few extra on my 2 days off, so would be getting paid less aswell; and no wonder r.e no. 2 as you only took one bloody working day to try and work things out! But the 4 other managers were able to do bits and bobs over the past year, they would now have to do less and only for 2 days, between 4 other people. (I said all of this in my meeting) That's surely not enough time to consider and work out all the possible options? For which there were many, but then again, I've not heard of any other managers in my department or in our cluster working part time or job share.

Goodgrief it sounds like what you were saying - automatically refuse and see if the decision gets appealed in the hope that your notice gets handed in rather than the company be flexible. I don't know if I would have any grounds to appeal? Thoughts?

What pisses me off is that all the members of staff and customers get whatever they bloody well want but when it comes to managers - different story! (I work in retail). No wonder the management turnover is so high.

I don't really know how I feel about it to be honest! Not really feeling anything as in I thought I'd be really upset if I had to hand my notice in but no emotions are forthcoming this morning!

I suppose I'll be - quite sad as I like the people I work with and will miss seeing them everyday. I liked my job role although the company is atrocious - I wont miss working for them! I wont miss that first alarm going off at 5.15am in the winter! I will be able to have a bit more of a life as I wont be knackered the whole time. I'll be able to see family and friends more as I wont need to go to bed at 8pm! I will have no money I'll have to see what benefits I could get to see me through until I can find another job which I'm not looking forward to as I have No. Fucking. Clue. I feel a bit as I've worked hard there for so long, and gone over and above the call of duty many many times just to get a flat "no" without any proper consideration? I'm also a bit worried about finding another job as where I work the attitude of the place and the way you're treated eventually makes you think you can't do anything else I suppose I'm a bit bummed out, I've always had a job since I was 16 and now feel completely fucked over just because I've had a kid and can't devote my life to a company that gives you no benefits in return.

Well, I have rambled/ranted for far too long again! Anyone out there think I may have grounds for an appeal? Anyone know of any jobs?? haha

[GoodGriefCharlieBrown]

My initial application was turned down for similar reasons - company couldn't feasibly distribute the workload. I did have a specific issue that I added into my appeal (can't say what as it's unusual!) but I also amended the application to say I was open to any suggestion they had and I also put forward my own ideas about how it could work.
I don't know whether it was my flexibilty ormy specific other issue that swung it but I think if you are asking them for flexibility it helps if you can show you are willing to do the same.
Good luck if you do decide to appeal.

[mandy214]

I had my application approved (to go from 5 days to 3 days) but that wasn't in retail and it didn't mean other people doing parts of my job when I wasn't it - my job just shrunk if you see what I mean. I am in a client facing role (but contact by telephone / email) so agreed to give clients my mobile and log on via a laptop at regular intervals to check whether anything urgent needed dealing with (and if it did, I would deal with it).

What I think swung it for me was the offer to trial it for 3 months (with an acceptance that it if didn't work, I/my employer could change the arrangement). Of course, I worked bl00dy hard in that 3 months to make sure they couldn't argue it wasn't working. Could you go down that route?

I think the difficulty you have is that your post suggests other people will have to pick up the extra work. The company may legitimately think that there will be a cost if those 4 people (or however many it might be) will expect a salary increase if their job descriptions change.

[FoodPorn]

You've nothing to lose by appealing. Good part-time jobs are not easy to come by so it makes sense to throw everything at making your current job work for you. Address their reasons for refusal specifically to make it difficult for them to say no.

[Pigallina]

Thanks everyone, been a long day today! mandy I had offered to work on a trial basis for a month which I thought they would possibly take me up on, but there was no mention of it in my letter? the letter I got was basically one side of A4 and a copy of the notes from the meeting. If I decide to appeal I would mention that and ask why it wasn't considered.
For the others doing my job when I'm not there - it's a difficult one, I don't think anyone would expect a salary increase for doing it, they're all on a higher salary than me anyway despite my job role being responsible for the most important things within the business and basically running things behind the scenes. (It's a major problem within the company and always something about that issue in conference calls and meetings) Everyone does bits of my job everyday anyway, it's hard to explain without outing myself and the company I work for! (and they lurk on MN so I must be careful!) In my opinion, which they won't take into consideration, I know my job can be done in 3 days, my direct boss knows it, so do my other colleagues, it's been done regularly over the years when we all have to take holidays and use up bank holidays etc. And I'm always contactable by phone for any problems aswell, which was stated in the meeting but hasn't been mentioned in my letter. Fuck in nearly 9 years I don't think I've had a day off or a holiday that there hasn't been someone phoning me for something! Much to husbands annoyance. Being off on maternity hasn't changed that either.
Yep, I stated that I could work different times and days depending on childcare/nursery times whereas before my shifts never changed. I suggested job sharing, using my assistant a bit more after she's done her jobs etc etc. I gave them loads of examples of how I think it could work.
Ah well, just need to decide if I will appeal and if it's worth the hassle, so much going on right now (I feel another ranty advice seeking post brewing!) I don't know if I have my usual fight in me for this! But I've got 2 weeks to appeal so will try and get in to see my boss for a chat about it all. Xx