Can they say that ?

[linniewith2]

I am currently on mat leave from my full time job as a Customer Service Manager due to return in Dec....
My dp also works in the same place and is also a department head although I am the higher earner paid almost £1.50 an hr more than him....anyway he spoke to the manager the other day and asked (informaly) if it would be possible for either him to drop some hrs on my return to work or for us to equaly reduce our hrs to cover childcare, basicly he was told that there was no way that he could reduce his hrs as he is a dept head and these are full time posts...btw we are only talking 7hrs if it was just him to drop or 3.5 if it was both of us.
She then went on to say that I could reduce my hrs..........but hang on I'm a dept head too and a more senior one at that!

Surely we are both entitled to apply for flexible working under the new law and I feel her apprach was incorrect as she did not tell him to go through the formal process i.e put it in writing for concideration(sp) where she would then have to give him a good reason for refusing his request !

I will be having a formal meeting with her in the next couple of weeks to discuss my return to work and just need to get my facts right about requesting flexible/reduced working hrs.

Advice please

[motherinferior]

You are both entitled to have your written requests formally considered. I reckon she's (a) out of order (b) out of touch.

[Uwila]

Agree with Mother inferior. Think she is crossing the sexual discrimination line on dp. What? Because he is a man, he has fewer parental responsibilities? I definitely think he should put it in writing ASAP so that if necessary he can establish the connection between this request and and subsequent mistreatment.

Besides, as you say you earn more, it makes more sense for you two (three) as a family to reduce his hours, not yours.

I'm going to go surf a bit and see if I can find you a good website....

[linniewith2]

Thanks for that visited the dti but just got very basic advice..........Think the idea is that if I drop then it saves them more money and you can bet my hrs wouldnt be replaced so I'd still have to do the same work on reduced hrs !

[Uwila]

Try this

Or, copy and paste into browser: www.dti.gov.uk/er/individual/flexwork-pl520.pdf

[Uwila]

I'm not sure what the issue is here. But, what about you two staggering your hours. Keep the same full time schedule. But you gould go in later (and do that day care drop off if that is what's required) and he could leave earlier (and do the day care pick up). I have a friend who does this and it works well for them. So each of them could lengthen the work day as necessary, but each can only work with one end of the day.

I think it's hard to turn down a flexible working request if the number of hours stay the same.

[linniewith2]

Sorry I didnt explain fully my hrs were approx 7.30 - 3 (5pm on dp's day off) and his hrs were 3.30 - midnight That way we didnt need any childcare for dd1........since I went on matternity leave with dd2 they have changed his hrs to 1.30pm - 10 pm totally buggering up this little arrangement.........hence the reason for dropping a couple of hrs per day.

[popsycal]

some sites for you to look at
hth....

[popsycal]

DTI employment relations site

tiger site on flexible working

[linniewith2]

where are they popsy ...........lol

[linniewith2]

lol.........see them now many thanks will have a good read so I'm ready for the old bag !!!!!

[popsycal]

the tiger site is very good

also, are you in a union?
usually good for advice...

[linniewith2]

Yes a member of usdaw.............must dig out my union membership and give them a ring I've paid enough membersip fee's to them over the past 8 yrs !!!!!!!!!!!!

[tangerinecath]

Hi Linnie, sorry to hear that your work is being crappy about childcare , good luck with your application.
I have just applied for reduced hours for when I go back in January, but no reply yet....

Looking forward to the meetup

C xx